The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-09-04


ATTACKS ON SECRETARIES CAMERON AND
WELLEs.-About the easiest way in the
world to demonstrate ones superior qualif-
cations for any particular situation or en-
ployment, is to find fault with those who
chance to occupy the coveted position. 1t
is SO much less labor to tear down than to
build up--to blast a reputation than to
make one-to tell what ought to be done
than to do it-that it is not strange the
country swarms with critics, who are labor
ing zealously, and, in many instances, in
sanely, to bring about change in the Cabi-
net. Conspicuous among those who know
all things, and outside of whom not any
thing is known, worth knowing, that ought
to be known, are the conductors of the
newspapers throughout the country. Equal
to any and every emergency, they are ready
with their advice on all occasions. The
Secretary of the Treasury is told how to
raise the money; the Secretary of War is in
1ormed how armies are to be spoken into
existence and put in the field the Secreta-
~ of the Navy how the blockade is to be
rendered effectual, and Lieutenant General
Scott how the campaign must be conducted,
if it is brought to a successful issue. After
flooding the country with paper advice, it is
strange they complain that Secretary Cam
eron's army of 100000 men was a paper
army; and Secretary Welles' blockade
was but a paper blockade. So furious
have these knights of the Quill become,
and so diligently have they filed the
ears of the people with their eternal din
about "ineompetents," "speculating," and
s'dishonest" government officials that the
public mind has been prejudiced, and is
about to conclude that where there is so
Emuch smoke there must be some fire. Of
course, having done all they could TO alien
ate the people by poisoning their minds
against the Administration. and withhold
ing that cordial support necessary in order
for it to sustain itself, they viii be prompt
to herald its defeat with 81 told them So"
"Why didn't they conduct matters as we
directed, and all would have been right?''--
The satisfaction arising from the fulfllment
OF their croakings overbalanees any sorrow
they may feel for disasters that befal the
Republic. Secretaries Cameron and Welles
have been made the targets against whom
have been directed the shafts of those who
were DESTROYS of appearing particularly we'll
informed as to how armies are raised, fleets
embarked, battles fought and victories won.
Blinded by the newspaper storm that SEEM
ed on the point of overwhelming them, we
too, lost sight of the fact that no single in
stance of ineompetency or peculation was
cited, and found ourselves joining in the
general hue, and cry almost before we were
aware of it. We thought the Administra-
ton was conniving at treason in retaining
Harvey and promoting Emory. Did not
our sagacious contemporary of New York in
sist that the proof against these men estab-
lished their guilt beyond a doubt? And
yet an investigation demonstrated their in
nocenee, and the papers making the charges
without the manliness to retract them,
started off on new scent, in order to direct
public attention from their discontinue.
Again. Secretary Welles is roundly de-
nounced for not purchasing Vanderbilt's YES
sells, when that gentleman was so magnan-
imous as to propose making the Govern
ment a present of the best one in the lot
An old Rip Van Wrinkle" G. the imbecile,"
the old "fool," were the choice terms used
to designnte their opinion of a man to whom
is entrusted the fate of the nation. With
what justice all this YVES done, can be seen,
when it is known that, after a Board of
Naval Officers had examined the vessels and
pronounced them unfit for service, the New
York Union Defense Committee, which had
urged this purchase upon the Government,
appointed a committee of experienced men
to examine them, and they pronounced them
unfit. These great, magnificent passenger
steamers had no strength to carry heavy
armament, and if the Government had TIA
ken them and fitted them out, it would
have had splendid steamers, costing each
thousand dollars day to keep them going,
and with only the armament of gun
boats, and with less efficiency, in Southern
waters, for the service required
Thus it turns out that while Secretary
Welles was being denounced for incompe
tence, he was proving his competency in
tho most unmistakable manner, and while