WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1857
405
officer of inferior grade or rank has been sent to command that ship; and if of inferior grade, whether such course was in conse- quence of any, and what, difficulty in finding a captain in order to command said frigate Independence. And also, any report or reports from Captain Mercer, of the Brazil squadron, in relation to the officers of the brig Bainbridge, while serving on the Brazil station : and Resolved, further, That the Secretary of the Navy be requested to furnish the Senate with copies of any report or reports from the commander of the East India squadron in relation to the resig- nation of any commissioned officers recently serving therein. Mr. Mallory. I gave notice that I should move to amend the resolutions. I now move to amend it by striking out all after the first paragraph, which ends with the words "causes of said desertions." The President pro tempore. The question is on the amendment. Mr. Houston. I was not aware that the question would be put on the amendment at once. I suppose the gentleman from Florida would finish his remarks before the question was put, as he was progressing with a speech when the subject was up before. I have objections to the amendment. I thought it was proper for the Senator to proceed with the remarks he intended to make; and I ask him now to proceed with his remarks on this amendment. . [Mr. Mallory declined to speak further.] Mr. Houston. This resolution calls for the causes of the return of certain officers from the Pacific squadron. I understood that the Senator from Florida wished to discuss that question. He can say whether it is his desire to do so or not. If not, I shall make some remarks in opposition to this amendment, or any modifica- tion of the resolution as originally introduced.... I can inform the Senator from Michigan that my remarks will not be very extended, and we shall have ample time to transact all the executive business that will be necessary, after they are concluded, for, as I now contemplate, they will be very short. Mr. President, my object in introducing this resolution was to ascertain certain facts which I thought important to the country, and to enable it, as well as the representatives of the people, to understand the condition of the naval service at this time. None of those facts, as I conceive, are irrelevant to the inquiry that seemed necessary to effect the object of the resolution. I am induced to take this course, because we are assured, from high quarters, that the Navy is greatly improved by the late changes
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