St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-09-05
The Fault Finders.

In an editorial in the Philadelphia
Press, entitled "The Administration
and its Assailants," Col. Forney holds
the following language ~.
Reviewing their respective admin
istrations with candor, and only look
ing upon their deeds as those deeds
promote the public welfare, we claim
that the interests oftkis Republic hare ne
rer been better serred than they hare Jeen
by The present heads Of The Har and Macy
Departments. The Secretary of War,
Mr.. Cameron, took the Portfolio of his
department. four months ago. He found
the army establishment Just large
enough to accommodate 1900 men.
The establishment, too small and inef-
iicicnt for even the necessary uses of
peace, was in most dcmoralized
condition. 1t had been controlled by
traitors for the preceding eight years.
Its arscnals had been pluudcred and
its forts occupied by an enemy. Dis
affection had been sowed in the ranks
and the uncqnallcd infamy of a gen.
eral commanding surrendering his
command at the invitation of u rebel
regiment had just been perpetrated
Treason was everywhere 1t breath
cd in the very halls of his department,
controlled bureaus, and attempted to
poison Cabinets. Officer after officer
sheathcd his sword only to draw it
again under an insurgcnt banner. lie
saw the cloud Of war coming up from
the horizon, and the country, unwil-
ling TO wake from its pleasing dream
of peace, refused to believe the omen.
And when the thunder Of Fort Sump-
ter dispellcd every fancy, and the
storm of blood came upon us, ID came
upon an utterly unprcparcd and as,
tonished nation.
We need not recall the history that
commenced with Fort Sumpter. In
four months the War Depart mcnt has
been raised from the command of q
small and dcmoralizcd division to the
command of an army of half million
of men. 1t is beyond the powers of
to conceive the arduous,
the unceasinG, the complicated, and
the embarrassing duties which this
increased organization has imposed
upon the Secretary Of War. The
dregs of treason had to be washed
away from the army, cannon had to
be purchased, small arms procured,
munitions of war manufactured, a
commissariat and quartermaster's de-
partment organized, means of trans
portation provided, and all the wants
of such an enormous body of men al
most instantly provided for. In the
performance of this task the fault find
er will not bc at much trouble to dis
cover that some things have gone I'M
done which it would have been better
to do if possible. There may have
been sins Of omission-delays, disap-
pointments and hardships. Yet still,
allowing to the Secretary of War that
common consideration which must be
permitted to every fallible being, has
he faltercd in single department of
his duty LAS he failed in discretion ?
Has he wanted in energy? What
could have been done that he did not
do
What wc have said of the War De-
partment applies to the Navy Depart
ment, and in every particular our
comments on Secretary Cameron will
apply to Secretary Weles. The same
causes which demoralized the army
dcmoralized the navy. There were
traitors in each departmcnt-traitors
in the Bureau and on the quarter deck
and the treason and Generalization
which had crippled the efforts of Sec
retary Cameron crippled the efforts of
Secretary Wclles. When the block
ade was instituted, our naval force did
not have an available vessel for hun
drcd miles of coast. Nothing is more
difficult than to provide the means of
naval warfare. Ships have to be
built, and merchantmen transformed
into offensive elements of war. In
doing this, Secretary WclIes has met
great difficulties, and achieved great
results. lie has enlarged and strength
encd the navy, and in a short time
he will drive the pirates of the
Southern Confcdcracy from the waters
Of the globe.
We have but word more
to say. The President of the United
States is an honest man. In all the
dcnunciation and ribaldry heaped up
on him, not even his bitterest foe has
whispered word against his integri-
ty. Over the war and navy depart
ments he exercises that supervision
which it is his duty to maintain and
the fact that the President sustains
Mr.. Cameron and Mr.. Wclles is the
best evidence OF the manner in which
they have executed their great trust
Ii there has been corruption, let it be
proved. Every opportunity is open.
Mr.. Van Wyck's investigating COM
mittee is in daily and permanent scs-
sion, and is easily and always access
sible. If a good citizen knows Of
any wrong, or a eonniyance at wrong,
let him publish the fact, or ever after
hold his peace. The Secretaries are
always ready for investigation, and
those who know the President know
that he would not hesitate to imlnedi-
atcly remove any public servant