The recorder, or, Lady's and gentleman's miscellany. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1801-1802, 1802-06-09

i'hpasn N rASStodderf.
What have theie inveitiqators fad cor
corning the employment of one public fhip,
with her officers and crew, TO carry Mr.. DAVE
fon TO France, for which there was TO Legal
authority? Not word,
The aniwer as to the Berceau is, that We
were bound blythe treae7 TO deliver up this
IMP, and common ienie and cuhorn imply, that
The ihould be rendered fit for lea and lervice,
1t 10, how much more will the fame commu,,
'en!e tay, that if the act Of congreiS, which
required icventy -four gun hips co be euiit,
could no, be carried into effect without navy
Yards, it was the duty OF Mr.. Stoddert
TO purchaie them. There is this in favour of
MIR. Stoddert: the navy yards are vatua-
bic acquilition, they viii be more and mora.
valuable; and if congreis, or her fervants
ihalfbe mad enough TO fell them, the amount
may 60 agalninto the ,reaiury, and add 20 the
MATS ofrepn6iic0a feelings, If not, they may
be rented to private perons, until the wealth,
policy. or neccfliries ofthe country ihal direct
the building of fuch lhips If Mr.. Eelftr.dl,s
Notes are to be relied upon as aurhcr!tv,* vie
may e&pel that this will be the Gale, ~ ,a!t "a
our rciources render it practicable On tlt.
other hand, the 32,ooo dollars, dilapiGated in
repairs on the Bcroeau, are gone for ever
Even if Ruonaparte ihoulJ pals thoue hi on
the iuhje6t, he will think that we deiervea
more to be pitied for weakness, than thanked
FOR genefofity,
/ lie an,Wcf as to the fscond point NAV
be, that the flip which carried MIR. DawEon
to France, was already equipped, manned.
and fitted for ica. That if fhe had nor b.o,.
put on this fervice, the vehel would hsve
lain by the wharfs, the crew might have
mutinied, or performed fome other n,;fcbiec
But how will this anTwer vanlfh, whe,, II Is
recoie6ted, with how little ceremony. reGrrc~
table public fefvants have been aIfi,i1laa
without Fault, without accufation, without
previous notice, and upon fome locations. -
make way for others,by much their interiors
What have the Investigators Eaid CONCERNING
the immenie expence OF h tquatiron Of ih;bs
whichMr. Ieferton TENT TO them edtecranean,
fer which there was no legal authorityf Nat
weird The anfwer will be that this was
meafure in which the public interef, nati-
onal character, and honor, were concerned
that 1t was wife, politick, recehary, and de-
ferves universal applaufe and commentator.
Agreed. But the quehion is, by what legal
authority was this done? Here the nyefhGs-
tors, and ali their hirelngs, partizans, and
facilities, are put 70 the rout. Even cen(ny
Smith, i he fhali Fay the inlallei reed
TO RUF H, nnuft DC iamb. Ne a,,fwp,
can be given Why then is it at.emnte3
10 eliminate and deffoy enc man for doing !.
thing neceiIarily experiment. to bis dutr, ana
give thanks and applaufs 20 another for tnse
which might have been paiied by; and TN.
hecef;ty Of which was contingent.
he uie. To which thefe fhips and .hsir
crews have been appropriated, is rot conden,,
ned The cafe is introduced as at, arqunente
to fhew, that there may be ftuatidns in which
the public functioharies may and ought to at
without the expreis direction of conersA;o.
ial ftatutc. Likewife, to fhew the Tcoufr-
tency CT perfons who can fee with more eaits
the mote which IS in the eye of another, than
they can perceive the beam which is IN their
own.
With refpea to Mr.. BENJAMIN Stodders.
this is tact, which truth Wi record, and
which fame will promuleate. He was in.
vltcd TO take the direction ofthe naval dssarts
Trient at the mof important crifis Of the poIi.
teal, naval, and mercantile intercfs 5nd
national refpectability of this country. We
had no naval character, We had but feo;
th'ps Great things were TO be done. from
materials not even brought together. ard by,
men, 2 few excepted, WIG had nos been tried.
Candidates for Office and employment appear
ed from every quarter. MIR. Stoddert was
obliged to compete great part of tft. navy
from men who had Iittle or no experience,
With tbe(e difadyanrageS anaoyvery fpeedily
appeared on the ocean, which ailonin,ed not
only ourieIves, but the nations Of Europe and
Aia and Africa. It made fleh awful I'M.
Prsfion5, that We were Immediately reIpe6teI
and our commercial fhips and Aeet ia;Ied
iafely on the ocean. Even the barbarians #
the Mediterranean have beenawed, and beaten
into iniighifcance. The beroilrn and enterprile
OF our little navy has given il,are to the