Year: 1870

raps Promotion.


Many Of our Senators and Congressmen,


actuated by spite or spirit Of revenge against
persons or measures, manage very adroitly to
accomplish their purposes by introducing bills
or bringing forward 'joint resolutions, under
the garb OF retrenchment or economy in the
administration Of the government. Such we
believe to have been the true motive OF Mr..
Logan in his present effort to abolish the
grade Of admiral and vice admiral in tho navy
Of the United States. Urged on by those WIN
are opposed to the promotion Of Vice Admiral
D. D. Porter, and thinking thereby to create
capital with his constituents and the rennhli-
can party at large, he rushes forward joinf
resolution to abolish these Offices, In hopes Of
its passage before the confirmation Of Porter
can be effected in the Senate Personally ha
does not want the Vice Admiral promoted,
politically he wishes him out Of the ways
hence his only method Of accomplishing his
ends and serving the enemies Of Porter is In
doing what he has done, under the name OF
retrenchment. We hope he will not be suc-
ccssful


Without discussing fully the merits or de-
merits Of the recently published letters Of
vice Admiral Porter, we can only say that,
In our opinion, the abolition OF the higher
grades OF the naval service would be move
as impolitic as it is uncalled for. Doing away
with them on the plea Of economy ia but stua
and nonsense; it is mere bubble used fo
cover the true reason that would not bear
being made public. We should have in our
navaS service grades the same as In the navies
of England, France and Russia. We have
them now, and they should be retained. 1t is
not for our government to take a step back
wards in this respect. As great naval
Power we are second to none Then why do
away with the two highest grades of our
naval service that are as necessary now al
they have been at any time2


1t is now sought to influence Congress-
against Porter by one Of the most dastardly
acts that man can be guilty of-viz., tho pub
ication of letter that was never Intended for
other eyes than those of the party to whom 10
was addressed. Raking it out from where ID
had laid undisturbed for years was q mean
piece of business but the act of publishing it to
the world was contemplate in the extreme, and,
instead Of iniuring the Vice Admiral. it should
stamp as utterly disbonorable men those who
have been guilty of such underhand means to
accomplish their own revengeful purposes.
This is the view taken of it by the President Of
the United States, as is shown by his promptly
sending POrter's nomination for Admiral to
4ba "a
will be promptly confirmed, if for no other
reason than to show that an officer cannot be
disgraced by means SO utterly devoid Of
honor and honesty.


Mentally, morally, physically and profess
sionally Vice Admiral D. d. Porter is as well
fitted for promotion as any officer in the ser
vice. A gallant officer, an accomplished gen.
tleman, devoted to his country and to the SER
vice to which he is attached, his record stands
almost unblemished. That he has faults must
be acknowledgement who has not ?--but they
are not Of o character to detract from the rep.
utaton he has gained by distinguished SER
vices before the enemy. His controversy on
collision with the staff officers Of the navy
was mistake. not but that he was right in
point of discipline and desire for the well
being of the naval service, but it was a mis-
take Of policy. Many of these staff officers
who are now his opponents are the creation
Of political influence, who owe their right to
wear uniform to the relationship or friend
ship Of some members of Congress, and through
Congress they are trying to be revenged upon
the Vice Admiral of the navy. This fact he
should have considered, but the probabilities
are that he never entertained an idea that
members Of tho honorable service of which he
is member would ever descend to
such dishonorabls means to carry out
dishonorable purpose. If General Sherman
was fitted to fill the vacancy in the army occa-
stoned by the resignation of Grant, then Vica
Admiral Porter is fitted to Gil the vacancy
in the navy occasioned by the death of Farra-
gut, and such we hope will be the opinion Of
Congress when Mr.. Logan's resolution is
brought forward and of the Senate when, in
executive session, his nomination is presented
for confirmation.


GrSund Broken on the st. Domingo Annexs-