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419
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1857
few weeks. I desire to know the cause which has produced this disastrous effect on the Navy-whether it was owing to a defect in the discipline or regulations of the service, and if so to apply a remedy. That was the first object. In the next place, an unusual circumstance had occurred in the Pacific squadron. A captain and a commander had been sent home from that squadron with a report from the commodore commanding the squadron. This circumstance has, I believe, occurred only once before since the foundation of this Govern- ment. It appeared so extraordinary that I deemed it proper that the Senate should be placed in possession of the report of the commanding officer giving an explanation of the causes of that transaction. I had no reference to any individual as a man, be- cause I was not acquainted personally with any one who appears to be interested in the matter; but I deemed it to be a subject of public concernment. This captain and commander having been ordered to report to the Navy Department, vacancies were left to be filled by two officers of equal grade. Instead of doing this, however, a com- mander was sent to supply the place of the captain who had been detached from the Pacific squadron. When the recent transfor- mation of the Navy was contemplated, the chairman of the Com- mittee on Naval Affairs told us that sufficient officers of high rank could not be obtained to supply the demands for their appropriate station. Now, we find that a commander has been ordered by the Navy Department to do the duty of a captain, although there are ninety-six captains in the Navy, not more than thirteen de- tailed on duty, and over thirty "waiting orders," as appears from the Navy Register. Not only has my attention been drawn to this point, but it seems to have attracted the attention of the country. It is a matter which cannot be accounted for unless we have some information on the subject. With that view, I presented this branch of the resolution. The information for which it calls can easily be furnished. We are told by the chair- man of the Naval Committee that it can probably be furnished in three hours; there can be no trouble about that; but he fears that unpleasant consequences may result; and he thinks we are calling for too much information. Sir, we cannot have too much information. I am opposed to the principle of shutting up things, and concealing them in the dark, because they do not exactly suit everybody's convenience, and gratify everybody's feelings. We must recollect that there is a national interest to be considered,
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