, 1862-05-14
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NIB. CAMER0N'S DEFENCE.
He ViNDIcATEs HIS cDRnucT AS
SECRETARY OF WAR,
Stands Up to the Conaaband
Doctrine. ..
The Relgian Muskets---Ar1ns
Contracts Horse Trades
---9 transportation
Accounts.
FINAL SLAP At 1.-THE COM~
MITTEE.."

FINAL SLAP Ar 1.-THE CON-
M1TTEE."
Before hiE departure for Europe, to enter
npon his new duties, Mr. Cameron accepted
banquet ut Harrisburg, Pa., and made the only
formal defence Of himself aa Secretary Of War
that las Jet appeared. The Mayor presided,
and gaze the following toast:
e1AoS C4HERoS-A Pennsylvania who has
never forgotten his native State--an American
who has always been faithful to his country and
his conntEymen. His fellow citizens delight to
homer him.
The enthusiastic applause with which this
sentiment WAS greeted having somewhat snb-
sided, Gen. Cameron addressed the company,
and having spoken Of his early life in Harris
burg, lie proceeded to the greater question Of
his public life. He said:
responding to the sentimeu. our worthy
Mayor, my Intention, gentlemen, was simply
bors, without referring to ny control Of the
War Department, over which had the honor
to preside, but in view Of the ci1lFge recently
nlade against me because OF my exercise Of
the delegated power with which Was intrust-
cd, it may be proper ioz nc to SAT, to you
last yrlr in Mr. Lincoin's Cabinet against my
own Judgment, without consulting my
taste for the position, and, I may say,
a.aarst my OWE determination. l reslgued
tbat Post, when I thought my mission was
cndtd 10 organizing, eqllippipg, and supplying,
er amy than had erer been raised in the same
space Of time Ut any period Of human history.
When I did accept the place It was with the
peril Ct unCe stan -i1g between Mr. Lincoln and
myself that whenever I thought proper
to resign should be privileged to do SO;
and when vacancy occurred II the appoint.
ment to Russia, he offered me the post and was
glad to accept it. Why, gent1enea, toiled
in that Department as no man ever tolled be-
fore: / have told you that in nv younger
Year, worked for twenty hours out of the
twcuty.four for successive months; but that
eyerloWeripg tell which I Iunderwantat at Wash.
iDgton. To say nothing Of the extraordinary
necessities Of the Department arising from IN
unfoa seen and threatening national emergeu-
cy, the doors OF my private dwelling were be-
sieged from daylight to the latest hours Of the
night; The Department was surrounded on all
hands and at all hours. Certain members of
Congress, who figure in the vote Of censure,
were ever besiegiDg my doors, and often pa
tientlY waiting for hours to catch part of the
drlppiDgs from the War Department.. Mean
while, managed the delielte and trying atTairs
Of my Situation rs well as knew how. OF
couree committed somc errors, but did not
commit the wrong with which I am charged
in the resolution Of Congress. so1emnly
assert that neither In motive nor deed can
I be justly charEcable with the commis-
sion Of any wrong in the administra-
lion Of those affalrs, and ! am proud to say
here, in reviewing my official conduct, that
came circumstances. Upon my appointment
to the position, I found the department desti-
tute Of all the means Of defence; Without
guns, and with little prospect OF purchasing
the nHaft:7tl OF war: found the nation with
out an army, and found scarcely man
whom l could put my trust. The AJjutant
General deserted. The Quartermaster Geuer-
al rtn of. The Commissarr General was up-
on bis death bed. More than half the clerks
neEt djsloya1. I remember that upon one oc-
cas;on Gc1I. Scott came to me, apparently in
spent the most miserable day Of my life; q
ttieDd of my boyhood has just told me am
disgracing myself by staying here and serving,
this fragment Of the Government, In place OF
going to Virginia aud serving under the ban
ner Of my native State; and I am paiaed to
death" But the old hero was patriotic, 10y.
al, and wise enough to say that his friend was
wrong; and he was right in remaining where
he was.
