Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-06-03

men whom he now declares TO be "Saliaht
soldiers and men of courage who do honor
to the flag" he no doubt felt and believed
them to be true. But he does not propose
to make war on the navy" he only pro-
poses to reform" it. His method OF IRE
FORM is, indeed. quite simple one. lie
proposes to reduce these "gailant SOL
diers," as he calls them, to condition OF
absolute poverty. He proposes to queheh
every trace, every ray of hope lett 10
them by the supp. ession OF all possio'i-
ties of promotion or any professional OF
official advancement for the next twenty
wears, and to bring on the country body
of intirm, old. gray-haired midshlpmen
and lieutcnants. He is jealous, and his
compeers in "reform' are some of them
angry that the Secretary of the Navy does
not place them all on furloush. in spite OF
law and Justice, which. he says, he will not
be false to. He proposes to smite down
the whole body of navy officers with the
stroke of disgrace; for, from time imme-
mortal, to place an officer on furlough is
to disgrace him. He is indignant, too,
with these "gallant soldiers" who reflect
"honor on the flag of this country because
thew do not lick the hand that would thus
smte them in their means of subsistence,
in their official honor and in their fair and
unblemished names. But we are hidden
to believe that he does not make war on
the navy" in this precious method of des-
troying its officers.
Mr.. Whitthorne and Mr.. Blount would
90 good deal further than this in order
to reform the government, and not prove
"lalse to himself, to justice and to his
country He would close up the navy
yards he would call home the cruisers
from abroad he would dsband the pitt
full handful of American amen left to the
nation. He would direct the Secretary OF
the Navy to hold his ships of war at home
well in hand," ready to unleash them,
and so to let slip the hounds Of war when
the wonderful flashes from the wires tell
him that pirates are numbering the crews
and sinking the ships of commerce in
Chinese seas when he hears that our
Christian countrymen. travellers, mission
aries and merchants are threatened with
massacre at Constantinople and in Syria !.
He would reach South Africa, Australia,
the islands of the Pacific, the coasts OF Eu-
rope by means of the flashes of Geographic
wires. But he would not make war on
the navy He would not be false to the in
terests OF his country. He would only
disband them.
The solemn protests of Mr. Whi,thorne's
speech are, unhapply. too specious. The
proposition to reduce the pay of the officers
of the navy, to be on level with that Of
the army, was not true. for his figures re-
duced the pay of captains Of the navy to
that of captains in the army, and COM
manders to that of lieutenants. No one is
to be deceived by this operation of naval
and military committees under the guise
of reform. Ii is the work of destruction.
pure and simple, at which these men are
aiming. Consider for moment how this
process is to work if carried out to its
logical end As well abolish the postal
system and close the doors of our post
offices because of straw bids and Choir
penning claims. As well destroy the sys-
tenn of revenue because conspirators
worked crooked whskey. AS well abol-
ish the Indian Bureau and Pension Off
ces because some frauds were discovered
there. But the army and navy may well
look to themselves under the legislation of
men who fought them so long and well.
1t is the work of destruction of both army
and navy at which these men aim.