WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
252
eloquent, pathetic, and I may say elaborate vindication, the other day, in secret session. He asked that the injunction of secrecy should be removed to allow the publication of his remarks. It was done, and the officer has the full benefit of his vindication. I am glad that his general character is put in issue by the course pursued by the honorable Senator from Delaware. I am willing to take issue on the fact that he is no better than he should be as an officer, and that he is ·not superior to hundreds who have been stricken down, either in point of seamanship, or in any other high quality which should animate an American naval officer. The Senator says that service on this board was to Captain Du Pont a bitter cup, but ·the chalice was put to his lips. Sir, he could have declined it. There was no urgent reason why he should not do so. He was a member of the light-house board, and I think he could have declined this service on that ground. I go further: I intend to show that Du Pont was one of the prompters to this measure; and that, if there has been a "packed conspiracy," he has played a conspicuous part in it. I will not say that he is the Catiline of it, but he played a criminal part. I am not going to take unauthentic newspaper intelligence to prove it, but I will take the Intelligencer-a paper that I venerate for its respectability; and, although I have always been politically opposed to its editors, I have found them gentlemen of veracity. It is entitled to a respect that few journals are now worthy of. Therefore I rely on it. I think it is a document that will cast some light on this subject. By way of showing that it is not a spurious article, and subject to such an ·objection, I will say, that the article which I propose to read was presented by Mr. Du Pont, and also (as I am inclined to think, though I cannot positively state it) Mr. Magruder, now a flag captain-or some rank whose technical phrase I do not exactly understand-in the Mediterranean. These two officers handed in this publication some time in advance of the meeting of the board. There are other facts which I will bring to bear on this matter, and I will show that the Navy was converted to the use of these men. They may say that it was the law that was executed; that the pound of flesh was exacted; that this action was indorsed by the Secre- tary of the Navy and confirmed by the President; but all this can give no character to the proceeding, if there was corruption or conspiracy in the beginning. If that be the nature of its origin, all the subsequent acts are void. I will not read the whole
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