Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-03-08
THE HEAD OF THE ARMY.

THE HEAD OF THE ARMY.
\ day or two ago our eyes CHANGED to
meet few lines in New York literary
paper, Jour modesty forbids naming the
sheet) giving the ages of President Lin
coin and the members of his Csomet'
Mr.. Lincoln was put down as Of; sere'a-
~ Seward, 63 Mr.. Chase, % Attorney
General Bates, 80; Postmaster General
Blair. 81 and the Secretary of the Navy,
Mr.. Welles. III. The latter estimate was,
Of course, intended as Joke" Tor the
evidence of desire, on the part OF the
" scribbler" TO ridicule the venerable, we
will ADM, that much and also one of the
ablest and most Industrious members Of
Mr.. Lincom's Cabinet.) The fact of the
matter is that Mr.. Welles minds his own
business-a commenGable qualification
which few observe He writes no long
ministerial letters, full of conceited eS
pressions, (sent throughout the country
with one eye on the Presidency which Is
moro than the friends of the other mem
bers of the Cabinet can say. He holds no
grand levees. where beauty and fashion,
pomp and ignorance, foreign stupidity
with domestic servihty can pass the
nightly hours, and where full many
glass of sparkling wine is drank TO the
honored host" And lastly, he has no
political sycophants as hangers-on, ready
TO do the dirty work." which IS also
more than the particular admirers of other
members of the Cabinet can say of them.
We scarcely need to repeat the well
known fact Of the depleted condition of
the navy at the time Mr.. Welles took
charge OF his Department, and the trea-
sonable work of his predecessor under the
Buchanan reign. These are well known
facts. From a few vessels scattered over
the whole world, an immense armada
guarding long-extended sea coast, doing
good duty on almost every body of water
has been built and armed in three years
chiefly through the able management of
the Secretary of the Navy. True, he has
had able advisers, and tried patriots to
assist in making ourselves masters of the
seas, and the hearty cooperation of lib
eral people to build up an extensive navy.
But what does it all signify: That the
President, and through him the people,
appreciate the foresightedness of this off,
Ger, and are satisfied with his past actions
and triumphs. The miserable demagogue
or the mere politician, may for season
delude the people-but the actions, the
noble designs and work of the statesman,
or the man of understanding, are soon
seen and appreciated by every class of the
community. Secretary Welles, at the
outset, received as much Of misrepresenta-
non as any officer, perhaps, under Gov
eminent; as did also Mr.. Chase for a
while. But these men have their glorious
deeds to hold up to the truly admiring
present and future, and we admit the fact
that we feel dazzled in the midst of such
wondrous achievements. No mean syco-
plant can injure the fair fame of Gideon
Welles, or correctly ridicule his venerable
age or appearance. We hope and expect
TO see the American people continue in
power the present Administration, and We
also feel confident that President Lincoln
will have enough of foresight, At least to
re-appoint to his Cabinet Coun"ils such
able and faithful public servants as Sec
rotary Welles.