The caucus of the New Hampshire members of the legislature
friendly to the Administration has resulted in the substitution of Cragin for
John P. Hale. This will be a sore and sad disappointment to Hale, who had until
recently thought himself invincible in New Hampshire. Although I have no doubt
he would make terms with the Copperheads if he could, they would not with him,
and it therefore seems scarcely possible that it can be otherwise than he will
be fully and finally defeated. I rejoice at it, for he is worthless, a
profligate politician, a poor Senator, an indifferent statesman, not without
talents, though destitute of industry, and I question his integrity. He has
some humor, is fond of scandal, delights in defaming, loves to oppose, and is
reckless of truth in his assaults. The country will sustain no loss from his
retirement. As chairman of the Naval Committee and the organ of communication
between the Navy Department and the Senate, he has rendered no service, but has
been a constant embarrassment and obstruction. During the whole of this civil
war, when all our energies and efforts were exerted in the cause of the Union
and the country, no assistance, no word of encouragement even, has ever come to
the Department from John P. Hale; but constant assaults, insinuations, and
pronounced, if not wilful and deliberate, misrepresentations have emanated from
him. Of course, I shall not regret his defeat, for though his term does not
expire till the close of this Administration, and my connection with the
Government may terminate at the same time, I am glad that his factious conduct
is not indorsed by his State, and that the buffoon and vilifier will not be in
a position to do further injury. He has been less offensive this session than
heretofore, whether because he had become aware that his conduct did not meet
the approval of the people and the election was at hand, I care not to judge. A
letter from Admiral Gregory, inclosing a report from himself and Chief Engineer
King on the Chimo, one of the light-draught monitors, gives a bad account.
There have been mistakes and miscalculations in this class of vessels of a
serious character. Stimers and Fox have had them in charge, and each has
assured me that my apprehensions were groundless. Fox has been persistent in
this matter, and assumed that the objections were wholly groundless. Admiral
Gregory has also given me strong assurances that all was right. The Chimo, the
first, would, he said, be a little deep, but this would be obviated in all the
others, and not very bad in her case. I am not satisfied with Stimers’s management,
yet Fox has in this matter urged what has been done. The report indicates
unfitness on the part of Stimers, who miscalculated or made no calculation for
displacement, has become vain, and feared to acknowledge his error.
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 —
December 31, 1866, p. 51-3
No comments:
Post a Comment