Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/517

 a lieutenant, in which Commodore Perry compliments Parker, and then adds: 'I hope the day will soon come when the monstrous injustice which has been done to you and others will be corrected.' In visiting Commodore Perry I did not suppose he would be very communicative; but he received me with so much warmth of feeling and courtesy that I determined to express myself very freely upon the whole matter, and did so. The Commodore then said that he could not talk to me of my own case, being under implied obligations of secrecy to the board, but he would say that he abominated the action of the board; that he had protested against its secret sessions; that he had presented a resolution (which he had preserved) to have open meetings, or to that effect, which was voted down; that he had been dishonored and disgraced by the action of the board, he being a member of it; that he hoped he should soon be called upon to disclose his views of all that had been done there, and that, when called upon to disclose his views of all that had been done there, or taken place at the board, either before Congress or a court of justice, he would tell the whole truth; that he had protested before the President and Secretary against such Star Chamber proceedings; that he considered it monstrous in every way; that it was a packed conspiracy against the honor of the navy; that it had ruined his reputation, and he knew it; and he also now knew that he had done wrong there as little as he had done, and he was sorry for it; that it was the first time in his life that he had been called upon to do that which had caused him to lose his self-respect, but that the action of a majority of that board had done it

"The Commodore also said, 'that he hoped not one of the new commissions would be confirmed by the Senate till a full investigation could be had, and the shameful conduct of these conspirators exposed.' He said he did not make any secrecy of his opinions about this matter; that the board had disgraced and dishonored him, and he knew it. The name of Perry was in every way identified with the navy, and he had lost all interest in the navy, and would resign instanter if he had the means of living. He regretted that he had not given up his commission, if necessary, or placed it on the issue, rather than act; and not to have done so he now sees was to set aside his ordinary sagacity; regrets that he did not refuse to be even a conservative member of the board. The Commodore also said: 'Sir, the board never imagined for one moment that all the list as the action of the board would be approved by the Secretary and the President,' but supposed it would be sent back for revision, and then, he said, 'the conservative members of the board would have had some power, and could have compelled the conspirators, or these men, to do justice where so much injustice had been done.'

"Here is a confession from a penitent and suffering member, which his whole manner and action showed to be real.

"The Commodore also said: 'Sir, if I was ordered to the command of a dangerous and important expedition to-morrow, I would tell the Department and the world that I would prefer to select my officers from those who have been discarded rather than those who are left. There is nothing but a bundle of sticks left: men who never did anything, and never will; who never made a mistake because they never attempted anything' " Mr. . Will the Senator from Texas be so good as to inform me from what authority he reads that? Where was it published?