The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-04

contest seemed utterly to degenerate into perso ll
squabble not interesting TO the world at large
Among the means adopted by the Professor 10 anmad'
vert upon the alleged msdongs or the Board OF Visitors
and ts President, and the saucy and nermeddng sub"
(who had in the got the War Department TO
cve him from his post assistant instrucor) writ
ing letters 10 officers the army his former pupils or fell
low graduates at the Academy Az may have been sus
peted these mssves contained scarcely any compliments
10 his antagonists and, the contrary, very consdera
BILE quantity OF matter Of different character One OF
these epses, directed 10 officer OF Fort Monroe in Viz
gina, ceLsqed in harsh terms, the President OF the
Board and the assistant instructor. impugned the
conduct Of the IN amending his paper and accused
the former OF improperly IN recommending such amend
nents and Tor recommending to the War Department the
substitution, after comparison, OF the amended copy 1t
complained Of what the Professor deemed to be unau-
thozed alterations and accused the author Of assaiug
the officers OF the line OF army in OF the opinions
he advanced, and which have alluded TO-
The Professor, having requested this letter to be
shown 10 the officers of the garrison one OF them friend
OF the Sub very properly sent copy TO him;
diate reracton Of the offensive matter. Not receiving
such retracton by return mail he forthwith made COM
plant TO the Secretary OF War agan his former school
master and chief for " conduct unbecoming an officer
and gentleman, and asked for an investigation by
military court The Secretary laid the affair before Presi
dent Buchanan who promptly ordered the Court Of In
quiry.
1t appeared on the trial that the day the complaint
was mailed for Washington but after it was mailed, the
Professor answer came along but was the reverse OF
O retracton The Hon VIM. H.. Chase, Of Florida, who
recently resigned the commission of Major Of Engineers in
the United States army, and who, gentleman and
officer is equalled by few and excelled by none,
President Of the Board of Visitors in 1857 and sustained
by his testimony before the court the conduct of the
Lieutenant throughout and letters from majority Of the
Board were also read approving Of his and that
Major Chase Major Chase ID himself distinguished
garded entitled to grave consideration The Board Of
1857 did not said the trial by the counsel other
Academic Board INTO Mutual Admiration Society" and
was insisted by others that somewhat obrusvey
inquisitoral and disposed to find cause for exception
The decision OF the Court of Inquiry will be secret for
some days 1t supposed by officers here that it may
express its opinion adverse TO the proprety Of the Pros
sorts letter. but nasmuch the Lieutenant has obtained
what it is presumed his chief object in complaining to
the Departmenthe opportunity TO place record the
proofs that he did not act improperly in regard to the
amended memoir-no further action will be had. But
this is conjecture.
No ordinary degree Of interest s attached to this trial
from the fact, well known, that many members of Con-
gress and others deem decided and extensive reforms abso
lutey necessary the Academy and supposed the dis
closures made in this will be useful in pointing to the
defective parts II is presumed the record will be called
for by Congress at early day. There to be
diversity Of opinion to whom the Academy belongs
The Engineer Bureau and Engineer corps appear claim
exclusively. The army generally dispute this and the
line infantry, &c. claim to have part with the eng
neers The Academic Board, composed Of the Superin
endent and professors, TO regard it their pro-
perry and certainly have generally exercised all essential
rights of ownership yielding to nominal supervision by
Board of vsers provided the proceedings of the
ary and Visitors agreeable to them. am inclined to
the opinion that none. of these claimants have a
little OF the right of domination they arr0gate
to themselves and that the institution belongs to the
country and the people, who may alter abolish it as
they please. The opinion that controlled has been
exclusively by army officers in COMMISSION it is becom-
ing rather TOO peculiar for form Of government
to be fast gaining ground and the whole concern
will have to be popularzed by changes Of effective
character Among other reforms all the professors should
be appointed for limited term, and have to undergo the
ordeal Of reappontmen at least four years.
like our collectors, posmasters and other officers
have omitted to mention that the court declined to
allow the Lieutenant to summon the cadets Of the first
Glass; to show that the Professor had mpugned him in the
section before cadets No cadets given per-
mission to witness the trial. It is supposed this course
induced by considerations Of prudent public policy
in regard to the subordnaon necessary to be maintained
as a them.