New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-12
THE HON. GIDEON wELLEs.

| THE HON. GIDEON WELLES.
| HARTFORD Conn.,. Feb. 1.-The Hon. Gideon
Welles. ex-Secretary of the Navy died at quarter
TO z o'clock this evening from the effects Of a
| buncle, which had confined him to the house for
about two weeks. The carbunce appeared about
| four weeks AGO upon the Back OF his neck, and
deed all efforts to check its growth. Vt drew largely
| upon his strength, and reduced him to point from
which lie could not rally. His suffering during most
of the time was intense, but was somewhat mitigat-
| ed during the last few days. He passed quietly
| away and was conscious 10 the last. Mr.. Wees
was seveniy-ve years old on the LIST OF July last.
| Gideon welles, Secretary of the Navy during
| the entire period Of the war, was bora at
| Glastonbury, Hartford County, Conn, July !,
| 1502-or according to some authorities OH
| February /, 1902. He was Of Puritan stock
| being descended from Thomas Welles. the first
Treasurer and afterward Governor of the Colony Of
| Connecticut, who came to Hartford in 1886. Mi.
Weles received his early education at the Episco-
pal Academy in Cheshire, Conn.,, and afterward
entered the Norwich University, Vermont,
then under tho charge of Captain Alden
Partridge. Without completing his collegiate course,
he commenced the study Of law in The office of
the late Chief-Justce Williams and afterward
pursued it under the direction of tho Hon.
William w. Ellsworth, afterward one of the
d
In 1896 when twenty-fO years Of age he became
tine editor and part owner of The Hartford Times,
which he made The organ of the State Democracy.
Tho Times the first journal to advocate the cleo
ton Of General Jackson 10 the Presidency and con
tinaed during his administration TO DO his earnes
and efficient adhereDt.
From 1927 to 1885, Mr.. Welles was a member Of
the Connecticut Legislature in the latter year he
was appointed Controller of Public Accounts. Both
in the Legislature and in his journal he
| attacked with great severity tire proposed
measure to exclude witnesses who did not believe
| IN future state of rewards and punshments from
testfying in the courts. He also labored for years,
| and with final success, to procure the abolition OF
| Imprisonment for debt. Special legislation was as
sailed by him until he succeeded IN procuring the pas
sage OF general laws for the organization Of banking
and other business corporations. Before the subject
had excited genera attention, Mr. Nelles be-
| gan an agitation IN favor OF low postage ra'es.
| III 1886, he was appointed Postmaster at Hart
| ford, q position which he held until 1871. Abont
the time he received this appointment Mr. WelIs
reinquisbed the management of The 1i1nfs but con-
tinued be of its prime pal contributors TIL
the repeal Of the dissouri Compromise in 1854. In
1912 he was again elected State Comptroller and IN
| 1916 President Pok Unexpectedly rendered to him
Office of chef of one of the bureaus OF the Navy
Department. He accepted the position, ana retained
! II until the Summer of lS49.
| Alr. Welles had always been q Democrat of the
JelfersOnian school, opposed to the extension of
| slavery into territory and on the oIeaniza-
! ton of the Republican party in 1855, he became
| identified with it, and was lis candidate
for Governor of Connecticut in 1896. His vote then
was 6, 74O out of total of 65,552. In the same
year he was appointed. by the National Republican
| Convention which met at Philadelphia. as a MEM
| brr of the National Committee for COnnecti-
cut position which he held for number
! years. He also chairman OF tie Connecticut
delegation to the convention which met II Chicago.
| in Nav, 1861. and nominated Abraham Lincoln Tor
| President. For nearly thirty years MIR. Weles had
been frequent con rbutor to me Globe and Union,
of Washington, and The Ecr- forf Erea'n5 post ana
for sevela years had aided, with his rem, The Hart
ford Tess, which was established III 1886 as the
| organ of the Republican party in COnnecent.
| HIS ADMINISTRATION OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
! Mr. Weless career as an editorial writer for lead
! ing journals and politician had made his name
well-known throughout the country, and when Pres
| ident Lincoln vas inaueurated In 1861 he be-
came Secretary of the Maya position which
he held from March, 1861 to March. 1859, under
both Lincoln and Johnson. On assuming
the duties of his office Secretary Wees
! found that the department cOnld muster
only 90 vessels OF these only AZ
| in commission. Nearly all Of the vessels
in active service were foreign stations.
the home squadron consisting of only IL
vessels carrying 1877 guns and about
| 1000 men. The AZ vessels carried 555
guns and had a complement, exclusive of
officers and marines, of about 1900 men. la
| his report of July 4. 1861. Secretary Welles
explained how he had, by prompt action.
raised the naval force in commission TO 80
vessels carrying abont 100 guns and about 5000
men, exclusive of officers and marines. This in
crease had involved OF course. large expenditures,
| and upon this point the Secretary said:
The authority for these purchases ia to be found the
necessities aud condition % the country and the times.
The action Of the Department mayrequre the sanction
OF Congress TO give II validity II 1t shall be asserted
that error has been committed IN thus providing for
fha vica AM "A an ion
greater would have been committed 1t is believed
IN lie omission to have made such provision under the
| existing necessities.
I'm the same report Mr. Welles recommended inves-
tigaons be ordered for the purpose of securing the
| best ironclad steamers, floating batteries. Dur
ing his administration turreted irOncad vessels and
heavy ordnance first introduced into the
Navy and no greater compliment be paid to his
Judgment aud foresight in adopting them, than the
| fact that nearly all the maritime nations
| of the world consider them essen
| tia parts of an efficient fighting navy. He also
| rapidly increased the naval force from %
| vessels and Z. 600 seamen in 1861 TO 81 vessels
and 81 900 seamen at the close of the war. in clos
ing his first report as Secretary OF the Navy, Mr.
| Weles said
In discharging the duties that pertain to this depart
ment and which have dvolyed upon 1t during the brief
! period it has been inrusied TO my Names, l lave
shrk from no sh a In. ana %een trani
ccnded. 1T because the public necessities re.
| auiied 1t. TO have declined the exercise OF
auy powers but such as clearly authorized
and legally defined when the Government and
the country assaled aud their existence endangered
would have been inexcusabe wrong and cowardiy
omission.
The calm Judgment of Mr.. Welles, his decision of
character, and equanimity OF temper. with his
quiet frankness, were appreciated by each
of the Presidents with whom he was as
sociated, and whose confidence lie enjoyed
through a stormy period of our history. The same
qualities enabled him to make fortunate selections
in the civil and naval appointments, and rendered