The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-07

prt and depress them 10 defeat and yet reputation Is but
moral Qualifications thing apart from mental and phys
zeal capacity Joan Of Arc bat frail and feeble
woman, Ignorant OF every rule OF military art aud yet
such the magic influence Of her moral power that
the sound Of her voice the nd became heroic and the
feeble strong and victory attended upon her footsteps
Sir the proposition that high of personal
and national honor that esprit d corps that welspent
life and high moral character, teaching man not only
how 70 live but how TO die constitute elements 10 the
efficiency of military repugnant TO the dictates
Of every heart that it requires something than human
logic to sustain L. Sir, have Divine inspiration for
saying that Has thinketh in his heart so he and
the immortal spirit Of mothertoague whose master
hand, in painting human character and passion holds
As twere the mirror up natures shows virtue her
feature her image and the very age and body Of
the time his form and pressure
has deneaed character who having stern and sacred
duty TO perform and moved TO its performances by motives
sacred TO all heart nsgated to 1t by nothing less than
the spirit Of bis murdered father possessing this same
mental capacity and physical ability 10 perform IT. yet
found himself inefficient for its discharge and In the pt
bic nccrtitude Of his mind he exclans if responding
the very proposition of the senator from Georgia
Conscience does make towards of us all
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sickled DER with the pale cast OF thought;
And enterprises OF great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn away, as
And lose the name OF action" .-.
But sir for the sake of the argument which the honor
able from Georgia inyokes aud for other pur
pose Will concede for moment that the board had
right inquire into moral qualifications the
from Georgia has put it, that they had right TO
officer such grounds answer that the board did
officer The board pointed out to the Exeeu-
tive certain individuals whom they thought physically
disqualified for the performance of Duty and having done
so they went further and in expressing their opinions
said in the language Of the from Georgia Here
s STEPPED in ufamy, upon whose head rest all the
crimes known to the Decaogue have means OF re-
moving him if we had, proud of our corps be-
evng that honor is its very lfeblood, would kick
him out of IT," In such state of things what the
duty of the Executive the commanderin-chef of the
army and navy commanded by the constitution and bis off
eia oath that the laws faithfully executed Was il
his duty when called upon to cooperate with Congress TO
reform the navy, keep such man in the serFiceT
apprehend that the intelligent Judgment Of no senator
would sustain him in such position. If he had done
he would indeed have furnished ground for OF the
censures which have been cast upon him.
say that the board removed choose to place
the responsibility where it should rest confess that
have been than surprised TO gentlemen rise 10
their places in this body and take the ground that this
board, yoceess, powerless instrument Inefficient for
any ultimate action, should be held responsible for the
acts of their official superiors and which they condemn
Why not go to the power the Promethean fire, which
breathed life and animation into this lfeless body and
place the responsibility where il should rest? hold that
it is only unjust and unfair 10 these officers but is
striking "a heavy blow and great discouragemen at the
hope Of obtaining correct unbiased opinion in flu
ture from men occupying similar position. say
hetatngly that it the province of the Executive to
approve dsapproye the work OF the boardhis instru
Congress gave him these instruments in order that
he might supervise them That he did extent
happen know 10 what extent shall not undertake TO
nqure but have doubt sufficiently 10 enable him 10
form an intelligent Judgment of the boards action. If
have occurred Lscorn TO place the responsibility Of
them the board when we have higher mark 10 aim at
ask why do senators place the responsibility where
properly rests
Sir Il it be necessary further to illustrate what con
ceive be the Of the position of the senator from
Georgia might him the senator from South
Carolina Mr.. BUTLER, who, though opposing the naval
FORM speaks of this physical ability" ooustu
ting efficiency with scorn. He derides mere thews and
suews The senator from Delaware too Mr BAYARD ex-
presses similar views and agrees with all have said about
reputation.
The senator from soath Carolina In discussing this
question, said, with his accustomed taste:
" Homer, who has drawn character 1t is said with
unmistakabe certainty when he portays in the Ad those
Agamemnon detailing for the night attack the Sestor
the camp. That committed to the skful Ulysses and
and sku but did be deprive Sesor Of his influence and
efhcency7
had almost taken IT, and ready to put the brand To the
ships aud panic spread through the camp, Nestor
who trembling hands age bucksd on bis armor
sad rssased the youth TOR the terror which they had exhibit
win you tell man because be Is wounded-beeause he
h esbe-becauss he has suffered 10 baethat you have
for bin IL this the way In which yOu will use intel
DO regard merely legs and arms and hews and
siuews %
have no doubt Of the correctness Of all this nor have
any doubt whatever that IL Homer had given the army
register Of the Grtcan forces should have found Ntor
the retired list That the part he played during
this memorable siege Even upon the night 70 which The
honorable senator from South Caroaa has alluded though
Nesor did buckle his amor II was not TO play the war
riors part but 10 stand back retired officer and COUP
sci others 10 do The Sighting.
sir, say 10 my friend from South Carolina-upou
whose brow know there is a laurel crown which our
physical blindness alone precludes from seeing and
upon whose lips the gems Of genius sparkle brightly
and naturally docs the bubble upon the wine-i tell
him that the naval profession affords exception TO the
rule, Old men for counsel young for war And !
tell him too that when be oonSuis the Muse 10 dsprove
the inspiration n the prophet that he days Of age
threesooro years and ten aud though DO live four
years yet their strength but labor and sorrow
paseth IL away and illustrate the error or the
folly Of the board with the Nestor of the
and confronts Homer with David must he permitted 10
say Of Nestor in the words Of about whose lip. the
hccs might he supposed 10 dUeone whose authority his
taste viii recognise
Time, which changes al, hath altered him,
In form, IN aspect, Rs in age years steal
Fire from the mind and vigor from the limb,
And fes enchanted cup bot sparkles at the brin."
presume that Il win he conceded that there s unver-
sal regret that the old veteran TO whom have alluded
Che Nestor Of The navy removed from the acveso
vice iist but hold that under fbe law and the reQula-
fous under which tho board acted they could do no less
than advise they did because is not to be con-
dcrd ccen. for the active and atdaous service Of the
after the age oi four-score years We all freely say
that n Judgment committed by the board be-
cause each sets up biz opinion u The eccncy OF men
standard BY which 70 judge them and this too with
far less means Of arriving AZ conclusion than the
board possessed How often haze heard gentlemen here
express their convictions that parties who have been
reserved better sailors than the members Of the board
themselves But what are such opinions worth
In my Judgment sir these errors have been exceedingly
few. do not wish to give. By any act Of mine IN
due prominence 70 The claims uf any particular man,
who seeks restoration hs merits at the expense
Of Others
and fee such confidence ia this geutemans merits ta II
the bill OF committee increasing The lirts Of Inc navy