The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-10-20
Ihe 1aiig Arens.
lGeucmded from second page


of Stewards as follows
''On the evening of the lst of April Mr.,
Nicolay. the private secretary of the Presi- |
dent, brought me package containing pa
pers. instructions, and executive orders of
a most extraordinary character One of
them ordered me to detach Commodore
Stringham, a patriotic officer who was on
special duty in the navy department, where
he was employed in confidential trusts, and
send him to Pensacola. Commodore Pen
dergrast, who had Just arrived at Hampton
Reads from the West Indies with the
Cumberland, was ordered to repair forth
with to Vera Cruz on account of alleged
complications. On the Cumberland and
the Powhatan the navy department was
RELYING to cooperate with the military, for
the protection of the navy yard at Nor
folk in case of difficulty. All these orders
relating to the navy were issued by the
secretary OF state without consultation
with the secretary of the navy or any cab
met consultation whatever. But the most
| extraordinary and irregular if not illegal
order in that remarkable package directed
a reorganization of the navy department,
and the establishment of a new bureau, in
which was commanded to place in the
most confidential relations, where he should
have knowledge OF all the important trans
actions of the navy department, Samuel
Barron. a finished courtier and shrewd Sc
cessionist. On looking over these docu-
menus it was evident to me that the presi-
dent had been the victim of misplaced con-
l fdence and was sadly imposed upon, OF
that he was as unfit for the Office OF CHIEF
executive as is represented in the Memoir
: ial Address | lost not a momentum wait
ing upon him, and reading to him these ex
/ traordinary papers He promptly anC
emplatically disavowed them said he haC
hurriedly and without examination signet
| large number of papers which had beef
brought to him by Secretary Seward for ;
: very different purpose, and which he ha'
supposed were merely formal that he wa
| not aware of their contents had trustee
entirely to MIR. Seward and whom eonl
he trust if not the secretary OF state
/ He requested me to return him the order
or treat them as utilities. The result wa
- no new bureau was organized without law
! Barron was not taken into the confldenc
: of the navy department, but soon deserte
d and was the first naval officer captured
the rebel service Stringham never wei
= to Pensacola nor Pendergrast again to Nei
} Cruz, nor was there any complication th'
us required it.
oT Among the other eases of either treacI
- q cry or bad Judgment charged upon Sewal
n. by Mr.. Welles is that of the case OF tt
\ mails of the Peterhoff, British steam
captured by our navy as blockade rum
i'll and brought into New York to be adjut
- Gated upon by prize court. Some til
g previous, Mr.. Seward had written nc
to the Secretary of the Navy requestl
s S him not to detain the British mails on ca
Mt tured vessels. The thing requested "
contrary to law and it was an impertIneI
for the Secretary of State to make the
!, quest without consulting the Preside
: even if the thing had been legal. \
Welles therefore simply disregarded
When the Peterhof was brought i
= port, Lord Lyons requested the surren
of the British mail found on board. 5
ard Immediately called on Welles insist
on compliance In the strongest mani
. Welles firmly refused. Seward said
the Government was in a very embar
IS ing position, because he had communics
his letter to Welles to the British Minis
lin who interpreted it as a promise and I'M
ID TO ad nm it's fulfilment and ii the mails OF
/ the W ''- -
E re- Peterhoff were not surrendered we c.
ssses not escape war with England, Sew
noes, noes, went to the President, and, after II
alton entreatv nreyailed on him to order
Grad surrender of the unopened mail bags
gives y the only means of preserving peace.
IL o,s a. few days afterwards. Mr.. Sumner
9 and Lord Lyons and expressed to him his
lroat, greet that he had made demand on
idney Government which it could not yield V
acne out national dishonor. We quote the "
Prov of Mr.. Welles;
Lord Lyons disdroteed euer h0
. made demand said he was careful
guarded in all his transactions with
Seward, and made it point to reduc
cry question with him to writing. H'
thorized Mr.. Sumner to examine his
III correspondence with the State DE
Il n ment said he had Of course been gra
kASs NTH the g0tuHtdry remuneration by
.Seaoard of the right to search the mats
when, contrary to the promise tenders
the Secretary of the State, the mails
carried into court he had called Mr..
ards attention to his own letter OF thu
of October to the Secretary OF the
abandoning the right, bat he had ca
nothing, made no demand, and neret!
ed him 10 do as he had promised.
70 st. When Mr. Sumner on the foil
day reported this interview with the
fish Minister, the President was tiilee
establishment, and said, in his emil
>, manner, Il shall have to cut this kn,
Tiers No wonder Mr. Lincoln was filled
at IRON astonishment" at the deceptive anc
A.ns creditable part Seward had played
ion, transaction. The Peterhoff some tin
forwards got into litigation in
court, when it clearly appeared tina
mail bags, at the time of her Am
capture. contained evidence which
y have secured her condemnation as a
. prize. The country will look with C
~ ty to see what Mr. Stewards friend
say to these astonishing charges
showing treachery to the Union cal
the heart of Mr.. Lincoln's cabinet,