A very busy and eventful week has passed without my having
time to jot down incidents, much less observations and reflections. Among other
matters, on representations made by attorneys, detectives, and others, I
directed the arrest of Smith Brothers, in Boston. It is stated they have
attempted to defraud the government in the delivery of the articles under contract.
Mr. Wilson, Mr. Goodman, Mr. Eames, Mr. Watkins, Mr. Fox, Mr. Faxon, Admiral
Smith, all concur in opinion as to the criminality of the Smiths. Yet they
stand high in Boston as pious, sharp men, who profess great honesty and much
religion. The arrest will bring down abuse and hostility upon me from many. But
duty demanded action, however unpleasant.
Mr. Rice called on me early Saturday morning with a telegram
received at midnight from Mrs. Smith, concerning the arrest of her husband. She
is in great distress and has the earnest sympathy of Mr. Rice, who believes the
Smiths innocent. He says the arrest has ruined forever the families, whether
innocent or guilty. Mr. Gooch soon came in with a similar telegram, received at
midnight, and went over the same story more briefly. Gooch felt bad and had
slept but little. I told Mr. Rice that the parties should have the benefit of
bail, or rather that I had written Mr. Wilson, authorizing bail. Colonel Olcott
writes Fox, to whom these matters are specially committed, opposing bail; wants
them confined in Fort Warren, where they have been sent, until he has examined
their papers. He is a cormorant, searching papers, utterly reckless. I told Fox
that I wished a firm but mild man; that I would not be oppressive. But Fox is
violent against these men, who, he believes, are hypocrites and rascals. While
I may not differ with him in that respect, they have rights in common with us
all that must be respected and not rudely violated.
Preliminary measures for the arrest and trial of Henderson,
Navy Agent at New York, have been taken. From the statements of Savage, Stover,
and others he has been guilty of malfeasance, although standing high in the
community as a man of piety and purity. It has been with reluctance that I have
come to the conclusion that it was my duty to ask his removal and take measures
against him. But I am left no alternative. That he, like all the Navy Agents,
was getting rich at the public expense I have not doubted, that there were wrong proceedings in this
matter I fully believed, –and yet to break with old friends was and is
unpleasant. My own impression is that Henderson has kept more accurate accounts
than his predecessors, and I expect his books will square up faithfully, —
accurate in dollars and cents, – but the wrong has been in another way. His
representative, and friend, and fellow church-member Odell has looked into the
subject, and says he has committed great frauds.
The gold bill, as it is called, has been finally enacted and
we shall soon ascertain whether it effects any good. Chase and his school have
the absurd follies of the Whigs and John Law in regard to money and finance. I
have no confidence in his financial wisdom or intelligence on those subjects.
We get no good army news from Petersburg. Our troops have
suffered much and accomplished but little, so far as I can learn. But there is
disinclination to communicate army intelligence, as usual. Were the news
favorable, it would be otherwise.
The President in his intense anxiety has made up his mind to
visit General Grant at his headquarters, and left this P.M. at five. Mr. Fox
has gone with him, and not unlikely favored and encouraged the President in
this step, which I do not approve. It has been my policy to discourage these
Presidential excursions. Some of the Cabinet favored them. Stanton and Chase, I
think, have given them countenance heretofore.
He can do no good. It can hardly be otherwise than harmful,
even if no accident befalls him. Better for him and the country that he should
remain at his post here. It would be advantageous if he remained away from the
War Department and required his Cabinet to come to him.
SOURCE: Gideon
Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and
Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 53-5
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