The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-25
|. A few words more, and shall cease 10 t.oublc

rected few words more, and shall cease TO touble
you,
ter for this year, page 92) the ih July 1921, now
thirtysx years ago. My service has been fifteen
years and months and shore service -four yeas and
niue months. In the former, was under the command
at different times of Commodores Stewart, Washington
dgely Creighton, Read, Morgan, and Irner Cap'rins
Forrest, Nicholson Woolsey, Holman, Smoot, Wyman
Cooper and Commanders Gedney, Bigelow, Peck and
Calhoun me chara cters Of these officers and all
arc well known To the and you carnot doubt that
If had not properly conducted myself morally and pro-
ssionay, should at least have been Teprmanded and
ii the offence repeated, have been reported and
brought to trial The records of the department contain
no evidence of the last and pledge my honor an
officer and gentleman-neyer, thank God, forfeited that
during that period of fifteen years and SIX monthst
my lot to be seriously reproyed.
With such record of mental and professional cape lily
and moral fitness is n your possession it may
naturally be asked how could the board OF fifteen have
made the decision under which have so long and
Justly suffered
1t is far from tocharge it to any improper motives
have reason TO doubt, and do therefore doubt
that they thought it their duty to pronounce it, The
wrong they have in fact done but the result OF
the mode of proceeding which they thought proper 10
adopt Had opportunity been afforded to justify my
conduct in the only particular OF misconduct supposed to
have been imputed to me- could have done it
fully then L trust i have done IL now, and should
have been saved the Deep cruel modification of their
sentence and they when they snail come to it, the
deeper modification of having unnecessarily and
unIuStly subjected me 10 IT. Hulnor only codiu nave
been their informant, Rumor upon whose tongues
continual ISLANDERS ride ''stuing the Of with
false reports doubtless greatly exaggerated my single
fault and they yielded too oreduous My suffer
ing in consequence is now, hope, To terminate
cannot doubt-who doubt who has witnessed the
trials THAT shall by your Judgment be promptly and
honorably restored to service in which youthful and
natural pride and ambition sngy to perform all
duty promptly and efficiently May be pardoned for
adding that this ambition from n patriotic sire,
whose life peied on the batcfelds Of the reyou-
ton and who left this and spotess honor and what
could bFdearer the only inheritance he had TO leave
to his children That ii has suffered dimnution
at my hands am proud TO know, and shall hereafter
be equally proud to point to the judgment you now
to pronounce conclusive and enduring evidence OF the
fact.
The duty which you have 10 discharge, gentlemen
judges of this court is sure, the most unpleasant
your commissions have involved TO investigate
the character of brother officer to follow him through
his official conduct to trace him in his life wanderings,
to watch his department at the festive board to enter the
homestead where hospitality has prevailed and see if in
the hlarity of the moment amidst temptations which
the strctest virtue and steest ortitude rarely able
to resist he had not to extent been far msled
to have his feelings excited and his soul warmed beyond
their ordinary tome and to pass judgment this may be
greater less do the instincts Of our nature scken
at the duty! There are however consultations here,
in every other condition in which honorable men can be
placed
If the result in the particular instance is to silence
SANDER correct msappehension, relieve against injus
tce, soothe the feelings of brother, return him to his
friends and family with that reputation indicated which
they believed uns2incd, and restore him to his
profession whose honors tho aim Of his existence
unspotted the worthy associate and every way the equal
of his comrades there in that result pleasure which
almost compensatas for the bitterness of the duty.
trust gentlemen that neither myself nor my counsel
he mistaken in believing that such will be the happy
close Of your labors upon the present occasion Under
that impression strong conviction and with my sin
thanks for thacouresy with which you have through
out treated me, leave my profession and character in
your hands. A. ii. kitty