WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
261
circumstances? No brave nor honorable man. Such a sugges- tion as this seems to me to be unseemly; but I suppose it must be imputed to ignorance of human nature and of the founda- tions of true chivalry. What is the intimation? That these old retired veterans, condemned by the board as unfit for active serv- ice,· could be useful in organizing for victory during active war- fare; and for this purpose to be liable to be called into active service in such a contingency. What a commentary on the whole proceeding ! I come now to the charitable part of this article: "The investigation should necessarily be secret. It must be so in order that it may be efficient and free. It could not be open without exposing to inquiry, characters whose fitness was questioned, but approved. Doubtful cases must exist; facts cast. ing suspicion which would not be fit to act on, but which would cast a shadow on the public mind, will be ~Iicited. Even those reported against may well be content to ascribe their removal to the vague ground of disability, rather than have their defi- ciencies specified and paraded before the public." Ah! there are many things which these gentlemen, I presume, would not wish to have exhibited and paraded before the public; hence they feel the benefit of secrecy and appreciate its value to themselves. From this appreciation of their own conduct, their deductions are drawn in relation to others who are honor- able men, willing to confront any imputation which they may dare to bring against them before the public, or before the con- stitutional tribunals of the service. Where a man has been dropped for alleged infamous conduct, without a trial, they say he might be afraid to have the reasons why it is done paraded before the public! This assertion is made as to every man whom they have damned with a brand of infamy as set forth in the statute, for it is only for infamous conduct that a man was to be removed. They have placed that brand on him, and then say that he might not wish to have it talked about! Again: "It is in the nature of an executive proceeding." How learned this board were. My friend from Delaware said that a book was written by Mr. Du Pont, and I suppose, there- fore, that he is learned. He appears to have been a man of learn- ing, at least in this matter, for he says: "It is in the nature of an executive proceeding. The President scrutinizes in secret the officer he appoints or refuses, and the
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