Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-02-06
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

Ano Na'oi noloi M 4uestl0n.-We have
avoided the discussion of this question sedu-
iously, and have never approached it without
feeling ourself compelled 80 to do by strong
sense Of the obligation of duty upon US, the
conductor of a daily paper at the seat
OF Government. We have many personal
friends among the retired officers, and still
more acquaintsnccs whom we have every
reason to respect and regard, and to whom we
would not, under any circumstances, do an
act Of injustice. Nevertheless, our judgment,
after carefully studying the questions involved
In the action Of the late Naval Reform Board,
counsels that 1t has accomplished much more
good for the country and the naval service of
the United States, than evil No one familiar
with the late condition of the navy doubts
that the application of the pruning knife to
the service was absolutely necessary to its
well being. Indeed, the reform was demanded
and actually brought about by the clamor of
the ofhcers themselves; for years they urged
1t upon the Executive, Congress, and pub
lie opinion. They carried their point; and the
law passed to that end in obedience to their
behest, was framed so as to accomplish their
purpose in the best possible way Under it
the Board was appointed. When the names
Of the officers composing the Board were an
nounced, the service and the country, with
ones accord, approved and endorsed the
admirable selections made by the Secretary
We need hardly say that no naval service OF
any government ever embraced a more COM
Petent, accomplished, honorable, and intelli-
gent board Of officers than those whose names
composed the list in question. They were as.
sembled as professional experts and as the
peers OF the other officers of the service, TO
determine who among them were not, in all
respects, Mt to be retained in active Service
dhe law admitted of no qualification in the
discharge Of their delicate and responsible
trust. Under it, If an officer, in their iude.
ment, lacked any one of the many essentials
for the di'charge Of any one of the many de-
scriptions of duty that might be required of him,
IL vas their duty, under the law, to recommend
that he be rated hereafter in one Of the classes
ofthe retired" One or more membe of this
Board had sailed with every officer of the ser.
vice or served with him On shore duty. MANY
OF them knew well, personally, nearly eyerv
omoer whose qualifications were to be passed
upon; and all Of them knew the professional
reputation of every one of the canvased. II
was impossible for the Government at this
point to obtain more able advisers, than the
gentlemen in whose hands the right to decide
on the relative qualifications and the present
professional condition Of their brother officers
wss placed.
In discharging that duty, they have either
entered into a base conspiracy, falsifyinp
their previous personal history, and atrocious.
~ inJuring their retired peers, or they have
done their best for their country and the ser.
vice, each to the best of his ability. There
could have been no half way action on their
part They must have sought to do thei,
dnty only, or to sacrifice their fellow officers
ior tner own benefit, and that Of their DER.
eonai friends in the service. Out of 2oI eases
.uei' may De two dozen in which other. than
ie'neo and their immediate relatives and
Aheoa'' oeheVe that they have not made vis.
anu Pruaent recommendations; not NOR. cs,.
fanny. We do not believe that thsx r.,
erred In so many cases, with our noo, -,
edge OF the psrsonnet of the sery;c. r.,
does any sane man not personally interss,sd
in undoiDg their work, imagine that thew \. No.,
not honestly advised the Executive to tn. h.,
OF their professional judgment? We tbinl
not. Its objected that the officers tried lever,
0mcer OF the service) were not allowed th
nsnt OF an open trial. They were not tried
Ia ,he ordinary acceptation of that term
ne,r merits were passed on upon their re
p'cu'e records and the knowledge Of each @
them personally possessed by some member o
m'mosis OF the Board. To have attempted +
accord 70 each one Of them the trial indicate,
In the objection to which we refer .onI,
nave compelled the Board to have rsn.;n.,
IN session perhaps until the year 1853. with
out recessi as the case of each officer of N,
0l retired, only, would have taken. .., - ,