National Republican., 1880-03-15

officers. BY tho operation of this general
law applying to the navy at large, Captain
Jouett, in common with the great body OF
his brother officers was advanced in mum.
bers and rank. Almost all the officers
in tho navy were In like manner ad-
vanood at the simo time. There We're,
however, few exceptions 10 this
rule. In Captain Jouett's grade there wore
nine In all who were not advanced undcr the
terms of this law. Three of these officers
have since been put back in their original
positions above Jouctt, five have been retired,
| aud in consequence of n COurt.martial ono
remains below Captain JOuett on the navy
list Captain Jouett therefore stands to-day
the register in exactly the same position rola-
two TO his colleagues hat he held before the war.
In other words, he holds the same place to-day
OH the register, relative to his brother officers,
that he would have held If there had boon no
war and no promotions in the navy. II will
be socn, therefore, that Captain JOuett has
never received auy special promotion for his
gallantry In battle, but that he simply received
advancement in common with tho great body
of his colleagues by virtue of an act which
greatly increased the number Of officers In
the navy.
It will be seen further that those advance.
montS were made in tho language of the law
"for general efficiency, faithful services and
high professional qualifications" The very
title of tho law shows that its application was
intended to be general, and not special 1t Is
entitled IAN act to dctiue tho number and
regulate the appointment of officers in the
navy and for other purposes" To provo that
this law was in no way intended to bcst0w
marks of special recognition for herOism, ono
need only read tho first clause, which declares
"that nothing In this act shall preclude tho
advancement in rank now authorized by law
for distinguished conduct in battle or for OK.
traordinary heroism." To say, therefore,
that Captain JOuctt, under tho act of July,
1866, received advancement as n special
recognition of distinguished conduct in
battle" or for extraordinary heroism,"
Is to say what the law and record show to be
simply untrue. Captain Jouott received uu-
der that law just what nearly all the officers
in the navy received, nothing more. A large
number of vacancies had been created and,
as matter OF course, officers wero advanced TO
fill thom. Among those thus advanced were
somO who were never in battle. Who, then,
can deny the truth of the Hon. Secretary's
statements whom ho says "that Jouott, for his
signal acts of gallanty, has never received
special recognition? 1t is thisspocial recogni-
tion of heroic conduct in battle that the Hon.
Secretary of tho Navy aud tho friends of Cap
tain Jouett seek to bestow upon him. 1t is
reward demanded alike by simple justice and
sound policy, and has been too long
delayed. When it is remembered that
at the close of the war Admiral
Farragut under whose Immediate eye Jouetps
service was in great part rendered did, in con-
junction with his associates, the highest Off
GERS OF the navy, after y careful examination
of Jouetl's record, recommend him for ad-
vancemont thirty numbers for hlving ex-
hibitcd eminent aud conspicuous conduct in
BATTLE" impartial men will accept this vcr-
dict in his favor rs final, and will regard tho
demands of Captain Jouotts friends rs exceed
inSly modest in asking for him only sixteen
numbers advancement. NAVY OFFICER.