Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-04-19
ADMIRAL DUPONT.

1t Is n most fortunate circumstance for
Admiral DUroNT that, during period of
nearly lhy years. spent in the service of his
country, not syllable OF censure or reproach
has ever fallen upon him from the lips of the
Goyernment. else the feeble attempts of the
present Secretary of the Navy to blacken
his Tame might be productive Of harm to the
Admiral. AS it is, however, the assaults
OF MIR. Welles fall harmless before
the public, while they serve no other pur-
pose than to annoy the subject of their
maleyolence, and show up the stupidity of
their author. ln an exceedingly one-sided
report recently sent into Congress by Mr..
Secretary Welles. all manner of hard things
and ungenilemanly yslurs--unworthy the head
Of the Navy Department Of a great nation
are hurled against the Admiral, all evidently
lending to lessen his great fame # not his
usefulness ms successful officer. But the
people of the country have faith yet in the
integrity and skill of the hero Of Port Royal,
and will be found more disposed to trust his
Judgment and experience in naval matters
than the laundering stupidity of au OBJ
scure citizen of Connecticut who. until
brought upon the public stage by the Presi-
dent, was entirely unknown as public man !;
and who, even now, after nearly four years
Of active service in the Office he holds, is
more celebrated for what he does not know
of its routine duties than for anything great
be has as yet accomplished, unless indeed it
be the mysterious manner in which he
has welded himself to the iron interest and
monitor contracts.
The Secretary complains that Admiral
DuPoNT failed 10 accomplish oil that had
been expected of him in the reduction of
Charleston. But he entirely overlooks the
fact that, although Admiral DuPoNT did
abandon the contest as hopeless after short
trial of few hours with worthless vessels
his uccessor-Admiral Dahlgren, accom-
plshed no more, if so much, during the eight
or nine months he had command at Charles
ton. The truth is, the keen, sharp, sound
sense and judgment of DUPONT, in discover
ing at glance the vulnerability Of his ships
when in action, was too much for Mr..
Welles, and to hide his shame and confu-
sion, the laundering Secretary at once set
about accusing the Admiral with want Of
efficiency and so on, until he at last sue
ceeded in taking from active service this
valuable officer. 1t seems to us that it would
comport more with the dignity and honor of
the Government TO protect the fame Of its
fighting Heroes-eyen under slight Difficult
ties and disadvantages to be charging
them at every turn with want Of zeal, incom-
potency and other foolish causes in the face
Of the enemy and the world. A commander
like DpPONT whose name stands upon the
pages Of American history in series oil
achievements remarkable for their brilliancy
and success throughout long and noble
career of active service, certainly deserves
more ut the hands of his government, in the
later years of his public career, than slurs
insolence and unmerited reproach and es-
pecially should his integrity and patriotism
be shielded from the mean assaults of an OBJ.
scure old man temporarily raised to position
and authority.
''Who never set squadron in the field,
"Nor the division Of battle knows,
More than a spinster."
In the absence of fuller dispatches, which
are as yet suppressed by the Secretary of tn,
Navy we give elsewhere to-day, Admira
DuPOSTs letter 10 the Department iu vindi
cation Of himself.