American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-08-18

The Providence Journal contains long account
Of the interesting ceremonies. at that place, on the
4th ult.
In the Civic procession, the four surviving cap
tors of the kings armed schr. GnSpe. rode in an
elegant barouche, procured by Mr. Blake Of the
Franklin House and drawn by four white horses.
1t was matter of most interesting association and
reflection to witness these lour surviving tdds who
burnt the Gaspe, at the end Of So riding in
splendid equpsge, and receiving the award Of re
publiran triumph, for deed. the commission OF
which at that time had we'll nigh caused them to
ride in cart to Execution Dock or to be drawn
on hurdle to Tyburn, for high treason; an event
they anticipated vastly more Likely than, that in
l826. the jubilee of American freedom, they should
become the time honored objects OF the greatest
interest to immense concourse OF citizens throng
ing the streets and crowdng to the altar OF freedom
to offer up the sacrifices and thanksgiving Of great,
prosperous and free people. These four veterans
Col Ephraim Bowen, Capt BENZ. Page, Col. John
Mowney, and Capt. Turpin Smith, are among our
most respected citizens, and on this occasion the
spiri, that first animated them in 1879, seemed to
kindle anew in their still vigorous frames. We be
eve, from the present ages of these veterans, they
were all not 90 years OF age at the time oil The
attack upon the Gaspe.
There came next band of tagged and venerable look
ing men. though many Of them appear to have been
hard beat upon by the rough storms OF ie. These
were the surviving soldiers Of the Revolutionary
war, some of whom wore the appearance ol extreme
poverty, not even receiving from their country the
pittaEce which liberal and honest construction
of the pension act would give them; and yet their
hard and wrinked features lighted with smile of
recollected triumph, and the dim eye OF age glister
ed in tears of gratitude and honest pride Tor the
blessings so profusey showered upon their country.
and for their instrumenaity, under Providence, III
procuring those blessings. So much pains had been
taken by the indcfagable Committee OF Arrange
ments to collect this inter esng occasion as great
number as possible of these relics OF the heroic
days Of the republic, that less than LOG OF the
veterans frog, all parts the state. and from the ad
Joining parts OF Massachusetts mustered In the line
of procession led by Capt. Aaron Mann, OF that
town. Among them was an old drummer humping
upon the unelastic head of the very instrument with
which he had often reused the soldiers of '76 to the
onset. There was another sturdy veteran with a
three cornered beaver, that had the aspect OF com
mand and had much good service. The ap
pearance of many others was singular and their
little histories would have been we'll worth collecting
After the procession dismissed the veterans
were escorted to Mr.. Wilder's Hotel, and cheered
their old blood, after the fatigues of the day, with
the generous provisions and wines prepared by the
committee with the aid OF private subscriptions
We cannot omit mentioning fact we learned
from Mr. Wilder, that $50 we're deposited with
him by Capt. Comstock of the steamboat Connect
cut to be expended in wine for the OF the veto
rans-It was perhaps the most interesting among
the occurrences of the day, to see these venerable
men at their dinner and to mark the peculiarly OF
expression and character that seemed 10 distinguish
them from all others Of the present day.
LETTERS.-It is stated that from lst April to
the LIST July, IA period Of three months, there were
received at the post office in New York, 94495 ship
letters.