WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
254
' I pray, sir, that this may be done. It is all I ask that they may be recompensed "according to the deeds done in their body"; that body means the naval retiring board. [Laughter.] Again: "This duty, if not thoroughly performed, had as well not be attempted; and the liberal provisions for those found incapable, without their own default, disarms the measure of even the least appearance of harshness, and leaves no excuse for leniency." We see they were afraid there would be leniency, and this article was to prepare the public mind, and it foreshadows the action of the board. One of the most conspicuous members of the board, and one who contributed more to the passage of the bill through this body than any individual, is the man who foreshadows their purpose in this communication of two columns. What is the meaning of all this? They cannot rely on age, infirmity, and similar causes, to get old men out of the way and give ·promotion to aspiring young gentlemen, lieutenants and others; and if these young aspirants cannot get to be commodores, they have made one brilliant step towards it--I mean the bril- liancy of two epaulets instead of one. In old times, when we used to do fighting as subalterns, I was very proud when I got one epaulet of silver, instead of gold, and I thought it was the finest thing in the world; ·but now you can hardly find a passed "middy" who does not want a commodore's epaulets on his shoul- ders. He likes to strut about to the admiration of the ladies, with his buttons bright and his uniform attractive, and he is a commodore really to all appearances, and beautiful to admiration. [Laughter.] Mr. Bayard. Will the Senator state the date of that article? Mr. Houston. May 21, 1855; and I would ask the Senator to attend to it, for I know he can criticise it with more ability than I can command. Again, the article says : "This duty is confined to the naval board. With them rests the responsibility of executing or failing to execute-the law. They reap many of the advantages, but the country has the great- est stake in·the result; and the country will hold the board respon- sible for the attainment of the results they anticipated when vesting these ample powers of purgation in the officers of the Navy itself." Yes, sir, they reap advantages from it. They have not merely promoted themselves, but they have promoted their kindred in subordinate ranks. That is generous-is it not? Sir, a system of nepotism has grown up in the country that must be stricken
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