The national Republican., 1861-09-14
INTERESTING LETTER OF sEoRE-
TARY wELLEo.

lNTEREDTIN0 LETTER OF Score.
TARY wELLEs.
| Upon the recent visit of Secretary welles TO
bis home 10 Connecticut, the people OF Hart
ford invited him to public dinner, as testi-
monial Of their confidence In his integrity and |
ADMINISTRATION 10 the affairs Of the Navy De |
partment The Secretary declined the honor. |
but sent them q modest and charaeteristic |
letter, from which we make an extract, a. be- |
low. In the letter Of Invitation This sentence |
occurs:
"By your untiriog, unostentatious labors, the |
navy has been renovated its material and per. |
souai strength wonderfully increased, unworthy |
officers superseded by true patriots. and large !
additions have been made by judicious pur- |
chases Of ships, without yielding to corrupt
influences Of dishonest speculators. Under
your wise and Efficient guidance, our gallant
navy, Its countrys pride and glory, promises
to keep its laurels ever green; and the =. cent
so conspicuous . part, Is an earnest Of what
we may expect In the future"
10 reply, Mr.. Welles says: =!
These are eyentful times and the Admins.
tratien has had great responsibilities a. we'll as
arduous duties to discharge, In meeting and
| suppressing the most extraordinary cons icy
| that ever beiel nation. That 1t will be Ter.
come, have never for q moment doubted and
It has given me pride and pleasure to witnss
with what patriotic devotion you poured forth
your golden and living treasures TO sustain the
Government and the country. Ip this great
conflict, which test the stability o. q strength Of
the Goye-x ..ss.t the navy must necsssariy
peri, I'm no unimportant part, and yet Tom the
former wars Of different character, be less
demonstrstive than may perhaps be expected
The insurgents have no commerce to enrich
our sailOrs-no navy from which laurels can
be won. Our ships are employed In the barren
and thankless duty Of seDtinels to guard our
3 ports and even coastwise demonstrations like
the late succe ssful one at Hatteras, 10 order 10
q be thoroughly effective, require the co opera
ton of the army. If our sailors capture bat.
a teries, there must be soldiers to garrison them.
r almost all our naval operations In this
g contest must be contingent upon others, yet for
/. any delay or failure the Navy Is held retponsi-
blc If vessel eecspes the vigilance that is
intended to be ceaseless, ceneure falls on the
navy, and the Department that regulates its
J, movements. 1t does not become me to say
) what has been done or is doing to enlarge and
q inyigorate the Navy by that Department. II
n has not purchased all the vessels that have
been presented, for abundant reasons aud yet
81 Il has been blamed for the omission. II hat
l. spared no effort to secure such vessels would
N be o. rviceable, and yet does not escape cen
" sure for purchases made with an exclusive eyt
= to public interest and welfare. The movement,
~ Of our squadron have not been announced BY
telegraphic communication through the press
g and the consequence has been, that many Swht
r. knew nothing that was doing declared the De
te partment was doing nothing. ! complain no
=, of these censures, but am gratifed that you
e my neighbors and fellow citizens, who BET
10 know me, understand and appreciate the tru'
condition Of affairs.'
ar This modest and delicate defence Of the Sec
sn retary Of the Navy, by himself, is very pro
10 er rebuke to those who have been complain
ing of his ineficiency. No man in any of th
y Departments here, has worked harder, an
~ with more efficiency, than the Secretary Of th
= Navy. II should be remembered, that whe
he assumed the duties of bis office, our navy
such as 1t was, was scattered over distant sea,
"a and that II required months to bring ther
II home, and some of our best war vessels hav
a not yet arrived. The same plotters Of treason
a who caused the removal Of Government arml
d and distributed them throughout the Souti
u also operated upon the navy, and hoped, b
n, scattering 1t over the world, not only to gal
re time, but impunity for their intended PIRATES
operations. Instead, therefore, Of complaining
the Secretary Of the Navy, should receive Il
unanimous thanks of the whole country, Il
rs the energy and fidelity with which he has pc
're formed bis high trust.
uORr .RREsTs I'M RAlTTM0RR-