The SteelNavy.Com Message Board: Re: Check again! Re: USNS Maury is no more...

Quote:
"Again, Congress may have removed any sanction which may have been placed on Maury so the issue long since may have been addressed in his favor.

Otherwise, to honor Maury's breach of fidelity by retaining the current name of the vessel, a vessel which represents the United States and flies its flag, I might add--strikes me as thoughtless as it is distasteful."

Johnson's 1868 presidential pardon:

https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.23602600/

The only remaining sanction on him was inability to hold office under the 14th Amendment (unless voted otherwise by 2/3 of Congress.) (Notice the pardon refers to rights granted under the Constitution. The 14th Amendment forbade that.)

All confederates were "officially forgiven" by this decree. The issue was addressed in his favor before he came home from abroad. He would not even have come home had this not been the case.

Previous Message

From the other side of the pond I find your arguments "interesting" If Bragg, Hood, etc where rebels and traitors, then logically Washington, must be the biggest traitor.

This is why I posted, "neither Washington nor Lincoln attempted to split the Union ( we'll extend some license to Mr. Washington )." with that license a nod to your observation.

Previous Message

...you should acknowledge that if even if people fought for what is now seen as a dubious cause that they where still brave people.

Here we part ways. That cause you mention was seen even then as--uh--'dubious', obviously. Nor is anyone suggesting these people be airbrushed out of the history books; Maury is a case in point: he'll remain in the history books for anyone who cares to open one to see. This is not so much a question of bravery as one of fidelity to a nation conceived decades before Maury--who, let's remember--chose to betray his oath to those United States. Again, Congress may have removed any sanction which may have been placed on Maury so the issue long since may have been addressed in his favor.

Otherwise, to honor Maury's breach of fidelity by retaining the current name of the vessel, a vessel which represents the United States and flies its flag, I might add--strikes me as thoughtless as it is distasteful.

RS