The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-11-25

bear in mind that the officer at.
tackled sis an agent of the Govern.
ment, responsible for his acts both tc
the civil and military authorities ant
that, notwithstanding the terrible out
cry against him, he still has the conf
| dence of the War Department. We
have reason tosuppose that the Chronicl,
knows all this; but how is il with Col
Halpine? He, too, we take it, enjoy.
The confidence of Mr.. Stanton. Certain.
ly no man in the nation deserves tc
enjoy that confidence better AT time
when the conduct of men about him had
well nigh injured the nation, and the
great Secretary of War too, Colonel Hal
pine stepped in, and rendered no mean
service. He has done more to rescue
Mr.. Stanton from "his friends" than
the substance of the whole tribe of
the infOrmers, spies and pimps. That is
conceded--is it? Very well. Why
then, should not such a man protest, if
| he believes that the charges which he
prefers against the detective are true,
without being subjected to the wordy
reproof of the Chronicle, and without
the liability of being told that "there is
not plunderer, in or out of Office who
loes not say of General Baker just what
Colonel Halpine says of him. This is
no way to defend an honest man. Nor
do we like it in a journal, which is sup
10 be told that such exposures as Colonel
Halpine makes, are ATTACKS" upon
Secretary Stanton. From the little we
know of him, we imagine him to be
man not easily disturbed by attacks
in the papers. We know nothing our
selves, for or against General Baker, be-
You'd what the papers and the people say
of him; and they are very bitter upon
him. Lest our cotemporary should turn
UPON us, for this, and say, that our in
formants are dishonest bounty
brokers" aud terminals whose deeds
have been detected we will state here
and now, that we are not acquainted
with any such parties, and therefore, of
course, the Chronicle will not, as it pro
badly would If we had not closed
the door against it in this way--indulge
i'll such fling. We part FROM this part
of the discussion with the asser-
ton again, that we know nothing Of
the merits of the heavy assaults on.
Detective Baker. From the nature OF
his office, he is liable TO be abused and
misrepresentcd. and that very generally.
But we concur with what Colonel Hal
pine says about the bestowal of the
military badge upon spies, informers,
pimps and detectives, and we only give
voice to the feeling which we know to
exist among officers of the army when
we characterize that mistake of the de
partmenta very sore offence To the army
rhc eagles and stars were, we presume,
bestowed upon the detectives in order
that those persons might enjoy the
enloluments which those badges carry
with them, and not, as the editor of the
Ctr0nicie-who is only militia and
speech making Colonel as
a mark to distinguish high policeman.
The Citizen puts the matter right. The
Chronicle, having no sensibilities in re-
gard to the abuse of the shoulder straps,
puts it all wrong. That little badge on
the shoulder of gentleman signifies a
good deal, and it should not be suffered to
decorate persons whose business it is to
hunt up bounty-brokers, deserters, muir
lerers and thieves. Give them money
or their services not gold-lace or glory.
Let us-and still in the best possible
,emper-correct another mistake of the
Chronicle, In the hasty and character
site style of that impulsive defender of |
Is friends, it tells us that no officer in
he army has done more than General |
Baker to maintain the honor and purity |
If the seryice.o That is not true, b. c..