Have been some
indisposed, with a good deal to do. Fox is about leaving, but is managing and
contriving to get position and go abroad with éclat. Seward has encouraged him
in this, and it is not pleasant for me to oppose it, although the whole
proceeding is wrong in my opinion, or rather is such as should not be
encouraged. Faxon thinks the demonstration is, on the part of Fox, for
self-glorification and with a design to steal fame at my expense. This may have
some foundation, but I hope not, and believe not, in so aggravated a degree as
Faxon and some others conjecture. The President spoke of this queer mission
to-day in rather contemptuous terms, and said there were efforts on the part of
some to glorify Fox as an indispensable part of the Government. I made the
matter as pleasant as I well could to the President, for Fox has been useful
and I wish him to have the full benefit of it. To me he has been respectful and
always obedient and attentive. I do not believe he intends to arrogate anything
at my expense. If he attempts it, time will correct it. His work, as I
understand, is to be made the agent of some of the South American states in
building some turreted vessels and perhaps others, and he fancies that by going
across the Atlantic in the Miantonomah he shall obtain useful celebrity. This,
in my opinion, is the impelling motive and he is not, perhaps, sufficiently
considerate of myself and others in pressing forward his scheme.
Faxon does not
believe that he intends to resign his place in the Department, but thinks that
he means to resume his position here on his return. That cannot be and I am
unwilling to believe he would, if he could, be guilty of the bad faith and
duplicity that would be involved in such a procedure.
SOURCE: Gideon
Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and
Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 509
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