The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-17

opponents of this bill are aiming at its reusa viii at
tain The remedy they seekf IT is question vhi,h shopid
Before gentlemen indulge in accusations against tho
board In regard to supposed crniaaiity II would be
the question; FIR i they fall in that there must be
some remedy spphed TO those cases which con-
propose now Mr. President to discuss the merits al the
BILL or whether not its features carried
correctly; but could no. Justify myself chairman Of
the Commttee On Naval Affairs, and who PArtici
Ps.ed N the passage Of that bill through this body
did not reply to some extent At least the remarks
from Tennessee have INDUCED in. had the pleasure
OF hearing al the address OF the Senator from New
morning, understood him to be attacking tho motives
| OF the board understood him going further, and
the e ne M s1a ss ~.
ductve rather Of evil than Of benefit Confess sir,
living as do, in strange day it ia somewhat remarka
up here as the supporter of the navy maintaining its in
tegrity and its high character for II there be place
when had the pleasure u sssSus With him.
before, IL was that OF constant and unremi.ing
the honorable Senator at that time to rise in
his place and propose to anuihate the navy, to recall
all its commissions and hire IT out BY contract may
be mistaken but that Is the impression which speech
made by the honorable Senator years ago land
have not referred TO it to refresh my memory
at that time he conducted his friendship ingenious
manner as to impress the entire naval service the
conviction that the great arch enemy of the navy
Senator from New Hampshire. But, sir, whether he
occupied that position or not Ia not material the
When the bill under which the Naval Board
acted reported by the Committee Naval Affairs
this body provision for dropping officers
nor did 1T alude in any manner to inq airy
whether incompetency had produced BY any cause
bamabs to the officers themselves. The bill it
was sent to the House of atives from this
body, was very brief and very comprehensive
one Those who were here last year know very
that time on naval reform No gentleman here kno VS.
the difficulties the Of naval reform than the
Senator from New Hampshire himself and has at
tackled the navy more fercey When that bill pend
rg III the House. 1t impossible get any reform
unless the Senate concurred in ENGRAVING on the bill
House Representatives convinced Of the Necessity Of
REFORM that assured by the chairman Of the C.m
mitee of Naval Affairs Of that body (Mr Bocock that
unless such power ingrafted the bill we might
not look for any REFORM and then sought, member
dropped under the provision OF the House Of
tves twelve months pay but that refused
seemed to be fo1egone conclusion in the House that
there were not only officers but numerous officers the
navy who deserved cons liberation Of this kind. Well
sir the bill in the shape in which stands statute
book passed the House Of Representatives by thirds
vote after most tull and careful Examination of its
features and att the ferces onsaugh,s upon it, The
nous. Now. what is the character Of the bill? The
Senator from New Hampshire and the Senator from Ten
affected by the bill rs dshonored and dsgracei was
very much surprised to find that introduced
at aa-and above all the of the distinguished gem
,leman who is at the head OF the National Observatory
las evidence OF the sacrificing character Of the bill Why
sir if the gentlemen who composed the naval board
needed any defence that as vet they need
nome heir characteri sufficient TO prote from
the inuendoes thrown out herebu If they needed any,
is to be found the tact that it felt itself
to retire that particular gentleman Has any dishonor
reached nms Has any dishonor reached the Ole
commodore who is at the head of the for retire
every officer when his physical energies fail and when
he is d longer competent to perform all his duties
tanning noble commodore at the head Of the Phila
dephia Navy Yards Is there any dishonor attached
to the gentleman VIII: although retired BY the board
the Navy Department. Why, sir the bill Of the last
Congress is the most liberal provision that any govern
ment on earth has made for its naval officers There
is naval ivce the globe which has treated its
officers with that degree Of hberalty with which our
government has dealt with its officers under that bill
The captains who retired under its provisions with
half pay find their way through life smoohed for them.
no draft on their services by their couutry 4 not to he
considered small item. Retirement does not carry
with it disgrace; The bill itself contemplates such
thing Nor can those who have been dropped for ncom
potency blamable in itself CONSIDER It Disgrace why
sir, man has been wounded in duel, it is ncompe
tency brought about by himself but it does carry
digrace Mr.. President, the board provided for by the
law Of he last session composed Of fifteen officers It
was an unshankful task for each one: know the fact
that some OF those who ordered to the
board were exceedingly anxious to avoid the duty
They felt it to be very unpleasant one, and they
however, travels somewhat out of his way in not
only attacking the results Of the action board bu
to hm as,
motives Also will not comment on that. Sir to
the question OF law which lies at the basis Of this in
Quiry and to which have before alluded trust that
when the matter to be discussed in full may be
answered When the opponents of the bill show
Congress to dismiss at any their employees who hold
their offices at the will of the Executive SHALL be ready
that naval officer In this respect differs from any other
ofhcer-when they show that the naval officers of
1885 have different rights in this respect from the army
officers OF 1915, who set asideor If they will show
me that there any constitutional prohibition upon
removal OF offcers-I may change my opinion. But
hold sir that Congress and the President may dsband
the entire The Senator from New Hampshire GER
taiHly thought so at one time-not only the whole
out any Part o. any %e This Board was merely
whether officer deserved to be retired or not If he oc
cupied such position among his peers that in their
honor and interests Of the country should be re-
retired Another item in the philosophy the bill was
the itself than to any political power; that ii the
navy itself could be trusted with its publication
was thrown arc und this trust, by not designating any
particular officers in the law, but leaving the selection
Of them to the who stood in impartial attitude
and whose only bias was to secure the navy the greatest
possible eifciency-the Secretary of the Navy Hire
hst when he designated the ocers to compose
that Board there up from all parts Of the country
one universal reclamation in of his action. Some
Of the very men who have been operated upon by the
stuton the Board Although have thus defended the
Board have doubt and partly for the purpose
of saying that Of hardship and injustice have
arisen Boards not nfslble, and for that reason
the approving power gwen to the President of the
United States That Of course implied power to dis
approve, and implied an examination before doing
either. Sir let not the charges the honorable Sena
tors from Tennessee and New Hampshire rest on the
board, but on the law itself If any law had contena-
plated such court martial to be regarded here
If any law had prevailed that officers should be called up
Individually and compelled to charges and con-
front witnesses, IT could have got my VOTE be-
cause might have known, every Senator knows who
has any knowledge on the subject, that might sit
here Tor ten years and never arrive at the conclusion Of
might 40 inni
cy OF officers arises from various causes on which no
specific charge be framed An officer that has tried
to evade his duties for years. Who the language
OF the senator from New Hampshire, has made Penn
sylvana avenue his principal cruising ground, could
for that the proof Of 1t could not be brought and
met, because it had been the habit Of naval officers
everywhere to lay their anchor to wndward by applying
tor service in the Department which application the
Secretary Of the Navy would never heed il the ocer him