General Butler called on me to-day. Came direct from the Executive Mansion. Says the President is no better. He could not see him. Is confined to his room, indeed he every day confines himself to the house and room. General B. was very much inclined to talk on public affairs, and evidently intends taking an active part in the rising questions. Much of our conversation related to Jeff Davis and General Lee, both of whom he would have tried, convicted, and executed. Mild and lenient measures, he is convinced, will have no good effect on the Rebels. Severity is necessary.
Cameron called on me
with his friend for the twentieth time at least, in relation to two
appointments in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He does not conceal from me, nor
probably from any one, that he intends to be a candidate for the Senate. Hence
his vigilance in regard to certain appointments, and he has prevailed in the
Treasury and in the Post Office, against the combined efforts of all the
Members of Congress. In sustaining, as he does, the policy of the President he
shows sagacity. Kelley and the Members, but especially K., have shot wild on
negro suffrage. There is a strong pressure towards centralism at this time.
Many sensible men seem to be wholly oblivious to constitutional barriers and
restraints, and would have the Federal government assume authority to carry out
their theories. General Butler, to-day, speaks of the Rebel States as dead. I
suggested that it was a more correct theory to consider them as still States in
and of the Union, but whose proper constitution functions had been suspended by
a conspiracy and rebellion. He said that was pretty much his view.
Chief Engineer
Stimers sends in his resignation. I had given him orders to the Powhatan, and
he does not wish to go to sea.
Unfortunately
Stimers has got into difficulty with Lenthall and Isherwood; others, perhaps,
are in fault. Stimers rendered good service in the first Monitor, and
afterwards at Charleston, for which I felt under obligations to him, and did
not hesitate to express it. Subsequently, when preparing to build the
light-draft monitors, he and the Assistant Secretary took the subject in hand.
Stimers became intoxicated with his own importance. While I supposed the Naval
Constructor and Chief Engineer, to whose bureaus it belonged, were prosecuting
the subject, under advisement with Mr. Ericsson, it appeared that these men had
been ignored. When my attention was called to the question, Lenthall and
Isherwood informed me that they had been excluded, and I then, for the first
time, was made aware that Ericsson was on bad terms with Stimers and the two
had no personal intercourse.
Inquiring into
proceedings, I found serious difficulties existed, requiring essential
modifications and a large increase of expenditure to make the vessels efficient
or capable of flotation with their armament. No one, however, was willing to
take the responsibility for the mistake committed. I was to bear the whole, and
I had been deceived and kept uninformed of the whole proceeding.
Stimers and Fox,
had, I think, connived that they could do this work independent of the proper
officers and perhaps of Ericsson; probably hoped to acquire reputation. Their
plan was kept from my knowledge, although the work was done in my name.
Lenthall and
Isherwood culpably withheld from me information of what was being done; were
vexed with Fox and Stimers, and were willing they should become involved,
because a slight had been shown them. When I was made aware of the facts, I
called all to an account. Fox and Stimers placed the blame on Lenthall and
Isherwood, and when I called these latter gentlemen to account they plead
ignorance and disclosed the whole truth. The whole thing was disgracefully
improper and wrong.
In the mean time,
the enemies of the Department, having got hold of the failure, opened their
batteries, and I was compelled to encounter them for the follies and errors of
my subordinates. On the whole, I succeeded in extricating the Department from
very serious difficulties, and got a tolerable vindication before Congress, but
I look upon the whole transaction as the most unfortunate that has taken place
during my administration of the Navy Department.
The Assistant
Secretary was probably more in fault than any other. It was his specialty. He
expected great successes, where he had a great failure. Stimers was implicated
about as deeply, but Stimers became intoxicated, overloaded with vanity.
Neither of them, nor both combined, were competent for what they undertook. The
glory was to have been theirs, the responsibility was mine.
The bureau officers
failed in their duty in not informing me. I so told them and they each admitted
it. Lenthall did so repeatedly and with many regrets, with much suppressed
indignation that Fox should shrink from an honest, open avowal of his
responsibility.
Stimers I have
treated kindly. He is more weak than wicked, not devoid of talents, though
Lenthall and Isherwood deny him any ability. But I know he has some capability
and I do not forget his services in the turreted vessels.
While Fox would give
him special favor, and the others would grant him none, I would treat Stimers
kindly but justly. He has wanted shore duty entirely. Under existing
circumstances it is better he should get afloat. Fox and Stimers had arranged
that Admiral Gregory should employ Stimers on gun-carriages, and the Admiral
was persuaded to apply for him. I set the whole aside, and told Fox Stimers
must go to sea. He assented to the correctness of my views, but hoped that I
would not permit the enmity of L. and I. to crush Stimers. I assured him not,
and gave Stimers the Powhatan. The return mail brings his resignation. I cannot
do otherwise than to accept it.
1 Chief of the Bureau of Navigation.
