Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1893 — HE WAS TOO FRESH [ARTICLE]

HE WAS TOO FRESH

Admiral Stanton Promptly It amoved Frew Command at Bt edv Janelroi Tbe peremptory removal of Commodore and acting Bear Admiral Stanton, sta--tioned at Eiode Janeiro, Brazil, frona th* eonraand of the South Atlantic station, wasoM of the most startling surprises ever experienced in Washington officially, and for a time it has almost obscured th* Interest in the silver fight. President Cleveland took action after a long conferance with the Secretaries *f State and th* Navy, and when pnt In possession of all the facts, and of such further information as Senhor Mendonca, the Brazilian' minister in Washington, was able to furnish. The official order was briefly made public by Secretary Herbert in the following memorandum: “The Navy Department learned by authority late Wednesday, by telegram from Rear Admiral Stanton, in command of the United State* naval forces at Rio de Janeiro, that this officer had saluted tho flag of Admiral Mello, commanding the insurgent fleet. This salute was unathorized by any instructions the Admiral had received. It was an unfriendly act toward a friendly power, and tbe Secretary of .th* Navy, after consulting with the President and Secretary of State, issued ah order detaching Admiral Stanton from the command of his squadron and turning ft over to Captain Picking, the next in rank. This was in reply to a telegram,of inquiry.” In tho State and Navy Departments officials were incredulous as to the possibility of there<being any truth in -the-report published in the Berlin Nord Deutsch Zeitung, and cabled to America, Tuesday. Commodore Stanton had been specially selected for this post of duty because he was considered to possess in a pre-eminent degree those qualifications of coolness and discretion which fitted him to deal with tho revolutionary conditions prevailing in tho various countries to which his assignment would naturally call him. Naval officers who know Commodore Stanton are utterly at a iocs to understand how he came to make so serious a mistake, if such it can be called. Secretary Herbert expresses his surprise that an officer of Stanton’s experience and standing should commit such a blunder, tnd his prompt action is taken with the purpose of announcing to the world that the United States has taken no steps to refuse recognition to the legally constituted Brazilian Government.