A patent lawyer
named Dickerson prepared and published what he calls a plea or argument in a
case before the court in Washington that is a tissue of the vilest
misrepresentations and fabrications that could well be gathered together, if I
may judge from such parts as I have seen. I do not see the New York Herald, in
which it was published and paid for. The great object appears to have been a
reckless assault on Isherwood, Engineer-in-Chief, but the Department is also in
every way assailed. Of course the partisan press in opposition take up and
indorse as truth these attacks, and vicious men in Congress of the opposition
and equally vicious persons of the Administration side adopt and reëcho these
slanders. It is pitiable to witness this morbid love of slander and defamation.
That there may have been errors I cannot doubt, but not in the matter charged
by Dickerson.
I think Isherwood
has exerted himself to discharge his duty, and serve the government and
country. His errors and faults — for he cannot be exempt — I shall be glad to
have detected and corrected, but the abuse bestowed is wholly unjustifiable and
inexcusable. As he is connected with the Navy Department, any accusation
against him, or any one connected with the Department, furnishes the factious,
like J. P. Hale, an opportunity to vent their spite and malignity by giving it
all the importance and notoriety they can impart. I hear of Hale and H. Winter
Davis and one or two others cavilling and exerting themselves to bear down upon
the Engineer-in-Chief. There is an evident wish that he should be considered
and treated as a rogue and a dishonest man, unless he can prove himself
otherwise. Truth is not wanted, unless it is against him and the Department.
SOURCE: Gideon
Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and
Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 504-5
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