The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-15
MEADE WON'T REPLY
To an Insulting Letter From
Ex-Confederate Herbert.
HE MAY BE couRT-mARTiALeo.
The Brave Union Veteran Has Already
Asked To Be Allowed to Leave
the Navy.

New York. MAJ 1-Ex-Seua'or D1igsai
n gsbin. of Minnesota. left ssrty tnis
morning for Boston. Nr. Sastn - practl
eafiy out os politics. but nevertheless ne
takes q keen interest IN the Affairs o. the
day. sspeaking Of the case OF Afimlrsi
Meade wfo 80 bsuntly gave MS reasons
for retiring from the navy. Dir. saoan
aid:
There was a ring % patriotism and an
ar OF Independence IN Admiral Neade' :
1.tferances mat found an echo IN every
loyal mans mind IL may be ~ was a
hack Of Discipline. but tge had grave cause.
and I think Meade was about right /
zee that President Cleveland and secre-
tary Herbert talk Of court-Ensrfisiing Ad-
rsfrai Meade. ! 10 not think they dare
take that step. let them 80 ahead. and
they will see how much mis- country
f5uorE brave man. Let Admiral Meade
stand by his words. There viii De an
other administration IA a snort time. and
we want man with such sentiments AZ
the head % the navy department he
may BE- secretary OF the navy yet"
Washington city. May b--secreiary
Herbert today. Ga response n inquiry.
dictated che following Official statement
eoneerniug Aaniral Meade:
At The navy department today 70 was
learned that the department had sd-
dressed a letter 20 Admiral Meade. stat
irg that % desired 20 know n be ~as Will
ing % answer - neither he had or had not
authorized what purpOrted % he an In
fsrview with him published In me New
York Tribune. and that he hal replied
scknoWlf1sing the receipt 81 the letter
and declining 90 answer me questions
The facts Ia relation 70 the failure %
the department 20 grant Admiral Meaet' =
request 70 have the Cincinnati ordered
20 me New YORK navy yard instead % the
Norfolk yard are that this vessel vas or
dered 10 20 20 the Norfolk navy yard for
repairs. Tails was done on the rec0mnen-
dalton % ths chief constructor. who de-
sired that the work. which o. now scarce
az bofh yards. might ~ equally divided
between the Norfolk and brooklyn yards.
Admiral Meade. who had selected the Gin
olnnsu for his flagship during the an
sence Of the New York. was thereup0n
ordered % hoist bis nag on that vessel
upon her arrival a. Norfolk. in the in-
term hosting his nag on the Minneapo-
III lie afterward forwarded a second re-
quest 90 the department. % have the Gin
cinnau ordered 20 New York instead 81
20 Norfolk. On tho day when this latter
request was received Secretary Herbert
was not Ia the department at any time.
Assistant Secretary McAdoo being ia
charge. lie ala not act on the request.
a. he dld not think n proper to take any
action In the matter until the secretary $
return. ON the next morning. when See
rstary Herbert came 20 his Office. this let
ter having been brought 10 his attention.
he al once summoned before him the
chief constructor. and after comforting
with him and Assistant Secretary Nc
Adoo. Jointly decided 70 order the Cincln-
natl 10 New York, and az once ordered
Admiral Ramsey, who was present. 20
make out orders 20 intercept the ship at
Hampton Roads and order her 20 New
York. lie also directed orders TO be made
out 10 Admiral Meade. notifying him Of
this change OF orders. and they were writ
ten and ready 20 be signed when letter
came on the noon mail from Admiral
Meade. asking 10 be detached from the
squadron. which request tho secretary
granted"
This constitutes all the information
that could be obtained. and leaves the In
ference that the action. II any. 10 be ia
ken against Admiral Meade, Is not vet
determined.