The Washington times., 1901-11-08
The squeIching of sampson.

be reminded that one of the principa
If not the chief aims of the persecution
In the Schley case has been to keep Ad
miral Sampson out of it. The countr
knows, whether the Court of Enquir
does or not, that the Navy Department
never dared to subject the man benin,
the horizon to cross examination, ever
as to the one-sided and contempubl!
unfair terms of the Precept But, il
spite of the careful provision of tn,
Navigation Bureau ring, notwithstand
ing the most painstaking drill of tht
DEPARTMENTS witnesses. it has beer
found Absolutely impossible to keep the
real defendant in the trial from appear
ing in the record, not perhaps in his
true cOlors, but al least in recognizable
shades
We do not altogether credit the re-
ports spread by his friends and ad-
herents, that Admiral Sampson is
wrecked in body and mind to an ex-
tent which would make it improper and
even cruel to put him on the stand and
compel him to answer for his share
in the movement against Admiral
Schley, which has been almost entirely
designed and prosecuted for his individ-
ual benefit. These reports may be true;
in which case it is our duty to a2sume
that much of the recent disgrace to the
American Navy and to the national
sense of decency has resulted from a
distorted and paretic conception Of
events. the facts OF which, however. are
household words in every home in the
land. II is notorious in history that
George " persistently hugged the de
lusion that ne had been a participant in
the Battle of Waterloo, under the nom
de guerre, let US call it, of General
Broch' and in that character he had
led a decisive cavalry charge. To the
end of his days ''the first gentleman of
Europe insisted upon the truth OF this
myth, just as Sampson has insisted that
he was constructively present and in
command at the sea battle off Santiago,
which was won by Admiral SchIey in
SIMPSONS absence.
We are not So sure that, now the dan
ger of cross-examinatiOn has been
averted Admiral Sampson may not
appear again in all his old-time health
and vigor and with the same old car
boy OF vitriol with which the public is
familiar. However that may be, up 10
today those who appear to be his
friends and the supporters of the ride
ulous pretensions he made in his
Fourth OF July present to the Ameri
can people telegram, and in his claims
afterward. have solemnIy asserted his
afiiction by aphasia, which makes a
man say one thing when he means an
other. Possibly if the strict rule of cop
perization could be applied 10 Samp-
son S statements, publications. side re-
marks, and comments during the past
few years, his alleged malady might
furnish the key TO a fairly accurate re-
view on his part Of events with which
he was not in any sense identified. and
Of which he was always in ignorance
except as a matter of hearsay.
Perhaps it may be natural incident
of the situation in which Messrs. Long,
Crowninshield, ct al find themselves,
but it will not appeal TO the American
people pleasantly, that the Sampsonites
are showing a disposition to run with
the hare and hunt with the hounds"
The Navigation Bureau ring has strug-
gled. not manfully, since manfulness is
not Of its canine constitution, but des-
perately, to keep Sampson out of the in
vestigation. His introduction might
have disclosed the true inwardness of
the plan to keep Admiral Schley in ig-
norance Of the shore signal code at
Cienfuegos. II might have cast a cloud,
heavier than any that may have rested
on the sky line when Sampson was be-
hind it during the fight. on the action
Of the ''commander-in-chi In leaving
the fleet and weakening its military ef-
feciyeness, early on the morning of
July g. 1898, after receiving notice the
night before that the Spaniards ap-
peared 10 be preparing for 2 sortie.
But at the last came the counsel for
Sampson, who had no standing in
court, since they declared themselves
"cognizant' that he was not a party in
terested, and asked the tribunal 10 ex-
punge testimony and arguments which
cover certain Of his official acts. ''wnicn
he had not been permitted to defend
That is about what We expected when
the danger Of Sampson $ appearance as
3 witness had been surmounted. Sdmp-
son not permitted TO defend himself.
Nothing could have pleased the defence
OF the American people 50 much as to
get that person on the stand. That he
has not been placed there he must
thank his faithful friends. Long, Hack
EFT, and Crowninshield, and. assuming
his mental health, himself. But having
made his bed, he must lie in IL Yester-
day Admiral Dewey put a quietus upon
the attempt Of Simpsons lawyers To in |
te:rene eX post facto-the only time
they would dare to. The Admiral Of the
Navy curtIy replied 10 the letter OF .'E.
S. Thean. Of counsel for Rear Admiral
Sampson. asking To have expunged
testimony showing that the nominal
"commanGer-in-c chief" failed TO fire a
gun at the Colon when he saw her in
Santiago Harbor, that, after careful
consideration of this matter the Court
declines 10 grant your [Thealrsl re-
quest" Exit Sampson. The Court OF
Enquiry has been. under cover, his To-
TUm to conduct a prosecution, and the
results OF the effort in his behalf have
not been as golden as the prize money
he received for being out Of the great
battle won by Admiral schley II is not
ais forum for defence against the record