The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-13

hundred and sixteen officers corresponding WIN
and brigadier general No such thing exists In any
other navy. ne introduced the bill as move Ia inc
Mr. HALE lrep.i OF Me-. member OF the Commit
tee on Naval Airairs opposed the bill rs making an
unfair dstntsn between ne am for aaVy enern
Grant, as that OF admiral rad Deen Ior Auiniral
Farragut and as one had been filed when q va
caney occurred by the promotion Of General Sher-
man, 80 the oiner should be by the, promotion Of
Vice, admiral Porter Everybody had read Admiral
Porters letter. and he thought that IL was incOnsis
tent with the dignity OF the House TO snare IN any
sentiment that might be produced by that letter.
Mr.. LOGAN remarked that he had said nothing
Mr. SooFIELD remarked that the estimates last
year nom the army were greater after the passage
were before also thar many OF the naval officers re-
ferred to by tho gentleman from Illinois were retired
on half pay, the retired army officers were
drawing their active service pay alss that the on
or the army received from twenty-five TO fifty
per cent mere pay than officers OF corresponding
that Admiral Porter had written not
very wise letter; but General Scott had
written letters chat were not very wise. and great
many other men had made the mistake OF writing
foolish letters and they were never as gallant and
eld) asked was that the bill should be referred to
the Committee on Naval Affairs.
Mr.. FERRIss trepl or n; Y. said he would be glad
teman was referring to.
Mr.. ScoFiELD without answering the question,
said nc knew that when man committed some folly
all the wits Of the country tried to put him down
in that way they had laughed General scsu out OF
the Presidency Members OF Congress once In
while said foolish things. (Laughter.) In fact, 1t
has been well said that every man had his FOOLS day,
and with some it lasted more than . day, he sup
posed. tlaughter.)
Mr.. DAWES inquired OF MIR. Sooneld what the du-
ties OF admiral were.
Mr.. scoFIELD declined to answer, except to say
that they were the same duties that Admiral Farra-
gut performed.
Mr.. DAWES remarked that the Admiral had no
duties TO perto m that were known to the law.
MIR. SCOFIEID said that "
question at issue, but whether this bill should not
be referred TO the appropr ate committee.
Mr.. DAWES SAID that the necessity for continuing
the rank was the very question at issue. The Office
ty to the great Service reUdersa py Sea
captain, and 1t was far question whether that
Office should be conferred on another 1t was u
supernumerary and honorary position and that only.
Mr.. BUTLER, OF Mass, said tnat an ausion had
been made 10 letter OF Admiral Porter. Ii was
not Improper chat he should refer TO it a moment.
If gratitude were control his vote he should give
II III favor Of Admiral Porter for The writing OF that
letter. 1t had put before. the country piece Of
evidence for which he (Mr. ButIer) was deeply
grateful lt showed that the army commander OF
the Fort Fisher expedition was never to succeed.
