Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-19
A PLEA .ua rnE voLuN GER.


share Of the work done aud the sacrifices made
in this war by the volunteer has caused the
feelings of ts people, who, an this free country,
make and sustain Government and It's officers,
to be respected, and this prejudice against the
volunteer in the army is fast dying out, and
justice is being done him
| regret TO say that in the Navy the same
progress toward JuStico--and yielding to the
wishes Of the patriotic and intelligent people,
who feel that the volunteer has been sent out
from them as an offering on the altar Of bis
country, and is bone Of their bone and flesh of
their assh-hAs not been accomplished. This
has been from no design on the part of the able
and patriotic Secretary, who himself is willing
to recognize merit wherever found, but amid
the care and labor that he has been subjected
to 1t is not surprising that he may have mad
yertently overlooked the fact that "class legis-
latlon has systematically debarred large
portion Of enterprislng, brave and patriotic
men from promotion, either for long and faith
ul service or for bravery in action, to the great
dotriment Of the service.
The manner in which such legislation has
e'fN lnto our s'a'uto DOCKS II I'M" ohuer inc
last and some former Administrations, there
were Heads Of Bureaus " "who ran the ma
chine" and who were thoroughly lmbued
with tho pro~slSvery, aristocratic notions
Of the Masons, Toombscs, and their funkies,
,, the Touceys, who for cause put them In their
Offices. How nice al arrangement, then, to
have tho Anc,i.,, Nav, for nm .ri.,oora,,,
49, '0' ~
receptacle Tor friends OF these heads" and
for "poor relations" " of Southern Senator'S
wiyes. who wer. utterly Incompeteut TO m.ke
-, r., - -. -
living on shore' lnen' men VINO nave had
years OF experience as captains Of whaling and
merchant ships, after two years, hard service
in ,-,r nm ho.rd shtr. a. .o,,n, r,.,,.-. ..o,,,a
n.no ,,o,,,s" Un % "' as as ouiu
nave youths OIL nineteen or twenty years OF age,
who have never volunteered and rlsked their
precious lives in battle. appointed al WashIpg.
,., -. ..s ,IL, - 49, N1e
'ou Ss 'eyU'd'' anu sent 10 take command
over these veterans. IL have been Informed
that such is even now dono. but do not wish
IN cr.di, II p,, Tho No., "a rro,,.r,a-
-. 80 ''i"'on' aHt %
nave lelt tNashlngtonHheVer TO return, and
doubt not that Congress will do away with
their nerpicious nr.ciioos and .hO,,.h Ill L.,
,..,-,I-.,, =, -, "'1n -, -, u"
gu" 'os"'"''onS "hieh "ork lnJusuce 10
| the volunteer. Let the equestion be asked-why
!, have not such and such men .who have V,IIapt,v
di.iip,,ri.I,.a ,,.,,,,oI,... -, ,,-..ss,a -
"'sn'u 'heni'o'eo' p0eA PIomo'eu anu
they shelter themselves behind the reply {;
The law docs not allow IL; they belong to the
volunteer or acting service. But see
uor, p,o,., a..
T St-,'s,, = i' ,0.a nAi s ~ Phon0IhD'
Soc Tho .ySi,i.rS, 80 ~ %.yS ,oyH, Y. Hoa.
fuIlv scrutipIze the active la ~ linz ntsc.rs
nhoye anJincIrdin,, tho ,raS, =, ,,t.nS ~,
the lfnc of promotion and report to him Tsecro-
tary OF Navyl In writing those who In the opin-
oE oi suH UoaIu oi Lurtner promotion
- has he moral mental nhvSiea 'nas anS
professional qualifications to perform cfieIent-
| y al MS duties both at sea and on shore, OF
rocd1,noe,S NJ, ~. nc 70 W oe io"o'ou' anu
Sec. 5. That the Officers recommended shall
be immediately commissioned according to
this M" p,SSeut senioIty .iy Prdeded that
list after the action of Inc hoard othsTwise so
soon as the graduates from the Naval Academy
are aVallaole ior promotion.
NJ" WIZ ~ ,,oInn Inn NA'i MAI BE FAo-
l.. S. Saf,,tss al Lar1,. N. ss4
Sec. 10: Aud BE- Il further enacted, That any
PSieon mho snaIi nave IecelVeo or shal mere
ing volunteer lieutanani or aplinu m aator In
the navy from civil life, authorized by the act
OF Congress, OF July twenty-four, eighteen
ssIJ aDnointr,sn, T ~ iS may Oe eIhnIhed % N
the line of promotion from iRe date of aid
confirmation If, upon the recommendation OF
inc PRESIDENT, he receives the thanks OF Con-
dict with Tie enemy. 6ror;JSd Tba nnm ~ hsr ~
officers allowed In each grade by this act sha
not be Increased thereby.
now II II Is right Tor regulars TO rise by
seniority, Is 1t not right to extend the same
privilege to the volunteer If II takes the
united effort oil the President and Congress,
not TO promote, but to place the volunteer in
the line oil promotion, why not place upon the
regular the same restrictions Restriction 1t Isl
ior' II once cSihmenced,th the regulars themselves
"ouId eiamor lnVidiouS Distinction" and in
ueed the words oi President Lincoln, in a
speech IN this city rccur to my mind in this
connecIion-"l will not speak in praise OF any
particular man, lest do Injustice to some
other man who has fought equally as we'll"
Inc same exclusion OF the volunteer from
The regular navy and consequently promotion
Is carried through all other grades. The vol.