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

of IT, navy to deprive them of that protection watch
nsrh and to take from them all their rights on mere
Iumcn Did you suppose man would be tried without
ssa him and that he would be- sonasmpsd and sss
cuted a. criminal without q hsaringf That, In my
s B sir a rise to
law lrose to ~ few words upon the question properly
grsssIIttea By the resolution under considerss.oa
NaI deem respectful the President of the United
States deem respectful to the Naval Board, call for
eanno suppose that they acted without testimony If
they id, they are "douby damned" II they acted
know what the testimony ss The Senator from 1ouisi
ana says that We are pdieeps imHis in this transac
the United States are responsible For myself
utterly repudiate the idea that am responsible for
the Injustice that has been done TO honorable men at
tashe In any degree whatever to myself other gen.
matter Of taste about which have no right to Complain
hold that the responsibility rests upon the President,
r o to ns
correct the defect and # they have improperly
for it. Sir, is it not monsirous idea to suppose
that when we, as legislative body. have passed law
which gentlemen say has operated to the prejudice of
portion Of our constituency We have no remedy whatever
BY which we car restore those men to the rights Of which
not bound honorable men, by every consders-
ton of justice OF patriotism and OF Conscience to put
them right: prepared to do it. Mr. President, my
objection to the action this board different from any
which has We. been stated believe now that the law
make such AMENDMENTS as may Be deemed necessary to
carry out its real spirit never contemplated any such
ported it. My objection to the results that have
flown from II and now call upon the American Senate
to determine .y whether anybody expected that inca
II established, should consgn them to the lowest
depths OF insmy ana hsgraoeY It is repngnant
ideas Of justice and fair deaing Some gen.
tlemen who were tried BY that board were far
frov 90 alohn 90
which may refer. shall not mention Names because
DO not choose to into individual cases; but know
case where man. upon rumor arraigned before that
board when he was FIVE thousand miles from home
serving mostly under the banner of his country. That
with offence which ifproved should put him outside
the pale OF honorable civilization separate him from
from the American navy without hearingl Mr. Presi-
dent it possible that have reached that period in
ment principle like The veriest criminal
that walks Streets who VIC ates every law of your
every feeling of decency wheu arrested has secured to
him. by the constitution and the genius of the country
TAR ana imraraa trial he Is allowed an opportunity
against him face to face Not 50 with officer of the
Mr.. BSJAMN-Wi'l the gentleman allow in this con.
nection to put a question to oims
Mr.. JONES, of Teonessee.with pleasure.
Mr.. BEyJAMIS-How did the gentleman Tennessee,
when ne voted for this law understand that portion of
it was to be executed which provided that, after the
Secretary of the Navy had consulted board as to the
efficiency OF an officer to perform his Ity ashore and
Afoat the board should also report whether, in their
opinion, the ncompetency had arisen from any cause
implying sufficient blame the part of the officer to
justify them In recommending that his be stricken
from the rolls? Did the gentemau in voting for that
provision Of the law, think that court martisi pro-
vided for /?
Mr. JoSEs of Tennessee-I will answer the gentleman
with great deal Of pleasure expected that whea the
board assembled they would be subjected to all the
responsibilities known to fair and impartial trial
expected that, when they called to discharge
this unpleasant duty, they would take upon them
selves ali the obligations imposed by law men
when the board reported the Secretary Of the Navy
of offences Inconsistent wi h q continuance in the
public service the accused would at have been mott
ed TO appear either before tseaboard or before court
martial convened BY the President for the purpose whore
humble privilege which is accorded to every feon on the
hghway Of beng informed Of the charge against him.
snd s hsps or u
personalities OF the States Of this Union That wsver
was not the course Of proceeding When the dndag Of
the board brought to the notice of the Secretary of
the Navy what did he sayf He admitted that there
errors i IT, He admitted that wrong committed
exist he advised the President to approve the report
The President approved the finding Of the board that
of the Secretary OF the Navy admitting
on the face Of the paper that there wrongs in IT,
In the Of heaven the Senator from Louisiana
its approval by the Secretary Of the Navy and the
President to any principle Of justice suppose
an-becauss it WAS too trouSesos to get At the e. s'
should the innocent man be consigned to infamy and
disgrace Sir the higher lawnot the political higher
law, but the higher law of God and moratysays that
1T better that ninety nine guilty should go unpunish
ed than that one innocent man should suffer- And yet
this board and the Secretary Of the Navy and the Pes
dent have reversed this great principle Of morality and
they say that when they wish to punish the ninety mine
Mr.. SEWARD desire to AK the honorable Senator
whether he is informed by rumor otherwise that this
BOARD kept minutes or recordsS
Mr.. JOINS, Of TENNESSEE dislike very much at any
time In addressing the Senate to rely runor be-
heard that no minutes were KEEP. hove heard that
there was report have heard that there was not
the scratch ola pen to be found explaining the conduct
have right to know them, and, therefore, I
offer my resolution to give the Secretary OF the
Navy and the Naval Board chance to let know the
ground of their action do not desire to establish any
secret inquisition upon them do not desire to fall in
10 the very which think they have committedof
trying men without giving them an opportunity to be
heard. For Ibis that there Is q record,
and therefore have called upon them present it.
Now If 1t should out says that there is
no record, want them to be made to answer for having
Mr.. sEwARp-Its precisely for that reason hat de-
sired, In connection with the honorable Senator's
marks that The fact mgAt go out to the country He
has given strong reason tor voting for the resolution.
Let the world know precisely how this thing stands and
let the snate proceed jus, as the honorable Senator
proceeds, In the legitimate and proper way ascertain
the fact ] think it is right for the Senate to cali
alone do not know whether they kept minutes Of their
proceedings and whether they made detailed report
OF not. ms is matter Tor them, and not Tor me-
but am performing my duty here a Senator.
II seems that have been made party to this trans
action by voting for the law. believe that the law has
been perverted from its true purpose aud that results
have followed injurious to the public SERVICE and danger
GUS to the public morality of the country and finally If
persisted in the result must be the utter destruction of
the navy Why sir, the pestilence which pervaded
portion of the South during the last year not
terrific In its effects than the pestlenee which has swept
the Navy by the action of his Board Out OF
hundred naval officers two hundred and have
consigned to their official graves. The State which you
and Mr. President represent her Some
of them, perhaps now standing within the sound of
my voice. asking why they have been dismissed from the
public service what charges preferred against them
and upon what ground they have been tried condemned
and executedS Neither you nor l. any other in
the Senate, able to that question. Can