Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-10-19

Letter Of Gen. Charles Hamlin to the Boston
Advertiser)
In the September Atlantic Monthly,
which is publishing the Diary of Gideon
Welles, the editor adds foot-note which
says that Vice Pres. Hamlin became in
dignant with Sec. Welles because Welles
refused to give Hamlin's friends con-
tract to build some gunboats.
Ii is but fair to presume the editor. a
fair minded and honorable man, got his
information from persons who desire to
conceal the real facts and thus stated
only half of them. The secretary
promised Mr.. Hamlin and then violated
bis word and forfeited his honor.
This incident of the war told correctly
in the Life and Times of Hannibal
Hamliu," by his grandson, Charles Eu-
gene Hamlin, and known by the writer
to be correct, is reproduced here in the
interest OF truth and not for the pur-
pose of reviving old animosities.
when the war broke out, the govern
ment among other things directed the
navy department to build a number OF
wooden gunboats. Maine was then the
great ship building state of the Union.
One of her leading shipbuilders was
Capt. William McGilvery, a patriotic
citizen of Searsport. He was associated
with Gen. Samuel F. Hersey, who was
one of the half dozen leading lumbermeu
Of the United States.
"They desired to obtain contract fol
building some of these gunboats, and
asked Mr.. Hamlin to see Sec. Welles
about it.
HE called on Mr.. Welles, who said
Certainly, Mr.. Hamlin, certainly. The
gentleman is in every way responsible
that know-and he shall have the con
tract Then / can be assured that
there will be no mistake about the mat,
ter?' said Mr.. Hamlin. Certainly, Ger.
ainly; the contract will be awarded al
once was the reply of the secretary
and so the matter for the moment ended,
Later, however, the vice-president,
learning that certain bureau officers had
more to do with the awarding of con-
tracts than the secretary himself, again
went to Mr. Welles, Informed him OF
this, and was again assured in the most
positive manner that the contract would
be awarded as arranged.
sin the meantime Mr.. Hamlin wrote
Capt. McGilvery and Gen. Hersey that
Sec. Welles had promised them the con-
tract, and they began to prepare to build
the gunboats. But few days after
wards, to Mr. Hamlin's establishment, il
was announced that the contracts fol
building the vessels had been made
without including MeGilvery and Hersey
zone contract had been given to
Maine, and to a man who was in active
sympathy with the rebels, and who had
applied for the contract 20 make all the
money he could, whereas McGilvery and
Hersey, who were union men, had made
a low bid. Mr.. Hamlin had a short but
stormy interview with Mr.. Welles. he
asked for an explanation, and the score
tary stammered out that his promise
had escaped his mind. DO you then
not intend to keep your word, STRIP Mr.
Hamlin asked sternly.
"'No, sir, / cannot now,' was the hest
tating reply.
"'Fhen this terminates our relations,
said Mr.. Hamlin; Il will not have any,
thing TO do with a man who breaks his
plighted word to me-
at transpired that Capt. Fox was the
virtual executive head of the navy de-
partment, and that he had disposed OF
these contracts without consulting Mr.
Welles very much about it. But it was
CALLING to Mr.. Hamlin to experience this
ingratitude, and to see Copperhead
have an opportunity to gouge money out
of the government. He never thereafter
spoke to Welles." CHAs. HAMLIN.
Bangor, Me-, Sept. 10, 1909.