It should be remembered, also, that in these
days OF peril and alarm, an outcry went up
from all portions Of the loyal Ststes, urging
the Government to procure arms, equip
nue. mt5ntt, and. supplies, by any means.
usual routine Of contracts; to cut through
A red tape" and at the hazard Of encounter
Ing sperulators and peculasors, TO prepare it.
sell to meet the Immediate dangers. Great as
we're the eser1ions then made, they fell far
short Of the'dcMauds Of the people. The Ad.
nlnlstratlou was at that time censure1 for it's
caution in guarding itself against imposition,
becauEe such canton was considered as an
evidence Of delay.
butio proceed; You ~ remember, gentle
calling upon the people OF Pennsylvania {be-
cause tic demand was made upon you here, in
common with other Statee} for troops to de-
fcnd the National Capital. My son happening
to be in Washington, I sent him hitler with
the utmost dispatch, and asked him to appea!
to every man he met il. this town, and
through The country, to send down
in three days after the Issuing Of the
proclamation, $50 troops from PennayI.
xania ar1isrd in Washington. They we're the
first 10 inspire the Government With hope and
j courage to contend with the awful crisis then
| impending They came there without arms
and were furnished from the arsenal at that
/. place. Directly after this. within two OF
! three days, three or four regiments we're as
! Ecnlb1cd at Cockeysyllle, Maryland, by my
! order. At the same time number Of bridges
| on the Philade1rhia and Baltimore Railroad
| via, Wilmington, were burned or destroyed
| 1t was at this time TINT the mob in Baltimore
| murdertd our upaEmed soldiers In her streets
| en- their way to the defense Of the Capitol
! and the Baltimore aud OHIO Railroad refused
| to carry our troops. At that time, when tut
loyalty Of ncafly all Of the Inhabitants Wal
| doubted, MT. Seward, the Secretary Of State
! n nf1n 1y7f ho rf1F+ ha
| called upon me aud said, ave must have
somebody in New York to assist the publ,
| officers there in col1 citing aud forwardinf
| troops" asking me to nane any individual
| Wtom considered competentIfor that purpos
Ives scqualnted with but few people Ii
New York, but after moments reflection
| recollectcd MF. Cummings, with whom ta'
an intimacy when he was citizen In thi
State. The two gentlemen then informed m
that they had appointed Mr.. Cisco Of tn
Sub Treasury, Gen. Dix, now in the army
Mr. 9pdyke, the present Mayor Of the city .
Now York, and as I have sisted, requisite
nc to name come other gentleman. I sav
the name Of Mr. Cummings and associate
with 1t that Of GoG. Morgan Of the State {
Now fok. To chow how guarded I was
these appointments, will read the order tha
gave upon that occasion:
"DErARTNKs7 OF WAn, April g, 1851,
| Ez4GFRG1
ciea which demand immediate and dccisive moa.
ures for the preservation Of the National Govnr
mrnt, hezeb: authorize Edwin D. Morgan, Co
eTnor Of the State Of New York. to make all ncce
ta.y arrangements for the transpor1ion Of troo,
and munitions Of war In sid and assistance OF tt
Officers Of the hEmy Of the United Ssates, unit
Communication BY mail and telegraph l. complet
u rc.s Established between the cities OF Washingtt
and New York Either Of them. In case Of ina o'
IL to coDsult with the other. may exercise the
tno'''s 'ttee{ z {siMoa katsa CAMERON sec,v nj v.r
It viii be secn that did not 1ntrust thof
gentlemen with tho expenditure ofany none,
was careful to give them no authority to Al
eminent Sometime afterward, I receive
8 telegram signed by Mesars. Morgs
and Cummings, asking foE authority to dra
money, which referred, Ia the usual name
to the Treasury Department.. That is all h;
to do with the matter; aud at the end OF fou
teen days, communication having been resto
| ed. revoked their authority, as will be set
By the following note:
"WAn DEpARrxEST, Msy :, 1851
stQEHrLEMEN: Tho extraordinary snercsp
which demanded immediate and tectstyB msasur
! fer the preservation ul the National Capital g.
| the eefeurr Of the National Government, reuder
It necessary for this Department to adopt exit
confidence IN yorr Int ELL ,ence, experfenco and
teGr7ty, yon were authorized 10 snske all necessa
arrangements foe the II importation Of ttooI
of The United states, un1n the establishment
communication, by msi1s and telegraph, betwe
the cItisF Of New Yofk and Wa-hington.
Uninterrupted communicating between I
two cities b.ing nov again estahli.hed. andit
. ing desirable thai the duties heretofore attend
10 by you ehould be hereafter performed hy
cflce7s Of the army, TO whom they properly
long. begto tender ron the thanks Of this Ospa
!. ! mtnt for the ve1y prompt and efficient manner
| which you have discharged the duties asstgE