Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-01-27
WISE VS. BOUTELLE.
Debate in the House on the Erasurc
Of Public Inscriptions.

the Navy for information relative to the al
legged erasurCs of certain Inscriptions and the
dismissal of Union soldiers at the Norfolk
navy yard, with an amendment extending
the inquiry to diSmiSsals male at the navy
yard lighthouse district at Norfolk during
The terms OF the immediate predecessors Of the
present Sccrctar" Of the Navy
Then occurred die most exciting political
debate that has been presented to the house
during the present session. 1t was opened by
Mr.. Houtele, who promised hiB direct speech
upon the resolution with remark calling at
tcntion to the fact that the first legislation of
the house had been the passage by unanimous
consent of II I'LL removing the political diS',
biltics Of an cH-Confederatc who had waited
more than twenty years before discovering
desire to he placed in the line Of eligibility to
anappohtmont under the executive depart
mcnt Of the United States. In contrast with
this he (Nlr. Rouelc) had been tuuntingly in
formed that fifteen minutes of time was an
ample allowance In which to present the case
of the outrageous dismi SSal Of disabled vcter-
ans OF the Union army from the employment
of the government, and the oblltcr-
alton, debasement and removal of in
SCIiptiOus commemorative OF the sue
cess of the Union army. He trusted that
these facts placed in juXtaposition would
prove more instructive to the country than
any remarks he could offer. The resolution
he had introduced had related to allegations
that an officer of the United States govern
mrnt at one of the navy yards OF the govern
mcnt had ordered the oblitcration of honor
able imcriptions on cannon captured by the
the United States, and had caused to be Ie-
moved form the dry dock Il memorial tablet
setting forth that it had been destroyed By
the rebels in 1862 and reconstructed III 1868
lie did not understand that the facts had been
in any way contradictcd Mr. BOutellc then
referred to the removal Of the superintendent
of machinery at The navy yard, because of
hi, dcnulling TO the DETACHMENT Of the dry
dock, and the appointment of man Whose
title 10 the position rested on service in the
Confederate army lie had found evidence
that since the fourth of March, 1883. there
had been repeated and systematic removals
from tn" positions in which they were placed,
Of Officers of the government, of wOundcd0nd
disabled veterans of the republic, to make
room for men who had sought to destroy it,.
If tia" time had come, or ever should come,
to oblitprutc the great memories of the Rebel
Hon. the monuments of the Rebellion Itself
should lie first torn down. let not the work
begin by tearing down inscriptions commcmo-
rativo Of the victories of the armies of the
United States. He had a list of great marble
memorials growing up all over this lani to
p2rroiuatc the cause of treason and rebellion.
He had n description Of II monument erected
in Georgia bearing inscriptions breathing any
thing but u spirit of loyalty to this govern
mrmt. n monument hearing on its face evil
iCncc OF the design to pernotlntc the memory
of the attempt upon the life of the republi :.
There We're two statutes on th2 books de-
claring that, in government appointments,
soldiers should bc given preference, These
had not only been treated with contempt, hut
in the casa Of thu Norfolk navy yard and Gus
tom housa, gallant officers, worthy, faithful
public servants, who had followed the flag Of
their country across a hundred battle-fieds,
had been turned out that their places might ba
given to men who had fought TO destroy the
government.
Nlr. Wise of Virginia was glad that he had
M opportunity to make Il statement of facts,
although he had hoped that the subject of
This resolution would not have been discussed
UNI information had been received from the
Secretary Of the navy. The grnt"nan from
Marie MIR Boutellel on more than one occa-
sion had sought 50 revive the passions and
prejudice Of the war. He (NIr. WISE would
examine how much truth there wa, in tho
statement Of these resolutions Th" Secretary
OF the Navy was called OH to rcpo ifnny tab
pt had been DESTROYED at the Norfolk navy
yard, which conuncm"ratcd III" fact that the
dry dock nj Port ,mouh had been destroyed.
He was glad ot the opportunity to inform the
gentleman from Maine that The dry do K at
Portsmouth had never hrnu destroyed. The
gentleman asked the Secretary VI the Navy
il inscriptions had been removed from can
non captured from the Confederate army.
tie would Inform the gentleman from Maine
that no cannon with such Inscriptions had
oyer been il, The Portsmouth navy yard. The
gentleman from Maine wanted TO know if an
cy-I nion soldier had been discharged and a
Confederate put in his place. lie would in
form the gentleman from Maine that the
man who was discharged had never
been in the Union army within one
thousand miles of n line of battle, had
mover heard the muSir of mimic bullet.
The Confederate, or the one whom YOU Nlr.
DOutcllrl ailcgC was appointed on account of
hi ~cry ice IN the Confederate army, was APP
pointed after competitive examination, and
III" man (" whom vOu refer was removed for
haastir iat"Yicaii0n. One other fact
commend to your consideration. During the
Arthur administration, the postmaster at
Portsmouth, who was Union soldier, twice
wounded and twice promoted for gaIlantrN,
was removed at the dirtation of William Ma
hone. All. Mr. Speaker, it is good thing to
raise fuss over this, int it! Your fellow
citizens of Maine. undressing Mr.. Boutellel
are anxious TO know if II Confederate has
been appointed in the Norfolk navy yard by
this administration. Have You forgotten
that during the Grant administration and
lurin. the administration of Hayes and Ar
thur YOU sent the captain of the Confederate
guC.illas. John $. Mosly, to represent the
government Of the United States in foreign