Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-08
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.

1t has lo2g been a matter of surprise to US that
many among the organs of the Republican press,
which arc most vehement in intoxicating on others
the duty of Sustaining the Administration" in
the present crisis, on the theory that the Admin
istration for the time being is the Government,
should be so quick to grant themselves dispensa
tion from this duty the instant they feel disposed
to indulge in murmurs and complaints against any
Department of the Government. And no Depart
ment has been called to suffer more injustice from
this species of petulance than that which even in
the estimation of candid political opponents has
been among the most deserving We allude to
the Navy Department. A correspondent Of the
Boston Daily Advertiser, who has spent the best
part of his life at in the naval service calls
the attention of that journal to the dsparagng
and carping tone in which several Of the leading
Republican papers habitually indulge when they
speak of the Navy Department He says:
Commencing at ST. LOUIS with the leading Republican
paper you will find ant aud persistent attacks upon
Mr. Weles tor extavagance IN building ships and macbin
cry. and guns-aiming especially at the Mississippi squad
onhe whole cost of which has been less than the bounty
psd to the veterans 10 Arkansas foreensbg and the
services of this squadron under F,ots and Davis and
Porter, at Fort Henry at Donelson at Memphis at Ar
kansas Post at Vicksburg at Grand Gulf at Stoh-oh
nothing
Travelling East to the Cincinnati Gazette an
earnest Republican paper loyal to it's party and the
Try dnd Inc secretary of the treasury that Alter
the immortal Contest between the United States steamer
Kearsarge, of Rip Van Wrinkles tubs, and Queen
victorias armed steamer Alabama and yacht Deerhpund
this paper gave US criticism upon ordnance, rdiculng
the large of the United States navy and calling upon
old Mr.. Wees' not TO make any more such guns which
alnhlaed seosnteen knot steamer 10 sixty minutes
After referring at leHgth to the criticisms of the
New York Tribune on the Hsteam machinery" !"
the " monitors" and the "great guns" of the
Navy Department under its present adminisra-
tion, and after replying to the injurious allegations
OF that journal under each of these heads the
writer proceeds as follows:
"Neher the Navy Depa, tine mt nor Mr. Welles will be
judged by the attacks of there papers, based they
upon allegations manufactured from mstatements known
to be such The people do their thinking and make
up their minds from results They will remember that
the coast OF The United States greater than all Europe
has been blockaded by six hundred vsssels from
ming of three in 1861 That the Western rivers which
have never before armed vessel, have
hundred That all the southern country, actually
possessed by flag, by the navy, except the
line held by Sherman That the expend ture of hui
life in all the naval battles has been less han
most gufcant attacks at Petersburg That all the
pendues of the Navy Department from 1860 to the end
Of this year less then oneha Of the bountes paid
soldiers for enstng That there ADDED to the naval
history OF ths country amongst hundred minor engage
ments Hatteras, Port Royal, Roanoke, Newben, Fort
Henry, Fort Donelson Arkansas Post Vicksbug Mobile
and New Orleans and at the Atlanta aud the Alabama
and the Tennessee. Well may agents abroad exca
that to the navy indebted for nonnterventon and
respect This the to the inuscs of hsse prints
all Of which have great influence in the community
will refuse justice to faithful honest and efficient admin
stration Of the Navy Department"
1t is not the least amosg the merits of the ad-
ministration of the Navy Department under Scc-
retary Welles that, in day when the possession of
power is to render certain others capricious,
arbitrary, and regardless of law, he confines him
self strictly within the letter and spirit of the
IL L. Al. n II -. 4
neither overriding them for the purpose of punish
iDg, in way unknown to the laws, men who have
made themselves amenable to legal process, nor
blinking them by allowing wroDg-doers to escape
the full measure of the penalties they have justly
incurred