The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-18

reached the Secretaries direct, without passing
under his inspection, or through his hands,
and there were, as he we'll knows, departments
of the Government which never made him
their confdant. l do not question that he
was as active, as busy, as officious, and as in
trusive as he describes but he was of vastly
less consequence than his imagination led him
to suppose. In the matter of the autobiogra-
ply, due allowance must be made for one
who is the hero of his own story, and mind
never endowed with a very scrupulous regard
for facts in a partisan practice of half a
century of fierce and reckless party warfare.
/ had not, as already stated, during the
eventful years of the was, the leisure to cor
rect the errors and misrepresentation which
were made by unscrupulous partisans, some
of which have been, in ignorance of the facts,
incorporated into what purport to be the his
tories of those times
This occasion is not inappropriate to bring
out the facts in relation to the condition and
capture of the navy yard at Norfolk, the po-
licy of the Government, the course which
the administration pursued, and the attend
ing circumstances, all of which have been
much misrepresented and only imperfectly
understood.
At the time of Mr.. Lincolns Inauguration,
and for several weeks thereafter, he and
others INDUCED the hope of peaceful solu-
ton of the pending questions and desire,
amounting almost to belief, that Virginia
and the other border States might, by for
bearance and calm and conciliatory
policy, continue faithful to the
Union. Two-thirds of the Convention
then in session in Richmond were
elected as opponents of secession, and the
people of that State were in about that pro-
portion opposed to it. But the Union ele-
ment, in the Convention and out of it, was
passive and acquiescent, while the secession
lists were positive, aggressive, and violent;
and, as is almost always the case in revolu-
tionary times, the aggressive force continu-
ally increased in strength and exactions at the
expense of those who were peacefully inclined.
1t twas charged that the new administration was
inimical to the South was hostile to South
ern institutions, and would use its power to
deprive the people and States of their rights
by eoercive measures. In order to counter
act these unfounded prejudices, and to do
away with these misrepresentation which
were embarrassing to the administra-
ton just launched upon a turbulent
sea, and to conciliate and satisfy the people
of Virginia and the convention then in ses-
sion, the President desired that there should
be no step taken which would give offense;
and, to prevent any cause of irritation, he
desired that not even the ordinary local politi-
cal changes, which are usual on a change of
administration, should be made. In regard
to the navy yard at Norfolk he was particu-
larly solicitous that there should be no action
taken which would indicate want of conf
dence in the authorities and people, or which
would be likely to beget distrust. No ships
were to be withdrawn, no Notifications
erected. We had reports from that station
| and from others that there were ardent seces-
sionists among the civil and naval officers,
and assurances, on the other hand, that most
of them were patriotic and supporters of the
| Union. 1t was difficult, there and elsewhere,
to distinguish between the true and the disaf-
fected officers of the service. Some had
already sent in their designations; others,
it was understood, proposed to do so if any
conflict took place between the State
and Federal Governments; and there were
many who occupied an equivocal and doubt
full position. Among those who hesitated to
avow themselves on either side, and were un.
determined how to act, were officers who
subsequently took firm stand and rendered
gallant service in the war which followed.
Commodore MoCauley, who was in com.
mand of the Norfolk yard, 1 had personally
known in former years, and esteemed as q
worthy and estimable officer. His reputation
as a Union man in 1861 was good, and all my
inquiries in relation to him were satisfacto-
rily answered. His patriotism and fidelity
were beyond doubt; but events proved that
|
in that emergency.
folk in special trust on the 18th of April, with
orders to take command of and bring out the
Merrimac, but who was prevented by Com
modore McCauley, wrote me the succeeding
November, six months after the abandon.
ment of the navy-yard, in regard to Commo
dore McCauley:-
81 believe indeed know, that the old hero who
| hngf
but the best and pures motives in all he did but he
was surrounded by masked traitors whom he did moi
suspect, and in whose advice he thought there was
safety. The cry, too. was raised and in everybodys
pouth, officers and all, If they move that ship, the
Merrmac. 1t will bring on collision with the people
outside, who are all ready II anything of the kind
| done, to take the yard Besides, Commodore
Paulding whom | accompanied TO Norfolk. ex
pressed the idea that If we could not do anything
| better, she dhe Merrimac), with her guns OF
board, would make good battery for the defens,
| McCauley not little"
If Commodore McCauley had not the &C
tivity and energy which were essential to q
revolutionary period, he was an old anC
trusted officer, who had not served out one
third of his term as commandant of the sta
ton. To remove him would have necessi
tated extensive changes, involving an entire
reorganization of the government of the
yard, and consequently departure from the
Presidents policy of permitting things tC
continue undisturbed in Virginia. Whatever
negotiations, complications or correspon
dence were going forward at that period tC
insure harmony and peace, though connected
more or less with the occurrences here re
lated, need not be now detailed. 1t is suffi
cient to say that no military force was or
dered to Norfolk; no Notifications wer,
erected for the defense of the navy yard;
passive course was enjoined upon the Nav,
Department, and the military also, in relation
to that station. A large amount of propert,