American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-01
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH

The TROUBLES AT THE PoRrsMoUTn Navy
YARD.-The National Inteltgeaeer of this morn
ing says: .-aE A .aa VI
|" The misunderstanding between the com
mandant and the mechanics of the Gosport navy
yard has, we are glad to learn, been reconciled,
ana the men returned to work yesterday. Mr..
uraham, the Secretary Of the Navy, in consid
ering the memorials presented to him on the
subject, acknowledged the general regulations
oI Tire navy yards to be vested in the officers
appointed to. command them. He however ad-
vised Capt. Stringham to rescind the objection
able order, which, though intended for the pro-
tection Of the public property, had wounded
| the feelings Of the workmen I; and this advice,
lit seems, was followed by Capt. stringham.'' !,
The Nsrnlk Daily Neos, Of Saturday, says !:
The committee sent to Washington to wait
upon the Secretary ofthe Navy, in reference to
the order recently issued at the navy yard, re-
turned this morning. We learn that Mr.. Gra-
ham did not arrive at any positive decision on
the subject, as he says that the general regula-
ton of the yard, rules, &c., belong to the off,
Ger in command; but has addressed letter to
the commandant, requesting him to counter
mand the order and expressing the hope that
this unpleasant affair would be speedily settled"
The News further says: 3i
/ "We sincerely wish that Com. stringham viii
magnanimously revoke the obnoxious order and
afford relief to the nine. hundred workmen,
thrown out Of work and without means many
OF them) to support their families. By such, a
/ course he will command the esteem of all good
men"
Let US see how applicable to Commodore
Stringham is the word magnanimous," and
how easy it will be for him to command the
esteem of all good men,"
In another article in the same paper it is
stated: g.. st..t., ....s.t ....s.,.,. ~ . "
| 7"It was this accusation, Tof piljerngt n so
unjust and unmerited that mortified the feel
ngs and filled with surprise the minds of the
mechanics. Each one felt thimself and his char
acter personally involved in the insinuation
Aged men, who had grown gray during their
service of twenty five and thirty years, as well
as the young, felt that their honor was con-
cerned, and its vindication demanded Io
Nine hundred American citizens, skilful, in
dependent and worthy mechanics, find the gates
suddenly locked against them, contrary to the
usage of years; and when they ask the COM
mander the reason, he promptly replies that it
is to keep them from stealing The whole COM
mittee who waited on the Commodore testify to
this being his response 1t is shameful, and
such man is unworthy place in the American
Navy. We have ever respected the character
Of the officers of the American Navy; nay, we
have been proud of them; yet we will under
take to say that the percentage of dishonest
men in that nine hundred was not greater than
may be found among the men who wear the
naval uniform of their country.
But upon what grounds had the Commodore
founded the suspicion? We recur to the News /:
The fact is, that the men employed in the
yard are the preseryers of property; the few
cases of theft which have occurred among them
lave invariably been detected by the fellow
workmen of the offender and reported to the
proper officer and it is during their absence from
TIE yard that oilering is practised By tie servants
cf the officers. Missing articles have been found,
| hidden by these ......
"Not long since, several barrels of pork were
missing, and an order issued, without the
| slightest previous notice, 10 inspect The buckets,
IN rhich those hUtng at distance carry their
dinncrs,) as they departed from the yard. Bat
the pork uds not there. Such incidents as these,
| calculated TO irritate and harass, have been OF
frequent occurrence, but have all been submitted
20, until this last act of injustice, with the
4
ment property" ....-
We have not patience to pursue this subject
| turther. If the American people will permit so
mean, 80 fragrant, so despicable an exercise of
arbitrary power and insolence, they surely have
lost the sense of justice and seIf-respect by
which they have ever been actuated and if the
Secretary Of the Navy does not at once remove
Commodore Stringham from the position he
has disgraced, he should be made to desert his
own.
few barrels of pork have been stolen-by
whom is unknown-and nine hundred Ameri-
can citizens, honest, toiling men, with families
around them, and each jealous of his honor and
his position in the community in which he
lwells, is made to uncover his little bucket at
The gateway as he departs, and submit to
search, lest he should steal from the store house
a piece of salt pork ...r
If it be true that men look within themselves
when they form their estimates of their fellow
men, the sclf-communion Of Commodore s. has
been Of an unplea SAINT character.
Let us again repeat that, in past times the
affairs of the Portsmouth navy yard have been
well managed, the interests of the Government
have been well observed, aud yet goodwill and
mutual respect have existed between the officers
and the workmen. The workmen are still the
same and there are many commanders in the
service whom they are ever willing to receive
and obey with implicit obedience. This matter
is one in which every citizen should feel deep
interest, and upon which every newspaper in
the country should speak with freedom, and in
tones to be heard and felt.
| IMPRISONMENT OF AN AMERICAN BY THE Aus
TRAN CONFERENCE.-The. Charles L. Brace,
son of J. Z. Brace, ESQ.,, of this city, who has
been engaged the last year in pedestrian tour