WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1857
407 .
who had given their lives to the service of their country. Men who knew nothing else but their profession, and who had no other resource for themselves and their families, were stricken down without compunction, treated without charity, and regarded with- out mercy by the honorable chairman of the Naval Committee. Sir, what new source of sympathy has broken out in his nature on this occasion, that seems to demand such great charity to those individuals who, to avoid an investigation of their conduct, have availed themselves of the privilege of resignation? Unwill- ing to confront the investigation of a court-martial, or to stand in arraignment before their peers, they have endeavored to escape imputations that would justly attach to improper conduct. Gal- lant officers were denied that privilege by this retiring board, and were not permitted to be heard. These men could have had the ben:fit of an open investigation. The others were passed upon by an inquisitorial board, without charge, without cause, unless it was the gratification of some malignant or selfish passion actuating this board. Sir, have we not a right to ask what these. men have done that caused their resignation? Are we to be told that they have resigned, and we have no further control over them? We have no control over them, but we have revisory power over the Navy. They must have done something good, or something bad. If they have done something good, and if they would be degraded by an exposition, they stand on a par with those men, the most honorable in the service, who were stricken down by the naval board. I will state an instance that'claimed no sympathy and demanded no gracious action on the part of the chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs. I allude to the case of Lieutenant Glasson, of the Navy, who was stricken down. He was first retired, I am informed, and afterwards furloughed on the very lowest grade of pay. If he had not possessed a character that commended him to the justice of the nation, that commended him to the fairness of treatment, that commended him to the admiration of every one, he might have deserved the punishment inflicted on him without cause. But what did the Navy Department say, after his return to the United States after a cruise to the China seas? The Secre- tary of the Navy, a few days before the act of February 28, 1855, was passed, wrote this letter to Lieutenant Glasson: [The letter reported a very favorable inspection of ship and personnel after return from the cruise.] This was in February, 1855. In September of the same year the retiring board struck down this individual-a man who has not yet attained the meridian of life, with all the efficiency of a
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