Archive:The Descendants of John Whitney, page 518
Archives > Extracts > Archive:The Descendants of John Whitney > The Descendants of John Whitney, page 518
The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, by Frederick Clifton Pierce (Chicago: 1895)
Transcribed by the Whitney Research Group, 1999.
| Previous page | Next page |
| 518 | WHITNEY GENEALOGY. |
a different, and in some respects more public field of labor. By an act of congress early in 1854, the president of the United States was required to appoint a civilian as superintendent of the national armory at Springfield, Mass. The situation was peculiar, and a source of anxiety to President PIERCE, who found it difficult to make an entirely satisfactory selection from the several candidates. Gen. Caleb CUSHING was then a member of the cabinet as attorney-general of the United States. He was well acquainted with Gen. WHITNEY, with whom he served in the legislature of 1851; Gen. WHITNEY, whose name had not been mentioned in connection with the superintendency of the armory, was one day surprised by a letter from Gen. CUSHING, stating that the president wished to see him in Washington at an early day, in regard to a matter of business, the nature of which was not suggested. Gen. WHITNEY, of course, went to Washington and was again surprised when the president, after some conversation relative to the state affairs at the armory, tendered to him the position of superintendent. In response to the offer and request of the president, Gen. Whit- ney said he would consider the matter and give an early answer, and after delibera- tion and consultation with friends, he decided to accept the appointment. He was appointed on the 13th and took charge of the armory on Oct. 19, 1854. The first public mention of his name in connection with the appointment was, so far as I am aware, in the Springfield Republican of Oct. 16, which said: "We have informa- tion to the effect that Gen. James S. WHITNEY, of Conway, is to receive the appoint- ment of superintendent of the United States armory here. He has been in Washington, made application (this was a mistake, he made no application), and been successful. * *Gen. WHITNEY is a politician of considerable ability and a gentleman of popular manners. He is probably indebted to Caleb CUSHING'S influence united to his own early advocacy and defense of the repeal of the Missouri compromise for his service in this matter." The manner in which the appointment was received in Springfield is shown by the announcement in the Republican of Oct. 18, that, "A salute is to be fired to-day in rejoicing over the selection of Gen. WHITNEY as superintendent of the armory. The expectants of the fat places are expected to pay for the powder. It must be quite gratifying to the general to know how popular his appointment is. Though not ten persons in the city probably had dreamed of him in connection with the place until his selection was announced in the Republican of Monday, we believe it is now conceded to be just the appointment that all the dissatisfied wanted." Gen. WHITNEY continued in charge of the armory till Mar. 1, 1860, when he resigned the superintendency, having been called to a higher position. To say that his adminis- tration of the affairs of the armory was successful, in the broadest and best sense of the term, is no more than just praise. It was eminently successful. Upon this point the public expressions, made at the time, of those whose acquaintance and knowledge well qualified them to judge, are both conclusive and interesting. On Mar. 3, 1860, in pursuance of previous arrangements, the officers and armorers of the armory met Gen. WHITNEY, to present to him a testimonial of their respect and esteem. There was a full meeting. The testimonial was a very elegant set of silver ware, described as follows: A pitcher and fine goblet, all lined with gold, of original and unique pat- tern, elaborately ornamented, and altogether the most superb set of the kind ever seen in Springfield. Upon the pitcher was this inscription: "Presented to Gen. James S. WHITNEY by the officers and armorers of the United States armory, Springfield, Mass., on his retirement from the superintendency, Feb. 22, 1860." Each goblet bore the following: "Gen. James S. WHITNEY, from the officers and armorers, Feb. 22, 1860." The Springfield Republican of Mar. 5 gave a full report of the proceedings on this occasion. It said that "they were creditable to all parties," and that, "Few testimo- nials of esteem, few exchanges of compliments between parties having such relations to each other, have the heart in them that these contained. It was easy for the spectator to see and feel that on both sides it was no hollow farce, but that each meant all they said. Gen. WHITNEY's course as superintendent was singularly suc- cessful, both outwardly and inwardly. It has introduced great improvements in the buildings and the grounds, in the machinery and in the guns, and has brought peace, order, harmony, and universal good feeling to the armory and the community, where before for years had raged bitter controversies full of all manner of personal collisions and unkindness. It is enough, however, to say of his administration that though he was the first representative of the restored civil system, after a long and hard contest with the military government, the friends and representatives of the latter joined as warmly in his praise as anybody; and although he was the political appointment of a Democratic administration and has ever kept his political armor buckled on and bright, no political distinctions have been made in the employment of workmen, and Republicans are as ready to do him honor as the Democrats."
| Previous page | Next page |
Copyright © 1999, 2006 The Whitney Research Group
