WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
320
enemy; he has been under fire when there was danger. Except that important battle which I dwelt on the other day, near San Jose, I believe Captain Du Pont never has been in action; and then there was great contrariety in the reports as to the mortality incident to that great engagement. [Laughter.] But I will say this-No man is more honorable than Thorburn; no man is more respected ; no man in the navy is more efficient; and no man has served his country with more fidelity; and there is no official that sat on the board who has a higher and juster claim to retain position on the active list; yet he was stricken down. For what? Because he did not belong to the clique that some think is neces- sarily established for the government of the navy. I believe I have explained the principal charges that were made affecting my veracity; but I shall have much to say-more, indeed, than I desire to say, if it were possible to avoid it, for I am not in the best condition for speaking; but I feel bound to go on. The Chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs [Mr. Mal- lory] talked about "drag-nets." Sir, there are so many technical nautical phrases that grow up on the seaboard, and its bays and estuaries, and places where ships run, that I am not posted up in them. My situation has always been in the interior. I have been precluded from the advantages and facilities which result from familiarity with matters of navigation. As to drag-nets, I should like to see that word defined. Does it mean something which is to rake the bottom? I ask the honorable chairman of the committee if that is its meaning? If it means to drag on the bottom, I think I have been robbed of the use of my drag-net; I think the distinguished Senators have got it. They have been applying it to Lieutenant Maury; and I think there was some drag-netting done in relation to the facts which the venerable Senator from Delaware presented here. I do not know where he got them, but I know that he had them. It reminds me of an incident that occurred with a mill boy. He went to the mill by a new direction to which he had been accustomed. There were some insinuations that the miller was not the most honest man in tak- ing toll. The boy, of course, used all his vigilance whilst there. He was standing about the mill, and observing everything to which his curiosity attracted attention. . The miller thought he would get into an interesting conversation; so he went to the boy and asked him what his father's name was. The boy said he did not know. "Well," said the miller, "where is he from?" "I do not know," answered the boy. "Why," said the miller, "you know nothing." "Yes," said the boy, "some things I know, and some
Powered by FlippingBook