Congress to keep open the grade OF admiral, even
for the sake OF having such good letters written as
the TWO to which reference hat been made. laugh
ter.} He desired 70 knew whether 1t was worth the
While TO have an admiral OF the navy who could not
for two days together, utter the same sentiments;
whether IL was worth the while to have an admiral
or the navy who one day maiigned and another day
Rugged his commander. He could easily UNDER
stand why the President had taken no notice or Ad
mirai Porter's letters. They were personal 10 hn,
too. But mat the man TO put in the place of the
santed, noble, brave Farragut2 Was that the man
the navys Were they to he told that a
naval oiicer could at enc moment praise
that he might at one poment write a sycophanttc
letter TO the Secretary OF the Navy to get promotion
and power, and az the same time abuse a man not
then In power and when that letter was brought
forward TO turn around and abuse the poor ScCre
.ary, who was not now in power 80 as 10 gain the
power was that why men snsnld be prem"ted In
the navy9 Was that the example they were
70 SET before the youth Of the country The
brave, franz opcn-hearted sailor who had lust
lied Weierring TO Admiral Farragut} had, with his
lying lips. said TO hts attendants Never raise thac
lag over me: carry 1t before my Csffn: i.at flag
Which has been imposed upon by the man who ex-
oects TO oe my successor" AS a friend and assocl-
ne OF Farragut ne Butler protested. in the face OF
he country that CONGRESS- shsuid not step OUT OF Its
way to tax the people for the purpose Of putting
lonor upon the man W 40 mad disnsnercd the presi-
mr. ana aaa @ Se ne na wye is 5
,ause, as he understood it, IT pl ced the navy
exactly in the position in which the army had been
when vacancy occurred IN the offices OF Gene
,al AMI Lieutenant Gene, General, they should be
he otfIce OF Admiral was unnecessary. and
IS tie House was asked net TO consider
or this ONCE because il would prejudice his case
he House should now act upon the merits OF
he question and place the office OF Admiral where
congress had placed that OF General and Lieutenant
OF the army. There was now vacancy III
he office OF Admiral n tho ONCE was extended TO
he person WHO had been nomelated for 1t there was
10 reason why 1t should not be continued till the
nd OF time; and he knew that those vino were
ailed upon 10 pass Judgment on tn It nomination
we're anxious for the House 10 pass Judgment upon
he question whether the office Itself should be con-
lnued. 4.
Mr. Cox called the attention OF the House to an
,rder OF the Navy Department, issued on the 18Th
u March 1862 directing that all matters relating
% the navy coming under the cognizance OF the
different bureaus should be submitted TO Vice Ad-
nlra Porter before being transmitted TO the Secre-
ary Of The Navy, and said that that order was an
lpturning OF the whole navy business and viola
law Or OF the department, previously, which
woulds allow vice Admiral Porter to take
Of the secretary OF The Navy aud TO the dshonor OF
the administration. 1t never had been allowed In
IN TINS administration. He knew very we'll that q
great many irregularities bad taken place under
his administrator. lie knew very well that Admi-
raj Porter had in one sense played the sycophant
and disgraced MS higA position, lie was willing
allow 10 Admiral Porter bravery as a seaman and
skill a. captain in every relation In whicn he
had served during the war; but he wou d
vote tcsinake void tie Office OF Admiral because he
was IN favor OF good administration and RESPONSE
bty too at the head OF the Navy Department.. The
condition OF things III the Eavy Department had
been such that the man who had the power was not
accountable and took no responsibility. lie would
vote for the bll not on personal grounds not be-
cause OF The shameful letters OF Admiral Porter not
because OF JQe Huulllatlon II the and OF The
nation by his tPorters sycophancy, but he would
Vote to vacatc this Office because it would he
q reform in The administration OF the government,
ana especially in regard to naval affairs.
Mr.. LOGAN said that what he had dene IN this mat
ter he had done because he had Thought IL TO the adj
vantage OF the country ara OF the nation, aao not
from any leeng ol personal character towards
amy Individual. or the gentleman affected by it
!meaning Admiral Rowan ne had never met and
DID net know, but he tboEgaJ right that this bill
should pass, and he thought that now was the lime
10 pass It,. The rank OF admiral was Que that had
never been conferred in this country beiore and one
which never ought 10 be conferred hereafter He
moved that the rules be suspended aud that the
bill be put on lis passage. The molten was agreed
TO by two-tlirds yote without DIVISION, and the
bin was passed.
TIE REGULATION OF RANK IN THE NAVY
g. W. SCoFIELD, (rep.I Of Pa, introduced bill
to regulate the rank In the navy.
INTERIOR TRANS PoRTATION.
Mr.. NIBLACK, tdem. OF lnd offered o resolu-
ton instructng the Committee oil Commerce to
inquire what additional legislation was necessary
to give increased efficiency OF usefulness to the ex-
lstlng PROVISIONS OF law for the ianspor taton OF
imported merchandise 10 certain interior uonts OF
the United States. Adopted EAU