Senator Grimes made a very good speech to-day in the Senate
on naval affairs, in which he introduced a letter from Donald McKay, the
eminent shipbuilder of Boston, complimenting our naval vessels and doing
justice to the Bureau of Construction and Engineering, which have been of late
so much abused. Truth will vindicate itself, though slowly. The persistent
assault on the Navy Department is not without a purpose. There is design in it.
The contractors, the claim agents, the corrupt portion of newspaper
correspondents, and unprincipled Members of Congress are all engaged in this
business. I am not mistaken in the fact that there is villainy in the scheme,
for villains are combining in it. There is a conviction in my mind, although I
cannot cite a tangible or certain fact to establish it, that the War Department
had secretly instigated these attacks. I am, however, impressed with an earnest
belief that there is a mischievous design to divert attention from the acts and
doings of the military branch of the service by starting off with a hue and cry
against the Navy.
But little of importance was done at the Cabinet-meeting.
Several subjects discussed. Seward was embarrassed about the Dominican
question. To move either way threatened difficulty. On one side Spain, on the
other side the negro. The President remarked that the dilemma reminded him of
the interview between two negroes, one of whom was a preacher endeavoring to
admonish and enlighten the other. “There are,” said Josh, the preacher, “two
roads for you, Joe. Be careful which you take. One ob dem leads straight to
hell, de odder go right to damnation.” Joe opened his eyes under the impressive
eloquence and awful future and exclaimed, “Josh, take which road you please; I
go troo de wood.” “I am not disposed to take any new trouble,” said the
President, “just at this time, and shall neither go for Spain nor the negro in
this matter, but shall take to the woods.”
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30,
1864, p. 519-20
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