The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-21

NAVAL REFORM.

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may be highly saluary there must and win be 10
which they are more less unpalaabe single persons
or particular professions These Of co will complain
and combine and If sufficiently nums 1s aand nhuea-
ta in their efforts TO obtain redress perhaps defeat the
great object Of REFORM either by repeal or BY introducing
many exceptions as to render the whole nugatory
These observations intended 10 apply TO the late
tempt 10 reform the navy and render II efficient By
setting aside those officers who presumed to be either
superan uated from age and inrmity or from other
cause that rendered them less capable than Others Of DE-
Tending their country performing their professional
duties #aa sa#aa
For this purpose law passed by large majority Of
both houses of Congress authorizing the President
designate board Of naval officers TO make this selection
This delicate and no doubt painful duty they have per.
formed and the President has sanctioned their proceed
ngs As might be expected great portion OF the Officers
dismissed or placed on the retired list dissatisfied with
the action of the board in their particular cases and have
sought redress by memoriazing the Senate The grounds
they assume for reversing the decisions OF the board are
SO far as have seen, principally the folowing'
They claim the right which appertans to every free c
zenof being tried before CONDEMNATION and have
appeals TO the constitution Of the United States to sustain
this claim though that very instrument expressly makes
them an exception. When man receives and accepts
commission in the navy army OF the United States he
voluntarily relinquishes great portion OF his personal
rights citizen. He places himself under different
it provided that Congress shall have power to make rules
and regulations for the of the land and
forces" citizen of the United States may go and
as he peases he is perfect master OF his actions and
no power in the State has right to direct interfere
with hem except they violate the laws OF the land In
his civil character every citizen has right to trial by
jury wherever he goes he claims equality with his M
lows and recognises surior in short he Is, to all In
tents and purposes his master II quite otherwise
with the naval and military officer. The military system
is one of strict obedience and subordnaton As czenw
are oil equa officers there be no equality for that
would destroy the whole system Nothing cam Therefore
be more mschevous and absurd than to apply the pnc
pies Of civil liberty military organization II we are
to have an efficient navy and army Congress must not
talk Of the rights of citizens when discussing gang
on the rights of military men, Each of these has sys.
tenn of laws of its own and nothing is more certain to dis
organize and render inefficient navy or army than con
founding them together. ~.S
The officers dismissed or placed the retired list
plain of having been "dsgracedp by the action Of the
board. Let us examine this point Suppose an officer
was dismissed for hab.ual inteperance Il not amounting
to drunkenness least to disability: Is he more dis
graced than he was before2 is his being placed half
pay for the rest of his life hardship Of which he has
right to complain Or suppose he has become notorious
for his excuses and subterugesin declining active service
sea- for neglect sovenly performances OF bis duties on
board ship an utter ucapacty for their performance or for
QenclencleS
Offences what right has be to complain Of being injured
in his character by being made pensoner for life and
withdrawn from service he has already disgraced2 Will
1t be said that who has dsgraced himself by his
conduct reasonably ascribe it to his punishment
instead of bis oifence neither say insinuate that
any OF the compainants in this predicamen mean
no more than assert that being placed the retired list
cannot of itselt be called disgrace. s4
Neither does il necessarily lead the inference that those
thus placed Ia any way to blame Some may be 50.
nuated by age-and this Is the common lot Of all
mankind who outlive their physical powers or mental
faculties. is disgrace to be old the inhrmt
ties of age considered The fault Of him who bears the bur
den In other cases officer may be disabled BY some
chronic disease and certainly 1t is Disgrace unless
brought on by excessive indulgence in vice or sensua
The question then arises whether naval military Of
Ger has an indeasibe claim to being retained In service
and in the line of promotion unless dismissed by court
martial ...a ~. ra..".
Certainly this is the most unexceptionabe mode except
In where II is impraccable where the offence
gross papabe and dangerous in its example justify
the President in promptly Diminishing the offender Th
power of the President to do this in all where
may deem it proper has been exercised since the days
Washington and is specially conferred him by this
of Congress II would SEEM therefore, that the broad
claim of these retired officers for separate trial. by court
martial or otherwise IL destitute Of any foundation what
ever Their rank Is not in the Of . fee simple
accepted nay anxiousy sought IT. conditions which
understood and they must ought TO have known thS
they subject to the same contingencies 10 which
other professions are liable II any time their country doe
require their services, II they incapable
glecfu in performing Them IL has right TO dismiss bn
Such was the case when portion Of the army dt
banded at the conclusion Of the late with Great Bril-
aim Scores believe hnudreds-of officers underwent
similar process with that Of which our navy officers
loudly complimentary much more severe one, for bI
were dismissed without being placed halfpay Then
the exercise Of determination between the merit
Of those dismissed and those retained and the former bad
Just as much reason to complain Of being adisgracd
this preference Of their brothers have the retired o
Of the navy. Yet they did not combine to render sh'
which had been deemed just and necessary entirely inO
ratvc 1t Is not true in any circumstances Of lie that
Is disgrace to the person passed over n this were
case, nine-teuhs Of the human would be dsgrscs
for there is not single desirable object in this world
the attainment Of which there = not struggle beTs'
different candidates. According 10 this naval doc
fa xooer disgraced the unsuccessful aspirnnt to
Is dsgracsd; and every unsuccessful candidate for
presidency Is dsgraeed man, and may complain IN
injustice Of the people. wv ~ os.a,
For years past there has been general impression pr
vailing, and myself have heard IL corroborated bund
times by officers Of the navy that there members
the corps who, from various causes could not or Won
not perform the proper duties Of their profession. 500
were incapaciated BY age and infrmityj Others ts
! wanting Ia the necessary qualifications Of seamanh
either owing 10 natural in npaciy or from having wD0
II possible, declined evaded that active sen
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