New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-17
EXAMPLES NEEDED.


been waged against the United States, have fur
nished more dastardly examples Of cowardice
negligence and d saifecton than ever before
blackened tbe military and naval history of any
people Forts, ships arsenas, troops, arms, am-
muntion, every species Of public property, have
been tamely surrendered, without a blow, or
treacherously delivered up. Generals, Colonels,
Captains, Commodores, Commanders, Lieuten-
ants, men of every grade of military and naval
rank, have had hand in the work. But of
them ALL only one has been called to ac-
count and he has been dismissed with q feeble
admonitOn and trivial punishment Is it not
time this Government should look to the lessons
of history, and from the experience of other no
tions learn how " treat the moral plague that
has 50 widely corrupted the navy and army OF
the United Statcs1 If we do not learn speedily
how to treat cowardice, negligence, and dlsai-
fecton in the army and navy, 80 much the worse
for US. History is full Of examples Of proper
treatment arresting the Pestilence and restoring
the public service to honorable health end vigor
Let us recall, as among these, the case OF the
British officer. Admiral ByDg
On the 18th day of March, 1857, at Ports
mouth, in England, sentence OF death was exc
cuted upon John Byng, Rear-Admra OF the Blue
in his Majesty's Navy, in accordance with the
sentence OF Court-MartIal consictrng him of a
breach Of the Twelfth Article of War. That
article prescribed /" that every person in the
" feet who, through cOwaTdce, negligence
:" or disaflection, shall in time of action with
L" draw or keep back, or not ccme into the fight
or engagement; or shall not do his utmost
d" to take or destroy every ship which 1t shall
" be his duty to engage aud to assist aud relieve
all and Every of his Maesty sshPs, or those OF bis
allies which il shall be his duty to assist and re-
" heye; every such person so offending. and being
convicted thereof by the sentence OF Court
" Martial shall suffer DEATH"
/. will be- observed that the principles here laid
down cover almost the whole range oi military
duty, and bear directly upon acts and motives
such az those which, commencing in this country
in December last, have stripped the Govern
ment of military property worth untold millions
and what ia far worse, have demoralized aud
disgrsced our Army and Navy. According N the
British law, a. above recitrd, cowardice, negil-
gence, and disaflectOD, are the guilty motives
worthy OF death, when accompanied by certain
acts. These acts are: Withdrawing or keep
ing back, or not coming into the fight in time of
action not doing the utmost to destroy the
enemy; not assisting or relieving those whom it
IL q duty TO relieve.
Admiral ByDg belonged to one of the most hon
orable and influential families Of Engaud. HIS
father, George Byng, had been Rear Admiral,
Treasurer of the Navy, member of the PrTy
Council; was ennObled by the titles Of Baron
Byog and viscouot Torrington, and was First
Lord of the Admiralty. Admiral ByDg, the
sou, entered the navy at an early age, and
passed through the several gradations OF rank
with distinction, till in the year l756 he was
appointed to the command OF tue Mediterranean
Squadron, consisting Of ten shrsof-thc.lne,
destined for the relief of MinOrca. ut that time
menaced by the French. BY his disafIectcn or
negligence, the expedition was so msmanaged as
to fail. The National Indignation dcmanded that
be should be held to answer for his misconduct.
After a long trial. he was found guilty of I" not
" harng done has utmost " in the duty assigned
him. No personal cowardlce was imputed to
him. But il appeared from the evidence that he
had not been anxious TO engage; that he took
but little part in the action fought laDgudly;
and withdrew his fleet after an indecisive strug-
gle. For the Defense it was urged that his
equipments were inadequate to the duty assigned
him; that an overpowering force had been landed
by the French before his arrival; aud that the whole
O.
But oil these excuses, notwithstanding their
apparent plausibity, failed in the Judgment of
the Court which tried him 10 exonerate naval
officer from " doing his utmost" in defense OF
his flag. After the sentence, every effort that
high connections, great wealth, and family infu-
ence, could exert, was employed to avert or
mitigate the punishment. But it was in vain.
The British Government knew too well how
essential to national honor aud safety were zeal
and fidelity on the part Of military and laval
officers. Admiral Byng was shot, in the pres
ence of the fleet, upon his own deck. He died
bravely A large portion of the nation mourned
his death. But for more than one hundred years
since the day Of his execution no naval officer of
England has failed Ito do his utmost" in the
discharge OF his duty. There has been in the
Brit,h Navy since that day no slowness to
engage-no langud fighting; and British Cap
tain has never since been deferred by overpow.
ering force from relieving military or naval
station that he was sent to succOr. The just
punishment of Admiral Byng has done more to
maintain the honor and power Of England than
conld have been accomplished by the sacrifice OF