FOREIGN HONORS TO UNITED STATE OFFICERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5324, 20 April 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

FOREIGN HONORS TO UNITED STATE OFFICERS.

In the Senate lately, when, the Houses’ joint resolution - r authorising Rear-Admiral Almy* United States nayy, to accept a decoration from the King of the Hawaiian Islands - was reached, Sargeant pbjeoted-to its present consideration, and by unanimous, consent he was allowed to speak-longer than five minutes, as he had prepared a lengthy statement of the aotion of Congress on Bills of this character. Ho saidi this species' of legislation had grown upi; within the : past - few years; and ! how our officers sought every kind of - presents from foreign Powers, from the Queen of -Great Britain ..down to - the ’King of ! the i Cannibal - Islands, Recently a miniature canoe was pro- - aented to the President, and Congress was not even asked to give- assent tb its acceptance, though he supposed that it was not known that it was necessary to, ask au,oh assent of Congress that it npight hn accepted, .Titles of nobility had been lavishly given; /and -there was one ease where an officer of. the navy had been ■ permitted to accept .such 1 a title: This was 1 un-republican, ■ and’ should be stopped. Referring to the pending Bills, he ‘ asked, “ What were 1 these orders bestowed by King Kalafcana . - - “ Hokea-Pokco 'SVeltes-Wuni, • How will you have your oflloors done ? ; ■ , JDooomtod every one, ‘ - 8»ld the King of tho Cannibal Islands.'! - (Laughter.)", Sargeant said: “ Vfo should teach ' our ‘ naval; officers not (a seek , decorations.- No foreiguordey pould be worn by nn Englishman unless by consent of his Sovereign, and that consent had been withheld in the present day. Our. officers should seek the praise _ of the republic, and ( not of foreign ’Powers. 11 "He referred to .the refusal of Congress to. permit the acceptanqe of presents by officers in the early' days oj the republic, and said : ! “ While 1 Jqqlliqg for- tbe_dollar of our fathers,-vm have a little of the principle qt oup fathers."-’. He would go- as far as.any ofle (n rewarding officers -for aots of heroism, b.ut woqld not vote to allow- them. to accept gifts where .no>meritorious:-service had -been rendered. . . * ■ <■,! ’ Under tho objection of Sargeant above mentioned, the resolution, .together with four of » similar nature, was held over.