The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-11

rsl rr(Om delivered ln the United States senate,
Friday, May le, 1856.
[coScLcDED.l
:. MALLORY. Mr. President, when yielded the floor
Iay had reached that portion Of my reply TO those
nmsnts which had made an impression on my mind,
sh il became necessary to review the results of the
\, N tbe naval board as presented to us. had en-
rd 10 con6ne my reply TO such arguments presented
aOrs adverse TO the views entertained by the Exec
thp Secretary OF the Navy, and the committee to
Mind we're such as would guide the Senate to an intel
t Judgment on the question. have necessarily dis
LA he consideration OF great many propositions
b have been introduced, because did not think the
xu,sion Of them would conduct US TO an intelligent
usiOn and my object Is to avoid the eonsunpuun ol
time Of the Senate. FEH t
ow sir in reviewing the results Of naval reform in
d lights and determining It's value to the country l
mill as general proposition, that the value of the SER
d OF in any profession OF lie, but particularly in
navy may be determined by the demand for them.
e are EXCEPTIONS Of course, 10 this proposition but
general rule il is correct Looking at the Executives
oS guided by this truth we find these results First
reserved captains have been unemployed in your navy
an average of twenty 1.-TWO years while the active cap-
rs have been unemployed average, fourteen years
six months Second the reserved commanders have
m unemployed in your navy sixteen years and ten
lhs EACH and the active commanders unemployed eight
rs each. Third, your reserved lieuenants have been
mployed seven years and five months each, whereas
n active lieutenants have been unemployed only two
RS and eight months EACH
reducing this to calculation of dollars and cents for
purpose of informing the country for what they pay
r money we find that supposing the average pay Of
e retired officers while unemployed, reckoning from
entry into the service to have been Of captains 81 4SO
aRnum of commanders, 81 900 per annum; OF lieu
ants $3.50 per annum this result follows: that the
captains have averaged for the State $4,000; the
nmanders Sl0s0O; and the lieutenans an average Of
681 each more than the retired officers of the CORES
.lding grades
will not undertake to say that these calculations are in
respects exact for in the hurry of preparing the re-
rks which have the honor to submit have had to re-
upon the clerk of my committee for these figures. But
! lave no reason to doubt their correctness.
icwug the argument therefore, p the light of dollars
cents alone present here this result against those
have been retired. am not to be met this point
the suggestion that the active employment Of these men
lways within the control Of the Navy Department That
IN abstraction, as have shown.
Ehie on this point may say that constituted as the
Department is 1t requires peculiar fitness for the
ties OF that Office which is rarely found in any incum
t They are gentlemen selected usually from the civil
ks of life with no preparatory experience in naval du
] and when they take possession OF the department
are usually not only ignorant of their duties but abb
aty gnurant OF the language in which those duties
couched The very orders which they themselves issue
the replies they receive to those orders incompre-
|nsbe to them They fall immediately into The hands of
chief clerks and the bureaus ia the Navy Departmen-
4ssarily So In saying this must not be understood
indicating aught to the dsparagement of these gentle
0lc ocers more ready competent to discharge
Hcenousy the duties of their several Offices according
their own Judgment than the heads and subordinates OF
Navy Department since have had any connection with
m They are enlightened intelligent and devoted to
public service, any other men in the country You
to the Secretary alone, and you hold him responsible
the condition. conduct aud discipline of the service
yet you select man for this position who scarcely
bows one end Of ship from another.
Such has been the frequent result with regard TO this
tbprn hara
4 amongst them the present Secretary
This gentleman came to the department with an un-
nmon degree Of knowledge of the true character and
duon OF the service and his clear and comprehensive
I'd very soon mastered lis details and routine and en-
ed hm at very early day of his official career to firm
grasp the helm Of the navy, aud guide and govern by
| hight OF bis own singularly dispassopate Judgment
Ar PRESIDENT there are many propositions which have
Pen announced by the senator from Georgia and by
0er which shall not stop consider for the reason
hVe assigned-that am satisfied the minds Of senators
lem8eYes will be suggestive Of their proper replies One
mat this reform has increased the expense of the navy
Ft thus violates the law. do recollect any argu-
at mat he gave us TO prove IT, This Is matter Of fig
not Of assertion, II Is matter Of dollars and cents
he expenses OF the navy are increased even six and
larlcr cents, the senator from Georgia show it,
hin do so. 1t is not matter of opinion. say the
nses Of the navy not increased and there is the is
between The proof which have on the subject is
executive document The Secretary Of the Navy has
n'eFrogated by the Senate upon this point and his
heial reply is tlis:
The vacancies have been filed according to the act by
guar promotion 10 the order of rank or senorty' Al
ugh hefe arc now this reserved list hundred and
yse'eG officers, the expenses OF the navy, appears
n calculations accurately made increased for the
son that y not only reduced pay but the officers
ota ter UacuRcos do receive the R pny OF the
ue 10 which they thus promoted They attain the
ghe rank and secure more responsibe and
hd' but not 10 enjoy mi paw until the vacancies they
o %9 made complete by either resignation, DEATH
.nis should be satisfactory upon this point and dis
AE TO0hBs The figures are all set down in my speech
printed yesterday morning | did not read them here,
ut the figures are there.
Mr. MALLORY. | have not seen the senator's printed
IN ~ commenced yesterday before il published,
20 nave not had opportunity Of seeing II since and
aaeve those figures may be or whether they do or do
u not aware. -
Another suggestion of the senator from Georgia was
ls Notwithstanding tho law decides that the
umor officers shall not be increased and
hy have not been increased he assumes that they will
Increased. lie tells yout bat shall hereafter be called
u 10 promote or 10 nominate for other appointments
~ na' INC numbers IN the varous grades viii be thereby
SsaSed II understood him. his position was that the
'1ues were not increased now but that the fret thing
.. country would know, the Senate would be called upon
ulfaSe them. Sir 20 guide our action by such
suggestion? II that TO weigh with us one feathers
ne uisposal OF the questions before US When
W. u shal come up VIC viii deal with IT, You can no
IVY io'e'til what tho Secretary Of the Navy win
on this subject than you can forete the action Of
~ Voa! bnt you nre bound to believe that neither will
" n 70 y violate or cvade the laws of the land
al ~. ioohbS | will puttbe senator right though
! "J ueem It necessary. The gentleman seems to baye
"a pare statement of the case, with no arguments ana
- "eS will correct him he goes on If he viii al
Nv 0,l e stated that according 10 the laws fixing the
"Penenls in your service, you needed an additional
@ "oe' OF subordinate officers, unless you alter those
@ AS The service now stands, by the action Of this
u, Tue number Of officers Of the rank Of midshipmnn
- %eh reduced from four hundred and eighty-four 10
snah Two hundred You must necessarily, in order 10
- .~pee your complemens, add large number Of mas
VI mldshipmen, or officers below entenauts TO doshps
nm mat Is my argument The reason why say this
~ Gone Is because every body knows Il must be done
fTIglohg NJ to the laws regulating the naval service.