The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-03

for dropping entirely from the service oass by Al over
msoy .n Iss ss IN sss and
debate in the Sepate passed almost " enfor ce
ment the law OF courts martial, surrounding sworI
ceediDgs viii the solemnity Of . sworn court, : t.
judge advocate and sworn witnesses, suttee. val
he condition is Of ,Ss ssss ussd BY sem
taiies and conceded by statesmen officers and cii.
isschosd through The coanntry pt Congress, IN
its WISDOM falling to the general and more compre
ass ibis sS sa
The officers selected TO the Board in terms
highly aIdstoiy pronounced fit men for the delicate
task Indeed, when their names announced there
and general expression OF favor and gratfca-
tion rarely exhibited Before prescribing regulations
asked tie true Interpretation Of The following provi-
SIGN Of the act, Provided Fiat officers upon said
Cheers Of grace sSovs them" His opinion was, ihs.
the entire ody will sit together deliberate and deter
nne and per suthen their conclusion
IS to heuteIans masters passed nidshipmen afer
that the Geuter ants will have TO retire. and the captains
ard nders will act in regard to all officers Of the
rank of commander when the eommar ders must rere:
snd the captains will act 10 officers Of that rank ALI
the examinations having thus been made and the pro-
per judgem ached in the conemp plated by
The law The total Of the opinions will DO certified to
the Secretary in such form Of auhenicaon he in HIS
titns prescribed chiefly based on this op ion with
tie purpose Of protecting the officers whose efficiency
being pejudctd by the influence or the presence Of
judges below them in grade. Meutenants not al
proceedings
lions in regard commanders ard therefore could not
Did to- effect their own promotion And, in accordance
the opportunity BY his p ence to exert influence to Sc
cure his promotion to csptaircy. And thus It de-
signed hat if BY the execution Of the law oicers Of tho
Board should happen TO be promoted their proceedings
should not be tainted with the bBghng suspicion that
they lsbored for their advancement and not the pub
lie 3D. The Department. therefore, by filling the Board
with men Of high reputation and acceptable the
Try and the navy by surrounding them with safeguards
and restrictions 10 secure inpataity and justice and
to the opportunity and the temptation ndu
genee In action for personal gain BY spreading before
hop,d that successful effort had been made to insure
the faithful ard satisfactory execution of law passed
with every indcat Of earnest soc,tude "to promote
The order notifying the officers OF their appointment is
sued on the 9Th Of june they commenced their joint Ia
2e,h of July.
And n,w, sir, While the operation of this law is by
SON balled with enthusiasm salutary and
sable corrective Of admitted ills which depressed the SER
vice. BY others is received with undsguised discomfort
and dissatisfaction. This hardly be regarded
natural The provisions Of the law generous indeed
strkirgly liberal but they at the time exsctng
some and the prompt removal Of others And however
faithfully honestly and carefully executed, it is
sure OF eolm ard Of that chara er is
executed without more or less Inconvenience disappoin
nent and ojsccptent.
Actuaed, ooubt by desire to seek truth and JUS
tce nearly possble Congress thought it safest to
enust the reform not merely to tho Presiden. and the
Secretary, whoe acquaintance with the officers, both
personally and officially mus; necessarily be very limit
edbut chiefly to the Office of the three higher grades
whose knowledge of their brother officers would natu
rally enable them to perform the duty thoroughly
ard with less liability err The task vas delicate and
involved struggles between duty and feeling. They
iniaIibe 1t would be strange indeed Ii their
work perfect aud entirely free from Those
erIorsi they existwll and surely be discovered
by the devecpemenso lme BY CONT nned inquiry and
Icy calm, dispsssionnte observation. The officers Of
the navy, as class proud brave ensitive, patriotic
and sesscIifciog and If the Of any Of those
gallant Ten has been in:autiously taken from him all
right minded men will say let his country restore 1.
him with all tie honors and reparaon due to injured
merit. Ard While can by no means recommend the
adoption Of any of repeal any Of pro-
ceeting in ccn;t viii the general action Of the Board
remedy for any mistake Of judsmen. it the
Vice has thus been deprived of meorous and capable
Sfcer-eher by rese ya,ion OF dropping Facts which
but reasonable 10 provide yesrs pay for tie Off
who have been suddenly dropped from service upon
which they had, here ofore so exclusively depended,
without any CT nsiders,iop for future sefreliance.
