New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-25
GEORGE d. WISE'S MISTAKES.
FACTS ABOUT THE NORFOLK NAVY YARD.
COLONEL BRADY CITES PROOFS OF DEMOCRATIC
FALSE PRETENCEs.
TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRIBUN


rBY TELEGRAPH TIE rRIBUyEI
WASHINGTON, Jan. Pain the course of his
hot speech in the House on Friday. Mr. Wise. Of vr-
gina. said protest that these honorable soldiers OF
the Union Army shall again be subjected to the
treatment they subjected to under the last Ad-
minstrstion, when who had fought brayey for the
Onion under the circular bearing the name of william
Mahone as chairman aud James ID. Brady the present
memberofths House. as secretary required under
the whip Of master, to give money for partisan pur-
poses required like slaves to hold their ballots up that
their bosses minions might whether they voted
right"
Colonel Brady exctedly denied the existence
OF such circular, and challenged Wise
to produce copy of 1t. 1t will be
observed that Mr. Wise feels deep concern for the
welfare OF the Union soldier. He seeks defend
tho commandant OF the Norfolk Navy Yard In his
speech Mr. Wise declared that Lyons. the superntend
ent of machinery, discharged from the Norfolk
Navy Yard after twenythres years Of faithful service
account Of beastly ntoxicati0n, and that bis
cessor was appointed after a competitive examination.
In reply Inquiry this subject, Colonel Brady
to-day sd Tho statement that Lyons discharged
account Of Incorporate habits is not correct and
body before heard that he guilty Of 'beasty
intoxcatOn. 1t is not true that Lyons's immediate
cessOr COrwiD, the ex-COnfederate soldier, ap-
pointed after competitive examination After ho
had been in the place several months, and after
his incapacity had been fully shown, a board
examiners convened the result was tho ap-
ponImert OF who believe. halls from Maryland.
Corwn, however retained in the Government SER
vice other capacity. Again Mr.. Wise asserted
that an ex Union soldier, who twice wounded aud
twice promoted for his gallant conduct ia the War;
removed his Office OF postmaster at Portsmouth by
Senator MahOre. The facts thai the postmaster
removed, but served out his term OF office. He
q quartermasters clerk at Norfolk during the greater
part the War; and toward its close obtained comuis
an MT MI assigne1
duty In the held but relieved soon. As am n-
formed and believe, wounded In the Union
service"
How about the charge that honorably discharged
Union soldiers and sailors have been dismissed aud their
places given to ex-COnfederates ."
"It Is true. Now, want to say here that while
u Union soldier. also a virsnian by birth, and
man in Vii g.ua who knows anything about my career
will deny since the close of the War have lG
bored and sometimes perhaps, odt Of season
to restore harmony. have been opposed always to
every manifestation OF il-wll toward the exConfede-
rate soldiers. Fifty thousand OF them In Virginia today
members OF the Republican party But do hold as
spirit OF the law requires. that in tue Governments
hOnOrably discharged Union soldiers aud sailors
s3.rrea wa9 are in Sso Gs Goyesnt serTee Within three
months after March no less than sixty-two men ea.
more than twenty OF them were soldiers sailors of
Union. The places OF AT least five OF These men were
filed by the appointment OF eX-COnledcrates Many OF
the dscars ed bad beenn the Navy lari for years.
some them the beginning of the War; aud many
About dozen ex-COnfederates beeve, have been ap
pointed in the Navy Yard since Mr. Whitney has been at
the head OF the Navy Department but not All oi them TO
NIL places OF eXCBon soldiers Let lue give you the
facts two or thrve cases.
A. ]. Hopkins, engine tender, appointed in
1869, the recommendation OF Cons rnetor webb:
In 1861 Mr.. Hopkins arrested by the Rtbl
authorities and thrown into Libby Prison On account o.
his loyalty the Union. MteEward he served Ia the
Union Navy until the end Of the He Is IN bonored
anu respected citizen. ON May t. lssj, nc was removed
and in bis place appointed Nir:inus Freeman who
was tue United states Navy at outbreak OF the
Rebellion deserted the flag OF his country TO enter
the service He did not apply 20 Congress Tor tue
removal OF his political disabilities until alter tho
election OF a Democratic President -
L. Is. kenney, store CLERK IN the bureau OF arus
and Docks, appointed IN 1870 by Engineer Speer,
of the Navy Kcnney was an olieer OF the Union Nayy
moved ON May T. 1883, and f. A. Butt, an ex-Rebel
solder was appointed In his place.
Charles VI. Clark. clerk IN the same department. oths
yard. was appointed by Engineer specr In 1870. Mr.
Clark was taken prisoner while attending Union
nundcd soldiers the battlefield uf Bull Ran. In July,
1861. and was confined In Libby Prisoj lie afterw'rd
served ia the Union Army and of the most com
pctcnt clerks in the Government service lie was re-
moved May Z, 1855, and Lis place given to an exon
Nv II. Ryder riggcr. appointed hy the secretary
OF the Navy 1877. iic served IN thc Union Army dur
ing the War and has an excellent RECORD boh AS sol
der and clnplOye He WAS re moved on April ~ 1889,
and j. W. Thompson. an ex-Contedtrae was appointed
a G. Fuller lahorer IN the rant shop who lost an
arm In the UuloU Army. has been discharged He was
receiving the muuIiiccut oI ~ 80 per day.
Nero any historical inscription, oblteraIed by order
of the Csmmandant. As IL alleged -
'.rhe iuscrpton on the dry dock engine which re-
placed Gcstroye by the Rebels IN ls62 has been
0btemted since ComHotore traXtOn took charSe, aui
by his order The dry dock was blown up aud set on
fire but the flames were cxtingli.hed by the Union
forces before Il lmcd. A. for the cannon. they
were guns bearing inscriptions connemo atnE Ameri-
can victories the Revolutionary War, aud not IN tns
War ot the Rebellion. In that respect Tie allegation IS
Incorrect