The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1870-01-12
STAR and Line-HonOr Sick UntO

SNAa M AaAa-- AANaNA RANH-
H1ra1 Death
Human nature lie an inconsistent arrange
ment. II permits men who are individually
upright and honorable, but who are bound
TO the interests Of q defective institution, 70
use such means in the support Of that insti-
tuition as they would never eoldescend TO
use in the support Of thsIr owu personal 10
terests.
A marked rluilSaaon Of this moral per-
version ls shown In memorial which few
merchants and merchants clerks in New
York have been induced to sign adverse to
that reorganization Of the navy which would
harmonizc the position Of the staff corps, and
thus harInonlse the whole service. The de.
luslve spirit Of tubs memorial lies In the
statement that the stRG corps seek to super
sede the military authority OF the line, and
the moral character OF Ii rests In the fact
that every officer OF the navy knows this to
be untrue,
Another Illustration OF the inscriptions
despotism Of any instltutiou embracing false
principles In its organization is presented by
a writer Of a recent article in the Washing
ton Chronicle, who concentrates his whole
force In an attempt TO deprociRto the honor Of
the death Of Assistant Surgeon Longshuw,
in tho attack on Fort Fisher.
It had beou. aasettea that Assistant Sur
geou LougshAw fell 10 the discharge Of his
duty In the front line OF action. The would
be exact writer for the Clronicls takes ox-
ceptlon to this statement, because, as he
says, DR.. Longshaw did not fall in the line
OF action, but In an attempt to rescue the
body Of line ofieer.
But for the perverting Influences sur
rounding an honorable ofIicer he would have
blushed, In any contest, TO have made this
attempt to deprecinto the honor Of the death
Of brother ofIicer who died 80 nobly. Was
It less credltable to die In the cool discharge
Of sacred duty than TO fall In the excite
ment OF battle in tho front line OF actloni
But 1t may DO claimed the truth OF history
required this correction. Granted. But II
made In this spirit, why was not tho whole
truth told by one so accurate as 10 the pre-
else facts Of DR.. Longshaw's deathi He,
on the contrary, terms 1t an Exceptional
case" and suppressed the fact that this
same DR.. Lougshaw was commended TO the
Department by Admiral Dahlgren for carry
ing out hAwser to grounded monitor nm
der FIRE In Charleston harborj aud by implI-
cation coneeals that other we'll known fact,
that as many medical officers lost their lives
In the late war as did lieutenant command
ers, who have charge Of tho fighting dlVis-
Ions. Therefore, DR.. Longshaw's death
was not exceptional, and the attempt 90
deprociSle tho military honor Of the Savnl
medical corps is painfully incousisi'nt with
not only naguanimity but justice.
Such, however, has always ben the slav-
ishness TO which all unluai and uSurping
Institutions reduce their Sdhsrents. What
cannot be sustained by facts, reason aud
argument wIll DO suStsIAed BY cruelty, deS-
potism and dlscreditsblo devices.
30 Il was and b In feudAllsmi so II was
under our SlaTecsracyi so It Is In the present
misplaced position ofthe line Of the navy,
and nothing will correct II but a sweeping
out OF all false pretension and reorganlEA-
tlon upon the principles Of truth and Justice.
No result different from the present IN
happy state Of affairs in the navy could DO
looked for in an Institution which permits
such Incidents a. the following;
In foreign port, Just as the shutdown boat
Is leaving the wharf for the ship, the feet
surgeon, . worthy and venerable man, Is
seen coming toward the boat. The crew
call the attention OF the mldshipmAn OF the
boat to the fact, and the reply Is 81 don't care
a damn, shove or" and the feet surgeon
is left to come of with the servants and
stewards.
Also, considsr the lifelong influence upor
young minds Of . New Years presentation
to the President Of the United States, wherI
staT officers Of seventy years Of age wert
preceded by boylah ensigus. Such incidents
launch theso young acn upon lifelong
career Of arrogance, which oTerrIdss will
contempt all staff officers and all civil pur
suits. Such teaching Is unfortunate fol
those who are poisoned by 1t, and when cor
reeted all respectable men Of line or staff viii
have reason to rejoice.