But cir, cannot concluce this branch Il my report
without doing justice to the m OF the Board From
the spirit s1d temper with which they entered upon
Painful al uDsousht duty and from the earnsstness and
Ieps,tmen DEEM i. but an act Of simple justice to
my conviction that they acuated by ele
waited and that their aim was truth i'm
psl'isy. and the COCO Of the ielvice And although
Ia the liability Ct to err, there may be discovered
here and there mistake Of Judgment have adding
ueorated the navy-inp parted to it robust and active
hsEh-inp pred the hearts of the young galan. OFF,
with fresh .Ie,gy and contentment with the service
valntd the thoughtess and the indoent to quit the
Of ene ,nd seek the path Of duty leading to
r6e and confidence in the belief Of the invncibhty OF
his right arm Of defence have hesitation, but take
much pleasure in saying that have already witnessed
it's happy effect in the new impulse and readiness for
duty and felt at the Department Ano, sir though
the humber reported incompetent large, and may
well attract attention, is hat crcums'anse Of i-self
sufficient to justly renec ion upon Board who were
and report the of sl whom they adjuige incom-
Ietent Ct every grace, to do their whole duty pity
and efficiently ashore and aaoatf If but small number
fHfGr had Inc fho IA
Of the Navy for the last fifteen years have again and
sgsin uIgec with almost perinacious ZEAL that some
the navy fl en- impending ruin Would committees,
sion after session. have reported and pressed such mea
Congress and have iouy moved to abolish the navy
ard begin again. if but small defect cxisteds Would
iniy passed meas ure reisvIrg the SER
vice OF the rt cent and for i'm parting vgor and health
pied their energies and impaired their usefuness Would
The press in suest every town and village have fulmra
leo iva thn5a.rs for Iefc' m and have tssmed with art
vailed If but small nucber OF the incapable blocked
up the path OF promoony Or bad it become manifest
TO eito statesman and citizen tina. something radical,
thorough end searching be administered 20
u lie navy from The dangers which ims eri-d it, and
emsrcipste t. il possible from the weight which seemed
80 earely be bur emil ard pressing Il do. ns
The regulations have heretofore been
published The correspond with and the report Of the
Bard accompany this report.
INCREASE or TIE NAVY.
Sub e0uent relec ion and compai alive estimate of
the eat i've stIergh of The naval oi of he pos ers
have but served TO confirm in the policy urged here
tfre Of gradually but steadily Increasing the rial of
cur ravy conviction OF its importsn is my
apology for reiera,ing NTH earnest solicitude my
ndation TO The last Congress to order the
sirucon Of additional number of steam foops- war;
arying each about twenty guns Of the best modern i'm
proven en requiring draft of rot than egh teen
feet and thereby being capable Of entering every Southern
well Northern port OF any rnagnuoe. Vessels of this
size have attracted oh consideration and acquired much
character during the recent conflicts Ia Europe This
aGdion TO the Increase wisely ordered by the last
Copges, would argment marine TO point forming
Lucleus which, sustained by the merchant marine,
wsuld aid largely TO protect country in sudden
ugency contribute much to our estimation abroad
and confidence ut Lome.
1he facility With which en- iuvpeble volunteer army
nay he raised from ccuntrymen. trained TO the
from boyhocd may well justly the settled policy
having but smnll stsndirg army. This remarkable
aure in the charac Of yle has wruug from
these by partial to Institutions the
rcucfsnt sdmisson that the Americans the most