New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-09

emergency the doors of my private dwelling were
besieged from daylight to the latest hours Of the
and at all hours. Certain Members of Congress,
who figure in the vote Of censure, were ever besieg
ing my DOORS and often patiently waiting ,or hours
10 catch part Of the dnpplngs IRON the war De
pariment. Meanwhile, managed the delicate and
irving affairs Of my situation AZ wisely as knew
how OF conr.e committed some error; but did
not commit the wrong with which 1 am charged in
the resolution Of Congress. | soemnly assert that
neither in motive nor deed be Justly chargeabe lie
with the commission Of any wrong In tie admnistra-
tIOn OF those affairs and am proud 10 ray mere IN
reviewing nv official conduct, that see no act which
would not repeat under the same circumstances.
Upon nv appointment 10 the position, j found the
department deftiue OF all the means OF defense :
without guns and with little prospect Of purchasing
the mGt.r,i OF war; j found the nation without an
army, ard found scarcely man throughout inc
whole War Department in whom | could put my
trust. The Adintant- Gencral deserted. The Quar-
tcnnaeter-Genera ran of. TbeNomInifs ifsary General
WAS upon bis death bed More than hall the clerks
were disloval | remember that upon one occasion
Gen. Scott came 10 me, apparently ID great hehiai
tribuaton. Said be- " have spent The most nlfefh-
BE dsy of NV life: a friend Of my bOyhoOd las Just
told me am disQracine myself by staying here and
serving this fragment Of the Government, III place ol
going O virginia aud serving under the banner oi
my native state; and am pained TO ocath' "Ht
the old hero was patriotic loyal and wise enough TO
that blg friend was wrong anu hO "dS Aib"t al
remaining where he was.
II should be remembered also, that IN those days
Of peril and alarm an outcry went np from ail por-
tions of IN. loya States, urging the Government TO
procure arms equipments, and supplies, by any
means and at any cost disregard the usual routine
Of contracts: TO cut through red tape, aud ai The
hazard Of encountering spectators ana pecuialofs
10 prepare i,sef TO meet the immediate dangers.
Great az were The eXertions then made they eil lar
short Of the demands Of the people. Tie Admin,s-
traton was at tnat time censured for its caution IN
guarding itself against imposition, because snch eau
lion was considered AZ AN evidence OF delay.
But 10 proceed. You all remember, gentlemen
the day Of the Presidents proclamation ealing upon
The peoule of PENNSYLVANIA because the demand
WAS made upon you here, in common with other
Statesl FOR troops to defend the National Caillal
Ny 700 happening to be in Warrington, sent HIN
hiiher with the utmost dispatch, and asked him to
through the country, TO send down every roldier
who would come. Within three days after the is-
suing Of the proclamation, 4sO troops from Pennsy-
vania arrived in Washington. They were the first
10 inspire tie Government with hope and courage to
contend with the awful crlsls then impending. lhey
came there without arms, and were furnished
from the nrfenal al that place. Directly
after this, within two or three days,
three or four regiments were assemued at
Cockeysvllle, Maryland, by my order. At the
same Zine number OF bridges the Philadelphia
aud Baltimore Railroad. via Wilmington, Were
burned or destroyed IL wae at this time that the
mob in Baltimore murdered our unarned soldiers IN
her strees Oh their way to the delenee Of the Cap
ia and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad refused 10
carry cur troops At that time when the loyalty Of
nearly all the inhabitants was doubted Mr.. Seward
the Secretary OF State, in company with tho becre.
tary Of tho Treasury, called upon me and said, "Wo