Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/494

 to Mr. Thorburn, an officer in the navy, by Captain Du Pont. That is where the unfortunate whistle originated. Mr. Thorburn had the letter. It referred to one written to Colonel Burton, I think, a brother soldier, who had received laudation. Mr. Du Font's letter to Lieutenant Thorburn suggested that the same opportunity was afforded to the officers of the navy to have some laudation, and, forsooth, because it had not been obtained, there was disaffection! How was that a private letter? It was in reference to a public matter. It was not a private letter. It must be borne in mind that, according to the venerable Senator from Delaware, Captain Du Pont was the leading man on all occasions, not only as to rank, but as to age; for, whether it is with young or old, Du Pont never follows, but always leads. That was the substance of the expression of the Senator in regard to him. Such a man wished to have a whistle from Thorburn—a name connected with that of Warrington, who never disgraced the honor of his country, but bore it up triumphantly and victoriously. Thorburn, as honorable and as good a man as any that walks in the Senate, is aspersed here as most unworthy, if he permitted this letter, which referred to public matters, to be used here; and it is intimated to the Senator from Texas, very directly, that he was culpable for it! Oh! it is unfortunate to have a two-edged weapon.

The venerable Senator from Delaware said, that if the Senate could only know and see the letter written by Thorburn to Du Pont, it would be seen that he felt contrition, or something to that effect. That Senator wanted to bring it here, and read it; but as it was a private letter Du Pont would not allow him to do so. That Senator [Mr. Clayton] is perfectly willing to bring it here and read it. His colleague [Mr. Bayard] denounced it as a dishonorable thing; yet his colleague was willing to do that dishonorable thing which he condemned in another. Thorburn has as clean a record as any man for efficiency. He has met the 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 necessarily 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. Mallory] 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