The Washington union., 1858-03-04

act TO amend an act entitled An act 10 promote the EN-
cheney of the navy in respect 10 fhe dropped anu eted
naval officers, the question being ON 'he mouoh 'iia
the vote be reconsidered by which the resolution was re-
ered 10 the Committee of the Whole the state Of the
Union.
Mr. WHITLEY of Delaware said the resolution asked
that the President after inspecting the records of the
naval retiring hoard and the courts OF inquiry should
say not tbe Executive but the judicial officer revs
ing the action of these courts whether not these
some forty OF them should be enominated 10 the Sen
for their old rank and position in the navy 1t
act of justice which should not be delayed The mem
ber OF the naval retiring board honorable men, but
they human beings and, in his judgment it was
significant fact that they directly interested in their
decisions The courts had given themselves great
latitude In they absolutely inquired the rela
tons existing between officer and his wethey want
ed to invade the secrecy Of the bed chamber to see whet-
this and his wife had ever quauelled Was not
that too bad in this enlightened country In some Of
the courts, when testimony was attempted TO be given
the part the United States and the counsel Of the
officers objected to it, the objection was ovenued be-
fore they had heard what il Would they deny
these people who had been tried illegally the
poor justice of letting the President, under the
constitution and laws of the country, supervise the
records OF these courts and in those where he saw
that injustice had been done ask the Senate to renste
them These officers what they needed for the
service of the country and although they did froc if
when the hour of danger they knew their duty and
dared do it, why keep them in the service and they
would have such reputation in the event OF another
war as their navy acquired in 1872.
Mr.. BOCOCK of Virginia. opposed the resolution on
the ground that the of the retired officers had been
equaby decided upon by the naval courts and the effect
of the resolution would be to refer the remaining cases to
the President for his decision. The retired officers had
not been disgraced by these proceedings but in many
cases treated with mercy and consideration The
great question ought to be had the thing done good or
harm Had it improved the naval service OF had it in
iued it Who had to the House and declared it
had done harm' Secretary Dobbin had not done it
the contrary he held that it great REFORM and had
effected unspeakable good for the service.
Mr.. CLINGMAN, of North Carolina agreed with the
gentleman from Virginia that such measure was
necessary He voted for the original law and had no
doubt that it good one, but the in which
it carried out highly Objectionable He had also
voted for the act of the last Congress to revise the de-
cisons of that board The gentleman from Maryland
Mr. DAvrs had said that the courts of inquiry had
rmed the wisdom and justice of the decisions of the
firing board. He had looked into the matter and found
that there hundred and eight of appeal
in sixtytw OF which their decisions had been reversed
The resolution limited the action of the President to
forty-six persons whose had been examined He
had objection to the only real objection that
| it imposed large amount of labor on the President
| Mr. WINSLOW, of North Carolina, reviewed the le
gislaton of Congress the subject of naval reform
and advocated the passage of the resolution He was
determined to give the power any beard to make
final action unless that action was approved by the com
| mander in chief .s.a
| Mr.. SEWARD of Georgia, condemned the action o
the courts of inquiry saying that in order to carry out
the law under the instructions of the Attorney General
it necessary that these officers should open the trial
| themselves, thus appearing at disadvantage. The
original law had been passed through the House under the
operation of the previous question: and from that day
this there had been struggle not only between the Of
cers of the navy but in every department of the gov
ernment to correct the injury and the resolution passed
| it would be the crowning act
| The previous question having been called,
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee, moved that the motion to
| reconsider be laid on the table
| Nv nf Vrytni, IN fba raptJ Jnmor
to withdraw his motion the previous question had beer
i called
Mr. JONES did So ., .
! Mr. LETCHER, of Virginia, renewed it. s...s
The question taken, and the motion to reconsde
was not laid ON the tabe-yeas 27, nays 127.
The previous question then seconded and the ques
ton taken the motion to reconsider the vote by which
/ the resolution was referred to the Committee of TIL
Whole the state OF the Union and it agreed to,
The resolution then read third time and passed
! yeas l22, nays 5l-as follows
YEAsMessrs Adrain A Anderson Arnold Avery Hinghurs
cakc fhaoc Chapman ofconnccicni
Clay cngman Clark Cochrane Of New York Cockeri O.
Indiana, Davis Of Massachusetts Davis of Iowa, Dawes Dean Dick
amsssn HAN t' y as.i % d tssqs 1 n'ss fs @
man. Hill Horton, Huyc Jackson, ewctt G. Jones and Owe
ss St ma nd ks hs hfsy kas
Kbbn Mcqueen Marshall Kntaeky Maynard Miles Mll=on Mont
Parker Pendeon peyon Phillips Potter role Powell pnryance
Smith of Illinois, Spinner stanton, Stephens Stewart Of Maryland
rppan Taylor OF New York hayer Wadron Waon Ward War
rem Washbue of Wisconsin, Washburn Of Mane White White
ley Wow Wooon WOrtendyke, and Wright Of Tenneseel22
NAYSMessTs. Abbott Andrews, Atkins, Bingham, Blair Bliss
ocock Brayon Cobb Coax Cae of North Carolina Curry Cur
Maryland Davis OF Mss-pp Dodd Durfee English
Faulkner Fenon Foley Garne Gmcr Greenwood Harlan Hop
kn Houston Howard Jenkins Jones of Tennessee kunkel
Ietcc Mason, Miller Moore Morgan Petit Phelps
Richie Ru1n Sange Shaw of Illinois, Shaw of North Carolina
sherman Of Ohio Smith Of Tennessee smith of Virginia. Stewart
pcnnsy Taylor of louisiana Tompns, Wade and Zolco
| fer--51.
The SPEAKER stated the business first in order to b
the consideration Of the bill to provide for the organa
ton of regiment of mounted volunteers for the deenc
Of the frontier Of Texas and to authorize the Presden
to call into the service Of the United States four add
tional regiments of volunteers pending which,
At Is minutes of O'clock p M the House ad
| journed,
y
By Ar HATCH bill for appropriation for building add
ional dredge boat for Lake Erie
/ Furniture, Furniture.