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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
247
[Mr. Johnson, Mr. Mallory, the President speak.] Mr. Houston. Mr. President, if it is a laborious task, I think it would be rather onerous for me to assume it when a division of that labor can be made. I think it would be most appropriate for the Committee on Printing to ascertafo the import of the con- tents of this document. I will move that the usual number be printed for the use of the Senate, and that will put an end to this controversy. I have only had an opportunity of giving the papers a cursory examination, but enough to satisfy me that the facts contained in them are important to the proper understand- ing of the subject, which has been, and will be, under discussion in the Senate, and for that reason I desire that the usual number be printed.
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1 Congressional Globe, 1st Sess., 34th Cong., Part 1, 1855-1856, p. 617.
CONCERNING THE ACTION OF THE NA VAL RETIRING BOARD, MARCH 18, 1856 1 Mr. President. I hold in my hand a memorial, signed unoffi- cially by members of the Legislature of the State of Maryland. It is an indorsement of the resolutions adopted by the Legisla- ture of Virginia some time since. I ask that they may be read; and then, I design to offer some explanatory remarks, giving the reason for my concurrence with the sentiments of the resolutions. The Secretary read the resolutions of the Legislature of Vir- ginia, as follows : · 1. Resolved, As the opinion of the General Assembly of Vir- ginia, that the action of the late naval board appointed "to pro- mote the efficiency" of the Navy, by which two hundred and one officers were 1·etired from the active Navy list of officers, without trial or notice, or record of any sort, was not in accordance with the principles which our Government recognizes as the only guar- antees of judicial fairness and impartiality. 2. Resolved, That the General Assembly does not assume to criticise the conduct of those who were charged with the execu- tion of the provisions of the law in question, nor to express an opinion as to the propriety of the removal of the officers retired under the action of the board; but it intends to affirm the prin-· ciple that every officer of the Army and Navy of the United States has the inalienable right to be heard in his own defense, and to
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