Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-10-25

Had one Of these vessels been, on the lst
April, ordered to Pickens, Mr.. Weles might
have said that she had been detached from the
Sumter expedition. but as the Powhatan was,
on LIST April, ordered to Pickens, and he, on the
5th April, doubtless in ignorance of the fact
that he was contravening the secret orders OF
the commander in-chief, issued his own orders
to send her to Sumter, 1t appears that, in this
game Of cross purposes, it is Mr.. welles who
attempted to detaeh her from the Pickens ex-
petition to which she belonged, and to send her
to the Sumter expedition, to which the Presi-
dent had assigned three other vessels.
The Secretary Of the Navy, according to his
own statement, at midnight on the 9Th April,
after the Powhatan had sailed, called on the
President, who appears to have been surprised,
and confused between the names of the Poca-
hontas, ordered to Sumter, and the Powhatan,
which he had ordered to Pickens; and then and
there the Secretary OF the Navy " extracted"
from the President . verbal order detaching
the Powhatan from the Pickens expedition, but
too late. Mr.. Seward sent the telegram, as or
dered but, Mr.. Welles says, IL could not and did
not override the written orders signed by the
President, under which Porter acted; and thus
the Pickens expedition was not 4" robbed" of the
Powhatan.
The Secretary OF the Navy, who accuses the
Secretary of State of having "cuddled' with
the subordinates Of other departments, appears
then and there to have worried the President
until he extracted" from him the, until then,
carefully kept secret Of the expedition to Pick
ems; and he repeats the gross accusation that
the Secretary of State deceived the President,
and intrigued, "contrived" to defeat the Sum-
ter expedition.
Yet he does not assert, and cannot believe,
that the presence or absence Of the Powhatan
of Charleston on the 18th Of April could have
had any important effect upon the course Of
events.
The truth is, probably, that the real objects
and hopes of the President in both ex-
petitions were attained. The Pickens ex-
petition sailed in secresy, and saved to
the United States the control OF the entrance
to the finest Southern poxt and naval station;
saved the cost OF a large blockading squadron
for years. The Sumter expedition, which the
President and the Cabinet had been advised by
the highest military and naval authorities, as
shown by Mr.. Welles, to be impracticable, de-
monstrated and published to the world the re.
solve Of the President to do all in his power to
retain Fort Sumter. The correctness of the
opinion of the advisers of the President, was
shown by the result.
|; Of the order and postscript thereto, re-
|
to the command Of the Pensacola squadron, and
Of Captain Barron to relieve him in the Navy
Department., have no distinct recollection. 1
think that the question OF releasing the Pensa-
cola squadron from its unfortunate entaugle-
ments by sending to 1t q new commander, was
discussed, and that Captain Stringham's name
was mentioned, but do not recollect the orders
printed in the GALAXY. OF details within the
Navy Department such - are referred to in the
postscript in regard to Captain Barron had no
knowledge, and upon them could not have
given advice. With Captain Barron, however,
the Secretary OF the Navy was then, as he states,
in pleasant personal relations, and he gives him
credit for capacity. His subsequent history
shows that he was-not fit for any trust by the
United States, but this was not then known, and
it is not necessary to believe with Mr.. wellss.
that he was to be foisted upon him with any
reasonable object by whoever did advise or pre-
pare the postscript which 90 much disturbed
him.
think hare shown that q perfectly loyal
and patriotic motive and action on the part of
Mr.. Seward is consistent with all the docu.
ments cited by Mr.. Welles. The letter of Judge
Campbell was published when written. NJ
Seward did not think it necessary to reply to
accusations Of having, as Secretary of State,
disappointed the fond hopes Of rebels, and it is
only the high position of his present accuser
that now compels notice Of bis extraordinary
article. #a
MIR. Seward held the confidence Of Mr. Lin
coin as long az the assassin spared them. He
sat at the council board with the author OF the
GALAXY article for nearly four years after Mr.
LincOln's murder, and now absent at the anti
podes, lhe can rely upon his countrymen to
cherish in their h6afts the reputation of his
great services. The young men Of As to whom
the President resorted for aid in those trying
times, have no reason to doubt that they gave
satisfaction to their commander in-chief, or to
believe that when ordered to communicate his
orders to no person whatsoever, they were right
in keeping them sacred, even from members OF
his cabinet. NJ. &. MEIGs
Washington, Oct. 9th, 1870.
REMARKABLE RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT IN
SCoTLAND.-The Free Church OF Scotland
Monthly Record says that in Scotland there is a
growing tendency among the young people to
leave the Presbyterian for the Episcopal