Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/508

 received the thanks of the American Congress, and a sword was voted to him.

Mr. . And a medal also.

Mr. . I would not, Mr. President, designedly do an act of injustice to any man, particularly one who has fought for his country, as it is alleged Mr. Brownell has done. I am not ignorant of Mr. Brownell's history in the navy, and I do him no injustice. So far as concerns the facts stated by the Senator from Georgia, perhaps he is better acquainted with them than I am. Mr. Brownell was an acting-master during the war. He entered the navy as a lieutenant, if I recollect rightly, in 1837.

Mr. . In 1841.

Mr. . I should like to know upon what authority it is asserted that he could have entered the navy as a captain? The understanding of those somewhat familiar with naval matters is, that it was only after repeated effort, and effort in very high political circles, that he was admitted into the navy at all. I stated that, since that time—since he has held a commission in the navy, he has never seen an hour's sea service in the navy. He has received the pay of a lieutenant from 1837, I think, to 1855, without rendering sea service, while other officers of his grade have been performing it. In saying that, I do him no injustice.

Mr. . Very great injustice, by not giving the rest of his history.

Mr. . He received the thanks of Congress—not specially, but as every one did who fought in Perry's victory. I have simply heard, as I presume the Senator from Georgia has, that Brownell was wounded; to what extent I have not heard. The intimation of the honorable Senator from Texas was, that this man, while in active service, was stricken down. Why, if I understand the Senator from Georgia correctly, Mr. Brownell never considered himself fit for sea service, but only for shore duty. I have nothing to say about his action on the Lakes. All that I say is, that he did hold a commission from 1837 to 1855, and during that time you will find, opposite his name on the Register, " Sea service, none."

Mr. . Well, Mr, President, suppose he had only been qualified for shore duty; had he not, by his sufferings, by his wounds, by his gallantry, by the estimation in which his acts were held by the Congress of the United States, entitled himself to a shore situation for life, if necessary, or might he not have been placed on the retired list? Was he not dropped?

Mr. . Yes, sir,

Mr. . Instead of being placed on the retired list he was dropped. He might have been placed either on the furloughed or the retired list; but, no, sir; these memorials of his country's gratitude, the admiration and high approval of Congress, were enough to excite the envy of the men on that board who conspired to strike down members of the navy, and dishonor men equal to themselves in position.

How is it with the gentleman whose memorial I have now before me—Lieutenant Gibson, the first officer on board the ship with the gallant Ingraham, when he sustained your flag and your country's honor abroad in a foreign port, by not permitting a foreign hand to touch or defile the hem of the garment of