The daily union., 1856-04-05


PROCESSES himself capable Of performing' want 70 pat
ease 10 seuaoFs Suppose tribunal Was instituted Win
powers a. the capacity Of the membes Of this
body With view decide whether they were capable or
incapable Of performing the high tss 70 which ihey nave
beeu called and suppose that this tribunal IA s hfss
CATION should decide that the senator from Mississippi
lr BAows and the senator from Louisiana Mr. bEAyA-
MN and The senator trom Florida, Ar hALLoRl %ho
have arg with much earnestness here that no aus
gruce attaches these dsated officers should a
the ud ment Of this tribunal and be condemned as ~,
competent wish these senators whether lhe5 "oau
retire Gracefully and quietly from this hall, admitting that
degradation attached 10 theii Character 'o sucu
judgnvnt2 No, sir they would carry WIN ueh GOWN -
their graves deep sense of notification Of shame and Of
DEGRADATION SO these ocerseyen those who have been
pu on the retired sthave badgeof ineriority attached
10 their character by The judgment Of the naval board
which will fonw them TO the end oil their lVes ana ateh
to their memories after death.
this be the case Of who have been put upon the
essrrd list ask what is the condition of those who have
bern dro pped from the nayywho have been turned out
Of she service for alleged neapacy arising from their own
misconduct What is their condition dsep and ao-
ding shame attaches to the character OF those men Whch
nothing will wipe out but restoration TO their former Po
sition.
had the honor TO introduce Is to accomplish this very end
We uninormed of the and reasons for wheh
any Of those officers have been retired ana dropped ana
the navy board has condesoended to inform any per
this point They have given no information 70 the
President Secretary of the Navy. They have given III
formation TO no one How then Possioie lot tnose
officers who have been thus affected to vndcae their char
before the world aud their friends and before the tr
bunals which they bring their cases Is it not neees
sary in the first place. understand the and reasons
by which they have been affected How they eoms
before this body and ask justice at our hands indeed
have the right and power TO give itf How can they
10 President of the United States and ask him TO
store them, when they unable themselves to under
stand the upon which they have been retiredI IL
is with view do justice to those officers, their friends
and to the country that propose to institute tins nVeS
CATION -.
The board only acted in secret and condemned
in secret but they putting around them the ven OF
andre
the which they have retired these oicers
submit that this adding insult to injury They have no
right withhold these and causes and facts from
the officers who have been thus affected If they are ex
cused in Withholding them in where the officers them
selves do not ask them because it might be indecae be-
ii might nict injury their feelings and charac
tes such exist when tho officers themselves de-
mand and call the board to disclose. What right has
the board to withhold this information from the officers
whom their judgments have rested What right have they
to withhold it when these officers not only ask respectful
iy but demand to know The very fact that this board
veed itself in this mpenetrabe and obdurate secrecy is
the highest and conclusive evidence not only that
they have acted wrongly but that they are conscious OF
having done injustice.
Now, propose TO make them unrave and disclose.
propose bring them down from this elevated eminence
which they have assumed for themselves and to bring
them before tribunal of the Senate TO compel them to
disclose the facts and grounds and which their
judgments founded. 1t not only in justice TO the
officers themselves in order that they know the causes
tor which they have been retired not only in justice to
their friends who feel deeply and senbly this subject
only in justice 10 the people of the United States who
deeply interested In the character OF their naval Off
GERS but enable the Senate judge whether these
cases have properly adudged 1t is to give the
President information to inform his conscience and en-
tighten his Judgment that he may act Understandings
and do justice these officers injustice has been done TO
them by the board Ii cannot be done unless this inform
alton is obtained We already informed by official
communications that the President and Secretary know
nothing about these causes the Senate knows nothing
about them no knows anything about them. How
then the President, this body, any other tribu
nal form intelligent judgment the question whether
which these officers have been dsraed submit TO
the friends of the naval board in this body that they ought
to be the first men to court such examination.
Mr. BENJAMIN. If the gentleman from Georgia will
allow me, should like TO ask bim question.
Mr. lYERSON. Certainly, sir.
Mr. BENJAMIN / will ask the gentleman from Geor-
ga if be has turned his attention 10 the question of
Ia the Senate to put these officers examination under
oath, as he proposes?
Mr. IVEKSON. | have not particularly turned my at
tenton TO that question: but take for granted that the
Senate confer the committee. 1t has
done time after time and in instance after instance The
Conmtee Naval Affairs have brought iu proposition
which proposes confer this very power that
mee and The House Of Representatives has just
terred The same p0.er upon committee OF that body
and which it is understood Is its way Kansas
make important Investigations.
Mr BENJAMIN. Perhaps the senator does not under
stand understand him to propose that shall call
before committee of the Senate the officers of the naval
buard and compel them to answer nnder OATH what opn
ion they gave the questions submitted for their action
and the reasons for their judgment
Mr. lYERSON propose TO call the members Of the
val board before special committee, 10 he appointed for
that purpose and TO examine them OATH aud let them
state the grounds the reasons and the facts evidence
which their judgments founded That think il is
competent for the Senate to do There is law in
eupenble obligation which prohibits these individuals
from disclosing facts They voluntarily disclose the
facts, they choose themselves IL IL true they have
entered into obligation amongst themselves keep
these things secret giving have said the best ev-
deuce that they themselves conscious Of having done
wrong, and shrink from n disclosure Of the facts
do doubt the power OF the Senate send these
individuals and compel their attendance committee
clothed with power from the Senate, send for any
witness IL has been done Ia mHny Instances Many persons
have been brought before committees Of this body and
amined oath and they have been compelled to
on oath The Senate has the same power TO do this
that court Of justice has and TO obtain the great ends Of
justice hch surround this whole proceeding think
senly necessary that this board should be compelled to
disclose its grounds Of action in order that may be
ebed TO decide whether they have acted correctly or not
The friends OF the naval board 10 this body ought be the
hTst men TO court examination OF this and sub
NIT whether they do not subject themselves injurious
suspicion when they object TO this examination Is II not
An evidence Of their consciousness that the proceed
ing Of the board cannot be vindcaed when they
recdy understood
Several remedies have been proposed for the injustice adj
mcd TO he done by this board The senator from Louis
lana Mr. BENJAMIN himself admitting that injustice has
been done proposes to introduce bill to create board Of
review object 10 that because such a board would be
composed OF The very officers who have been promoted by
The action Of tho late board who are In in keep
log hings just rs they do perceive that such pro
ceedng would he less obnoxious objection and censure
than the one which has already transpired.
The Naval Committee have introduced a bill by which
they intend 10 correct the evil which done There
some features Of that bill which approve there are
9TH F t-l