Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-05-22

turned it to the navy department with a
severe rebuke in the form of the follow
ing endorsement:
Executive Mansion, May 20, 1S95.-The
within recommendation is approved, and
Rear-Admiral Richard w. Meade is hereby
retired from active service in the navy, pur-
suant to section 1883 Of the revised statutes
The President regrets exceedingly that the
long active service Of this officer so brilliant
in its early stages and often marked by
honorable incidents. should, at its close,
be furnished by conduct at variance with a
commendable career and Inconsistent with
the example which an officer in his high
rank should furnish Of submission to the re-
fest propriety. GROVER CLEVELAND.
Substance of the Interview.
The Objectionable interview appeared
in the New York Tribune on May 10. In
reply to a question as to why he had
asked to be retired he said bitterly: MY
ideas are not in accordance with those of
this adm:nistratio ton. / am just as much
dsgustCd with it as the people at large
in this country are, and | preferred to
quit rather than continue my connection
with it."
What are the causes in detail?" was
asked. In reply he said:
Il am an American and a Union man.
Those are two things that this admins
tratiOn cannot stand.
In conclusion Admiral Meade gave one
last parting shot at the administration,
saying:
lives on the ocean is apt to imbibe pa
triOtism and loyalty. ] find these articles
at discount with the present regime.
| want to be untrammelled when | can
think and speak as like, and to that end
] will dOff the gold lace and don the ha-
biliments of citizen, who, at least, has
the prerogative of standing up for his
country'S honor"
The AdmiraTs Career.
Richard WARSAW Meade was born in
New York city October 9, 1887, and was
appointed midshipman in the navy from
California, October ,, 1850 His career
in his country's service has been a notable
and a creditable one. He has cruised in
every sea and has served in all the latter
day famous ships of the navy. In the
St. Louis he witnessed the Koszta affair
at Smyrna In the Merrimac, which later
became the Confederate ram Virginia and
fought the Monitor, he cruised in
the West Indies in 1856. He was a
watch officer IN the Cumberland, sunk
by the Virginia in Hampton Roads, and
was attached to the Dale, the Preble,
the Cyane and the Saranac before the
rebellion His first command of conse
quence was the ironclad Louisville, of the
Western HotiIla. That was in 1862. The
next year he went out of New York in
to pursue the troublesome privateer
Tacony. In 1868 also he commanded the
naval brigade in the New York draft
riots. Subsequently his war commands
were the Marblehead and Chocur block
aders, in both of which he did gallant
service.
In 1868 tire brilliant young officer had
become commander by rank. In 1870
he commanded for time the famous
schooner yacht America for expert
mental purposes Two years later he
began a memorable Pacific cruise in the
Nara gansett, in which he sailed 10000
miles in 431 days, made many surveys
and charts, visited islands that no naval
vessel ever went to before, made treaties
with a number of South Sea kings, col
lected by force in the PoIynesian islands
indemnity for outrages on American
citizens and made a most interesting
visit to the Coral sea. In 1887 Capt.
Meade worked out the details of what
is known as the Whitney business sys-
tenn of the navy; later commanded the
Washington Navy yard and was active
last year as naval member of the
Worlds Fair board