The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-17

you not placed thsse gentlemen in that po ,ns Are
their characters not left liable to suspicion Letters
been addressed to every member Of the Naval Board ask
ing why they dismissed certain Officers What the
Of every oneS Each Of them ssid 81 am estopped
from answering for the board have no right to tell you
Why you we're dismissed Thus you open the door for
o. MR%, hs
display its work. mans repu alton which is dearsr
to him than e Is sacrificed to this vague and
spirit OF conjecture that IL thrown over the sub je
simply because you have put it under tho veil secret
conclsve. Sir do not mean to attack the motives Of
the members Of the Naval Board at this time II take.
all the Christian charity which have got-and you
know, sir, that mans heart more hued with that
virtue than mine Qsughter)-and al car borrow from
charity over tie board But for the ves and history
and services of its members, should have hest
fe6, and unnitigated against them; but forbsar-I
wh them to have opportunity TO answer for them
selves: Let them be heard It requires su my caarity
the best of motives; but wall not lmpugn their
purposes. 1t is against their action that inveish
cases. have SAID thus much in general terms; but
when the time for the examination of the subject
in detail shall a have record to unfold 10 regard to
clear to the mind the board them
selves; but mean to be more just to them than they
shall have the privilege, at least, of being heard. In
that view have offered the resolution under considera
ton, and hope the Senate will adopt 1t.
Mr.. BESJAMuN-Mr. President, do not intend to 60
any further into this debate than will be necessary to
answer In q very few words, two questions which
Hampshire and by my friend from Tennessee The SEN
ator from New Hampshire says that misapprehend his
that he does not to say that the officers
Of the navy have vested interest ia their Commissions
any further than this-that they have a vested
interest in their commissions which deprivss the
Congress of the United States, any department of
the government, Of the right Of turning them out
of the service except in such manner was con-
tempated when they entered the service. The Senator
then asked why could not in the manner, and
upon the same grounds act judges of courts of the
United statess The answer to this is 50 plain and clear,
and obvious that am astonshed at the question The
members of the judiciary of this government hold their
commissions under the constitution, during good be-
havour." The officers OF the government in question
hold their Commission during the pleasure of the
dent My friend from Tennessee ndor sing the argument
OF the gentleman from New hampshire still persists in
putting 1t before Congress and the country that these
officers have been charged with criminal offence tried,
condemned and executed, without hearing. Me- Pres
dent, you remember well-my friend from Tennessee
remembers we'll and perhaps it may not be improper to
refresh the memory OF the gentleman from New Hamp
shrehat prior to the year 1928 was very large
body OF offices in this countryside civil offices Of the go
vtrnment--hed by who had no other tenure than
the good pleasure of the Executve and about the
1925 there q revolution In the administration Of
this government that subject, and nearly every
civil ofcer--men some of them, who had held from boy
hood the positions upon which they relied for
for themselves aud their famiies-men against whose
untarnisheo reputation not syllable Of reproach
ever utered-men who bore themselves lofty in
cia Positions and possessing all the attributes which
snouid cnaacterize an ohcer, man, or gentleman
these men without trial upon the tnstgaton of lues
OF village politicians, who wanted their places, found
themselves plated by the Executive Of the United
States. The village politicians who had volun teered
themselves into advisory board reported upon them
and too their places and yet great party in this
Mr.. JoSEs Of Tenn--Mr President
Mr. BENJAsNNy friend from Tennessee need not rise;
1t does not touch him; he agsinst it,
Mr.. JONES, OF Tenn.--Perhaps it touches you.
M. BESJtsIs--No, sir was against it.
Mr. JoSS Of Tenn.-I merely rise to ask my friend IL
he die not condemn, in the most unmeasured terms,
that very proceeding.
Mr.. BENJAMIN. cid,
Mr.. JONES Of Tenn.-Then come over and join me- and
condemn this
Mr.. BENJAMIN. will tell the gentleman, in few mi
es Why cannot accept his very ote invitation Mr.
President when that general removal of the civil officers
of the government took place which my friend from Ten
nessee and myself reprobaed at the time what the
motive? 1t was to carry out what have considered
the vest revolutionary doctrine that published
through this country" to the victors belong the
States did not possess the power it because
thought that in the unquesoned exercise of that
SIT nn ne was h mot right n dscaafgns from
nation derived from source Incompetent to perform
their public duties that reprobated the adoption
carried corruption into the political service; thst it
made the choice of the officer dependent not upon
,ss s Of ls hs to oS
trine of inquiry into his capacity and honesty
and substituted for it question which, in my opinion
son that then denounced it, and st denounce it. Sir
when certain gentlemen, addressing himself to Mr..
Halel who at that time belonged to the party which
adopted that princip maintained it, approved It,
red it out, and, in their language, struck of the
heads of honest and honorable and peent public OH
GERS without inquiry without charge
Mr.. HA1E-Pont to somebody else-not to me. did
not I'd do p It.; GnushM,s s 1.-..,,.,, ..,..
ling to say he did It, Now sir what have done here
what has Congress done heres The Congress of the
from the public service Of officers whose competency Ii
las endeAvored to test in the only manner In which,
submit it was possible for to test by the report
board Of brother officers, who alone csmpetent
judge capacity and efficiency for the public service
The gentleman from Tennessee asks IT. with the kind
heart which he is pleased to attribute to me-and
which do not feel be very great piment for he
took great deal more to himse-I approve of the
action Of this board in relation to A. B. CT Sir when
this debate, very suddenly indeed mentioned that
had not examined the list-that not aware Of and
no Tine q becoming o with the fact
cases. have very decided opinion in few that
have come to my knowledge, that injustice has been
before the Senate and the country this there has been
no trial of anybody any charge The President has
been requested by Congress to his constitutional
prercgatve Of dismissing inefficient officers from the
public service, to the end that he might perform
constitutional duty. with every possible for
acquiring correct information which II within the
power Of the Congress of the United States to furnish
him Congress ordered that board OF officers should be
csledto 90 WHAT To advise the President in relation
to the capacity other brother officers to do the duty Of
country ashore and acat. Where them is the idea of
courr My honorable friend from Missouri (Mr. Geyerl
suggested to me just now what ought to have said be-
fore that court had been provided for in the act
should have voted against it, had idea OF bringing
the whole body Of naval officers in this country under
court martial by law. had idea of amending the
law creating courts martial and il the Senator
Tennessee expected that under the operation Of this
law, anything like court martial TO be held SUBJ
NIT to him. with deterence that he did not sufficiently
study the words of the law examine into its spirit
intent. Courtsmartinl enough had been held in the
naval service courts martial enough be held under
our present system The object to furnish the Pre-
Illustration Suppose have great deal Of building
going on, and my work is not zone we'll. not an
expert but have large number of contractors and
workmen. find that my work il not well done; find
that it is not progressing with sufficient rspidity and
desire, therefore, to discharge the incompetent
workmen. / do not know who they are. /
apply to haif-adozen of them in whom have
confidence, to report to which of the
doing their work well and which are not; and
upon the report Of those men, in whom must have
fdence, for have other Of information drop
from my service those who reported to me as not
- nd hat