Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-05
rho RespoaaIbnIty Of Naval Com
InEnderp.

case Of Lieutenant Commander Seely, who
was court-mAnlaled for cruelty practlced
upon certain seamen on board OF the United
States steamer Pavnee, Of which no was
executive oHlcer, we made a comparison
with the case Of Surgeon Greene, who was
most unjustly found guilty and severely SEN
fenced because he declined 10 declare a slek
man well When ordered TO do 40 by his com
mandlng officer. The Judgment the court
that tried DR.. Greene was that he should be
suspended from rank on furlough pay for
two years, and be publicly reprimauded BY
the Secretary Of the Navy. In the case OF
seely, the Secretary sent back the sentence
Of the court for revision several times, on
the ground that II was not severe enough,
and the utmost that he was able 10 extoTt
was sentence Of suspension from duty, on
furlough pay, for four years, with public
reprlmand from the Secretary. The secre-
tary was obliged TO confirm this sentence, or
allow seely to 60 qnpunlshed. The wash
lngton ID. CO. REPUBLICAN quotes our
article, and In Its editorial endorsement Of
the opinions advanced by us with regard TO
this outrageous perverslou OF justice, 1t
gives a piece OF Information that was not In
| our possession whom We wrote. The RKPUB-
LIcAN says, referring TO the article 10 the
ESsniAo TsisJrdph: .
"These Views arc fully In accord with the
| opinions already expressed In the columns
4
remarkable for the reason that the 1rst SEN
/ tence Of the court, foT which the proceedings
were sent back by the Secretary OF the Navy,
| was identleally the same as that found by
the remarkable court that sat In Judgment
on DR.. Greene's case showing that, 10 the
/ opinion OF the line officers who composed
/ these courts, the same punishment Is due to
a line officer who tortureS men BY cruel pun
lshments aud to medical officer who eu1l
deayors To protect them. But more I'm
| portant question arises here. What V the
/ duty and responsibility of commanding ON.
Ger In the United States naVyf Why Is not
the captain OF tho Pawnse even censured for
permitting such oruelties In his command
Do naval officers mean when they talk about
the authority and supremacy Of the 'execu-
tive oficcr that he shall have Unlimited
J power over all on board ship, to the eXclu-
sion OF the responsibility OF the commander
II not, why Is not Captain ClltL held ac-
: | EQUITABLE for these wrongs as well as his
, subordlnates Without protesting to decide
In such high concerns as naval usage aud
z discipline, We arc decidedly Of the opinion
that the staff officers Of the navy are right
/. In declaring that the only responsible author
, Ity on board ship must be the commanding
: ofiicer, II discipline is to be maintained With
: Justice"
. The query Of the REPUBLICAN with regard
To the responsibility Of Captain Cllntz In
. this matter is very much to the point. Ac-
! cordlng to all the usages aud regulations
Of the navy, the executive officer Is merely
. the agent of the commander, who is per.
| I sonally responsible. Without extenuatiuE
10 any degree the offence OF seely, we cannot
help thinking that he was made the scape.
, goat 10 this Instance, aud the captain Of the
Pawnee ought to be held accountable for
outrages perpetrated upon the men under
his command, unless he can prove In the
NA.0 "a. L.
In thought, word, and dead, and that Seely
. acted entirely on his own responsibility,
y thereby usurplng the prerogatlyes OF his su'
| perior officer. General sherman, in his let
I ter TO Admiral Porter on the subject Of stan
4 rank, said that be did not wish to sail In
= ship with more than one captain-a remark,
= by-the-way, that had no relevancy to the
: matter under diseussiou-but II the execu-
, tive officers Of our men-of-war are to have
the power and responsibility that the failure
I to inquire into the completely Of Captain
CllntE With the crimes Of seely argues, the
very condition Of affalrs deprecated by Gen
erAl Sherman will occur; and with two cap
tains to obey, the officers OF the line as
, we'll as the staff, not 10 speak Of the men
before the mast, will find life on board Of
) our naval vessels lntoleruble, and the demon
aliEation Of the naval seryico will be COM
plete. $780,.
This Is the very condition Of affairs that
10 being brought about by the Jealousy Of
Tho line officers, who, fearful that the staff
will gain some position aud Influence, are
seeking to strengthen the hands Of the execU-
tive officers, so that they will DO able TO
maintain their own supremacy at all hazards.
It Is well for the naval service that such
matters as those are being brought 20 light,
and discussed openly and fairly In lho news.
papers Of the country, for the people and
their representatives In Congress will be the
. better able 70 judge what arc the real evils
that Affilet the navy and render II uupopu
, lar, aud will enable them the better TO apply
: the necessary remedies. With regard &c
4 Capt. Clltz, we hope that such pressure
a viii DO brought upon the Navy Department
q as will compel an inquiry into his conduct
+ as commander OF the PaWnee, and secur,
q bis proper punishment II he Is 10 any degree
J. implicated In the offences Of Seely.-IARd
!. dslphid Telegraph, March l.