Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-09-20
WEDNESDAY MORNING, SEPT. Is, 1861
General L. 4. Walker. late secretary or

SJGClE L v W u
and official intercourse Of several months
We believe that the writer does no more than
Justice to the subject Of his sketch.
We would suggest, however, that the friends
Of General Walker evince too much sensitive
ness to what they deem the assaults Of the
press upon him. In our opinion, the General
ought to congratulate himself upon having 81
nearly escaped altogether the animadverslons Of
the newspapers Of the Confederacy. Under the
old government, any member Of the Cabinet
had reason to thank his stars if his name was
excluded, for any length of time, from the
rocues' list made out by writers for the news
papers at Washington and elsewhere. VIII
liam f. Crawford was charged with the rank
est corruption in the management Of the Land
Offices of the West, and with other villainies'
General Jackson, Gen. Cass, Levi Woodbury.
and, indeed, all the prominent government oti
Gals in 1886, were charged with corrupt spec
~ulations in Western lands.
Jefferson Davis himself was charged with
favoritism to his partizlns, yindlctiveness 10
his political opponents, and other acts and
things neither proper nor becoming in a Cabi'
net officer.
Secretary Floyd was accused Of selling pub
lie property for his private benefit, and with
other acts equally discreditabie. Indeed al
most every man who rendered any great SER
vice to his country, under the old government
was charged with some disgFacefal ACT,
Nov.in view of these historical facts, ought
not General Walker to be we'll satisfied with
| The treatment he has received al The hands oil
the press Of his country? Things have been
said about him not very complimentary, 1t is
true but we have seen no attack which, in the
language CT Junius, ought even to discom'
pose the gravity Of his muscles" while reading
it. Even his strongest danouneers have
given him credit f,r good intentions and for a
high order of talents. They only expressed
the opinion that he could eSort his talents
more ~usefully and more successfully in some
other department than that over which he pre-.
sided, How different is this from being ar
raicncd On charges Of corrupt faeoritism,
lraua and theft! Will not friend Walker
admit that he is q fortunate Cabinet officer!
For the Enquirer.
Hon. L. Pope walker, of Alabama, late
Secretary Of War.
MEssRs EDITORS We'll, IF. Ms" wish is
crati6ed at last. JEFF. Davis man Walker"
IS out OF Office or, in other words, with moro
of Justice, yet nothing Of unmerited praise, the
high minded and chivalrUus L. Pope Walker,
the courteous, able and laburious Secretary Of
War, has resigned the position which lie has
filled, from tho beginning oi the present Gov
orpncnt with so much dignity and so much
ability. \ better. trucr man never bore the
burdens or honofeI the responsibilities Of Of.
fee and he can carry with him, into his new
Geld of service, the consciousness, that, in the
midst of difficulties and discoaragemcEts un.
pyecedonted, under cares almost overwhelming,
in the face, too, more lately, of much unworthy
clanora and dctractiUn-ne mas done his duty to
his country, and wronccd no man knowingly in
the discharge Of his Office. In Il position which
might have offered Irresistible temptations to
any one less free from selfish motives, his in.
tegrity has received no stain, not even Of sus-
picion, and he ca:ries out Of Office, us he
brought into it, an honor untarnishcd and un.
Improbable. In spite of nil that opposition, or
disatfection. or the unworthy clamnr Of diSup.
pointed ofice.seekcrs, or their friends, have
sand or suggested in his d~isparagement, he has
not resigned from any sense Of public dissatis-
faction, or froiu any lack OF confidence in his
ability TO vindicate his character or his
policy, in the continued discharge Of his Office.
Gen. Walker is man vino can afford 20 look
down upon detractioG, because his own nature
is so far above it; but he has been compelled,
at last to yield TO the necessity Of failing health
and to seek rest from laboEs that might well
have overtasked a much stronger man, if sns
tanned by n less determined will, or e less de-
voted patriotism.
1t is said that no will soon enter thu field of
war as a Brigadicr. General, while, on the
other hand, Senatorial hODors are said to await
only his acceptance in Alabama; but into
whatever new field Of action he may be called,
he will carry with him the respect CT all who
know him, and the confidence and appreciation
of the great body Of his fellow citizens.
No man ever devoted himself With moro
perfect unsel6shneSs to the duties of his office
than has the late Secretary of War. The present
attitude Of the Confederate States, and Of our
armies in the field, victorious and defiant in
the face Of an enemy. who possessed every
advantage, is the best commentary upon his
energy, patriotism aud ability Us Secretary OF
War. If he has not been able to create an
army, at a Y word, out Of thin air, and 10 organ
ize by magic all its complicated departments
if he has not been able to avoid or 10 remove
scery cause of complaint, amid endorsements
so numerous and so newt he has not been
able to crafty every a~spirant, or to meet the
wishes Of every man who has thought himself
entitled TO be heard-it is simply because such
a task would have been superhutnan and i'm.
possible. But he has discharged the duties of
his great office with fidelity, ability, impartial.
ity and zeal and this, when the iuils Of his
policy are developed, tie whole country will
testify. lie has had to encounter the first diff
~iculties and embarraSSmentS CT 4 sudden and
unprepared war in an untricd and unorganized
ofice. Another will comc in 10 profit by his
labors, and 70 reap, perhaps, tho harvest OF
success and praise which he has prepared under
so much dlscouragement; but when the true
history of this war shall have been written, then
the country will award his merited place Of
honor to l.. Pope Walker, of Alabama, the
frs. Secretary Of War Of the Confederate
States. We trust that his successor may add
to greater power Of physical endurance an in.
tellect equally clear, a zeal equally infringing,
and q patriotism equally unselEish and devoted.
4 FIRG1NrAN.
Our Cause in M~aryIand-the People AL
Right.
One of the most intelligent, reliable and pa