The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-18
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The following is the memorial 70 Congress
signed by gentlemen interested in the mer-
chant marine, to which allusion has heretofore
been made .,.....
To the Senate and House of Representatives
OF the Uniied-States of America in Congress
assembled ~
The undersigned, citizens of New York
and vicinity, being deeply interested in the
commercial prosperity of the country, and
believing that any change which may lower
the standard of discipline in the navy must
necessarily and injuriously react upon the
merchant service; believing also, that any
equality of rank with the captain of vessel,
OF any Independence of his control, on the
part of any other person whatever on board
the ship, is subversive Of discipline, and the
fruitful source of disorder and disaster; and
understanding that the ''staff officers" of the
navy (viz., the surgeons, paymasters, and en-.
gineers) are endeavoriDg to obtain for them
selves such rights and privileges as seem cal
culated to prove detrimental to proper disci-
pline, and that they are enlisting the SYM
pathy and assistance Of their professional
brethren throughout the country; we, there
| fore, deem it incumbent on us, in behalf of
| the safety and prosperity of our national
| commerce. TO request, most respectfully, that
| your honorable body will exercise the greatest
| caution in the introduction of principles into
maritime service which we apprehend may be
| fraught with SO much danger to the public
| welfare.
DEC. 22.-To George w. Blunt, Esq,
| New -Sir:-The abovememorial, signed,
| under date of November Is, 1869, by your
self and So other distinguished and infuen-
| tial'citizens of New York, has been presented
to the Congress of the United States Your
signature and that of the other gentlemen
1 - l.
| under great misrepresentation of the facts,
which are that, in every plan and scheme of
staff rank which we have ever presented, the
| superior rank and authority of commanding
| officers have been carefully protected, as
essential to that discipline which is as much
desired by staff officers as by the other half
of the navy-facts well known to every officer
in the service, and to the Naval Committees
of Congress. r,--
We make this correction in the confidence
that you will deem it proper either to with
draw your name from the memorial or to in
form us on whose authority you have made
the statements contained in it, which arc SO
injurious to us, and to which you have, under
obvious misapprehension, given the sanction
of your honorable name. We are, very re-
spectfully, your obedient servants,
Surgeon GEo. CLYArEB,
And other Staff Officers of the Navy.
New YORK, Jan. 2.-Gentlemen:-I have
received your circular, with the memorial
addressed to Congress, in relation to the bill
before that body as to the rank of the staff
of the navy, in which you ask me to Withdraw
my name, or give up that of the author of the
document. Denying your right to make such
demand upon me as an Infringement of my
liberty of free action, will say that took
part in getting it up on information from one
Of the officers of the navy of the highest per-
sonal and professional standing; that be-
ieved in the necessity of the memorial then
and do now. Had any doubt existed in my
would have been dispelled on the receipt of
your memorial, as in my view the sentiments
of characterization conveyed in the demand
made on the signers of the memorial shows
the necessity Of great caution on the part of
Congress in legislating on this subject. Re-
spectfully yours, GEORGE w. BLUNT.
Surgeon George Clymer and others. u. s. N,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 15.-Sir:-In an
swer to your note of the 10Th inst, acknow-
Lodging the receipt of circular, dated the
22d ult, signed by myself and many other
staff officers of the navy, I have to remind
you that our circular was ;eply to memo
rial to Congress, hostile to the interests of the
Naval Staff Corps, bearing the names of your
self and other influential citizens of New
York, and containing serious errors of state
ment in relation to us. r- Z
Presuming these erroneous statements to
have been made under MISREPRESENTATION, we
referred, in disproof of them, to the records
of all the plans Of rank ever proposed by the
staff officers, as known throughout the ser
vice, and to the committees of Congress- be
fore whom the plans had been laid.
In making these references, we supposed
that we were doing q kindness for those who
had been led into error, by giving them the
! information which would enable them to cor.
rect and acknowledge it.
In this light the circular appears to have
. been regarded by all from whom we have re-
ceived replies, except yourself; and you char
acterize our correction of your errors as in.
| subordinate.
. The circular was courteous, and could have
| been in no sense insubordinate, as we oweG
! | you no submission.
! The fact that you avow yourself as partially
the author Of the Memorial, and decline tc
name any better informed authority for itl
misstatements, does not alter its natures ant
| We are willing to leave You with the response
. bility you have assumed. ~ ~ ~ % ~
| It is due to our cause, and to truth, tina
! | we publish your discourteous note. with thii
| reply, in connection with the correction W,
have already made of the rnisstatements fo
I which yop assume the responsibility
5 Respectfully, GEoRGE CLYMER,
Q reaN-. Surgeon U. s. Navy,
: for himself and for such Of his associates a
: he has had the opportunity to consult.
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