Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-06-28

work upon the forward standard of the reversing
shaft.
Flaws were also apparent In the iron neal
these inserted wedges. The cut surfaces shoN
that the iron had been newly sawed out Con
sideiing that the engines Of large chip are re-
versed only in case Of absolute necessity, The
crime committed appears black beyond descrip
zion.
The conclusion was irresistible that some
yllain had wrought all this mischief for the pur-
pose of disabling the ship.
The end Of the crafty continuance was to
weaken the reversing machinery, SO that the
moment it SHOULD back water the parts would
give way.
The first effect of the sudden breakage in such
an emergency would have been the slaughter Of
the engineer Ia charge. as this part was closely
connected with the hand gear OF the engines
Fortunately the conspirator overdid his work,
and the work cracked when we were under head
why, and in circumstances TO enable us TO repair.
Ga the 22j, at about 104 q, m, we, after Q
delay of thirtysix hours, again got the propeller
in motion.
| Ii may be we'll to revert TO the defect which
caused the Mississippi to put back TO Boston
The water pipes had been greatly disabled, and
she was obliged to put in new ones. The blame
OF that casualty was attached at erst to late
chief engineer Of the navy who obtained a few
days leave of absence from his special duty in
th. Boston navy yard to visit his home 10 Vir-
ginia. He sent his resignation into the depart
ment almost as soon as he was within the limits
of that "Oh Dominion"
recolect to have seen in some Of the Boston
papers the last of May card, subscribed by
many of his old friends about the yard, excul-
pating him from what they considered unjust
suspicion. Would he not now be as jealous of
his reputation as his friends were, and inform
the country in whose pay he lately hourished,
how he would account for this casualty TO our
ships. Certainly no traitor had access to her
engines after We went into commission, for a
constant guard was set Of our present officers,
and the gentleman in question had been in charge
only short time before. IL this was an act of
the enemy, it may be justly assumed as contrary
10 civilized warfare, which may only resort to
poisoning waters and arming a serVile population
in the EXTREMIST necessity or under utmost re-
taliatory proYocatiou.-M Y, Express
-s-Sss-%--
ADDRESS BY MAI. SPRAGUE ON TEXAS.
On Thursday evening" Major John 7. Sprague,
OF the Uniten States Army. just returned from
Texas, delivered an address at Albany, where he
belongs and the Argus gives the following re-
port Of it:
Strange and inconsistent as it might appear,
he said, he stood there before his fellow citizens
prisoner-a prisoner in che hands of his own
cOunlrymen-a prisoner of war, on parole, made
so by the stern and arbitrary arm of military
force and usurped authority and he owed il to
himself, TO his country, to history. and to his
friends, to state in yindicatOn Of himself and his
companions. us briefly aud suocinctly as posi-
BILE, the causes and the incidents connected with
his present position. Out Of twenty four years
military service, eighteen years had been devoted
to the interests of the South for the protection
of the homes and firesides OF Southern citizeas
Separated from their homes and from their
families, he and his brother soldiers had cheer
fully performed the duty Of protecting Southern
homes and Southern interests. From the ever
glades Of Florida to the frontier of Georgia,
Alabama, the Cherokee country, Arkansas, Texas
and Mexico, his services Ind been devoted to the
prosperity Of these States. and to the protection
Of the helpless and unprotected along the settle
ments. All the resources of the government, as
well as the personal services of the officers had
been guaranteed to women and children, and
the yindictive savage had been checked in his
midnight marauding. To Texas be had been
more devoted than to any other Southern State
It was to him u section of peculiar interest as
well us Of affection.
Its geninl climate and the warm hearted hos
pitalty Of its people had endeared the State to
him. lie had first arrived ut San Antonio in the
Spring Of 1913, and then savages were within
Thirty miles Of the city, and the pestlence was
raging with terrible violence. Brave and true
men looked fearfully around and the timid fled.
The citizen and the soldier stood then side by
side. aiding and comforting each other, and
friendships had been formed which il was hard
to break. One week after their arrival at San
Antonio, they had laid General Worth in his
grave; he who stood in SO many fearful conflicts
in defence Of his country, was laid beneath the
soil of Texas, and both officers and soldiers cher
ished the memory Of the last scenes they had
passed in company with their beloved command
er. But after over ton years service, he had
found himself and his companions and brother
officers compelled to flee from the State-maroh-
ed us felons through the streets of San Antonio
conducted to the shore by bodies of armed
men-furnished with Safeguards as protec-
ton for their lives. And this had happened in
the State they had protected, and within the
borders of onr common country Had they been
captured on a field of battle in honorable war
fire, ii would have been diiIerenti but they were
taken by treason, in violation Of honor, and he
appealed to his countrymen to sustain them in
all they did, in standing BY and protecting the
standard OF their country"