Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-01-05

4 The officers selected to compose THU
Board were in terms highly laudatory
pronounced iit men for the delicate task
Indeed, when their names we're an.
nounced there was a warm and genera
expression FLAVOR and qualification rarely
exhibited Before prescribing regula-
tions as authorized, the opinion Of the
Attorney-Gcneral was asked on the trne
Interpretation of the following provision
Of the act Provided that no officers
upon said Board shall examine into OF
report upon the efficiency of officers of 0
grade above them His opinion was
that the entire body will sit together,
deliberate and determine, and by proper
means authenticate their conclusion as
to lieutcnants, masters and passed mid
shipmen. After that the heutenants
will have to retire, and the captains and
commanders viii act in regard to all Of
ficers Of the rank of commander, when
the commanders must retire and the cap
tains will act as to officers of that rank
All the examinations having thus been
made, and the proper judgments reached
in the manner contemplated by the law,
the sum total of the opinions will be
certified to the Secretary in such form Of
Authorization as he in bis regulations
shall see fit to prescribe.
The few regulations prescribed were
chiefly based on this opinion, with the
purpose of protecting the officers whose
efficiency was thus to be examined into
from the slightest danger of being pre-
JUDGED by the influence or the presence
of judges below them in grade. Lieu
/ tenants were not allowed even to be
present at the proceedings, and delibe-
rations in regard to commanders, and
therefore could not aid to effect their
own promotion; and in accordance with
the same regulation, commander could
not have the opportunity, by hispresence,
to exert influence to secure his promo
ton to Captaincy; and thus it was de-
signated, that if by the execution of the
law, officers Of the board should happen
to be promoted, their proceedings should
not be tainted with the bighting sus-
picion that they labored for their own
advancement and not the public good.
% The Department, therefore, by filling
the board with men of high reputation,
and acceptable to the country and the
Navy, by surrounding them with safe
guards and restrictions, to secure inn
Partially and justice, and to remove the
Opportunity and the temptation for in
diligence in action for personal gain, by
spreading before them the entire files
and records of the Department, hoped
that successful effort had been made to
insure the faithful and satisfactory exc
cution of law passed with every indica-
ton Of earnest solicitude to promote the
efficiency of the Navy.
1.-The order notifying the officers of
their appointment issued on the 9TH Of
June ; they commenced their joint labors
on the Goth of June, and reported the
result on the Goth of July.
% And now, sir, while the operation of
this law is by some hailed with enthusi-
ASH, as salutary and indispensable
corrective of admitted i'll, which de-
pre- sed the service, by others it is re-
ceived with undisguised discomfort and
dissatisfaction. This can hardly be re-
gagded as unnatural The provisions of
the law are generous--indeed. strikingly
liberal but they are at the same time
eTacting and sternly just. Il provides
for the careful support of some and the
prompt removal Of others; and however
faithfully, honestly and carefully execu-
ted, 1t is measure Of reform, and no
s.easlre Of that character is ever execu-
tied without more or less Inconvenience
disappointments and discomfort.
Actuated, no doubt, by desire to
seed truth and justice as nearly as pos
sible, Congress thought it safest to en-
trust the reform not merely to the Pres
ident and the Secretary, whose acquaint-
ance with the officers, both personally and
officially mustnecessarily be very limited
but chiefly to the officers of the three
higher grades, whose knowledge Of THEN
brother officers naturally enables them tc
perform the duty more thoroughly, and
with less liability to err. The task was
delicate, and involved struggles between
duty and feelings. They were men moi
infallible. 1t would be strange, indeed,
if their work were perfect and entirely
free from error. Those errors, if they
exist, will soon and surely be discovered
BY the developments Of time; by contin-
ued inquiry, and by calm, dispassionatc
observations.
1.-THE officers of the Navy as class
are proud, brave, sensitive, patriotic and
self-sacrifcing, and if the sword of any
ono OF THESE gallant; gallant men has been in.
cautiously taken from him, all right.
minded men will say, let his country
restore it to him with all the honors and
PREPARATION due to injured merit, and
while | can by no means recommend the
adoption OF any measure of repeal or
any course approaching in conflict with
the general action of the board, | have
no doubt that there should be and will
be found remedy for any mistake OF
error of Judgment, if the service has
thus been deprived of meritorious and
capable officer, either by reservation or
dropping. Facts which have come to
my knowledge, assure me that it would
be but reasonable to provide years
pay for the officers who have been sud
denly dropped from service upon which
they had heretofore so exclusively de-
pended without any consideration for
future self-reliancc.
!" But, sir, ! cannot conclude this