Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-05-13
y gEN&AEY ~
SATURDAY EVENING, MAY Is.
COM. o. II. PERRY.
ellis life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, this ,cas a man"

And say TO all the world, this 'cas a man"
MARK ANTHONY.
There are moments in life, when freed from the
ordinary cares Of the world, the lover Of his coun-
~ and the devoted patriot, looks around him, and
lingering over the memory Of the il~lustrious dead,
recounts to himself their distinguished deeds fine
roism or of chivalry; and, lost in meditation, wan
ders around the secluded spots where rcpose their
ashes, with those who have been before them in
the ACHE vement o fexploits, redounding TO the hon
est fame of their native country;-and as the tear
Involuntary falls from the eye, to mingle with
their grass-grown graves, too often does the SYM
pathising wanderer, utter signs of heartfelt regret,
elected by the ingratitude Of that country which has
parsimoniously suffered her fairest flowers to wither
and die, and moulder neglected and forgotten, in
some sequestered vale, where no monument tells
The name or deeds Of the i~llustrious slumberer.
1t has been the pride of some nations;-and hon.
estly have they boosted af ito collect the moul-
dering names of their heroes and poets and states
men and AFRICANS, and e~ntombing them on the soil
Of their native shores, erect monuments to their
memory, recounting the incidents OF their lives, that
others might, by perusing their stories, be stimula-
ted to initiate their illustrious examples. England
has done this-France has not been n~eglectful Of
her duty-and SPAN, yes even imbecil and impo-
tent Spain, has not suffered her heroic aud distin-
suished sons, to sink into the depths OF oblivion and
lorgetiulness.
But America, republican America-she who has
terminated the ablest OF statesmen, and the noblest
OF chieftains-what has she done to perpetuate the
memory OF her ilustrious offs prins Nothing, noth-
Ing, positively nothns-and her brightest orna-
men,s sluniber beneath the cold clod Of the valley,
and the whistlinss Of the wild winds, and the peltings
of the storm, as they rudeiy howl around their ST.
lent sepulchres, bear witness to the ingratitudc Of
the American people. 1t has been said of US that
| Republics are ungratetul, and without recounting
more than one instance of her ingratitude, we shall
admit the fact, whilst we inform the world that we
allude to the unkindness of this country towards
| Commodore OLIVER II. PERRY, a nan who has
done more to exalt the character Of his country than
any other man since the days OF the immortal Wash
ington. And yet he who, whilst performing an i'm
p~ortant and arduous duty, fell an untimely victim
TO a pestilential atmosphere, is suffered to moulder
in u foreign soil, and not a stone marks the spot, or
tells the passenger that within the lonely sepul-
chre slumbers the remains fthe noblest captain that
ever defended the flag ofhis country.
1t is said by a traveller recently from Trinidad,
common r~ecepticle for the bodies fthe dead-with
nothing to distinguish it from those of others;-and
that those Of our countrymen who visit the Island to
pay the rites of reverence and veneration to the me-
mory of this departed chieftain, with difficulty ascer-
tain his grave, and that but few of the inhabitants
of Port Spain are enabled to point it out. If tai.
be the fact, it is not altogether improbable, if mea-
sures are not adopte1t to restore the ashes Of our he
no to his country and his family, that a few yeas
more, Will erase his grave from the ken of human
observation. But we will not indulge such a be-
lief, for we are of ourselves assured, that if the gov
eminent of the United States will not take mea-
sures to restore this heroic sailor to his country and
to the home ofhis fathers, the citizens of his native
State, will with their usual liberality, provide a
way and the means, TO facilitate his removal, and
for the erection Of a monument to consecrate his
memory, and the glory Of his brilliant achieve
ments.
1t is now pretty we'll understood, that Congress
has determi . i not to appropriate a ~farthing to de-
fray the expense of removing the ashes of Com.
Perry to America, and that the propositions to that
effect, made during the present session, have
been rejected. As native citizens of Rhode-Isl-
and, we feel an attachment for the illustrlous dead
Of the land Of our birth, and when we reflect,
how long this brave officer has been neglected,
we are led to hope, that the people will, at no dis
tant period, take such steps as shall place within
their possession, the last remains Of such of our
countrymen as have distinguished themselves either
in Arts or in Arms. The expense of removing
Com. Perry to Rhode Isl and, could not amount to
any considerable sum, and as an object so desirable
might easily be accomplished by the liberal and
munlfcent, it has been suggested to us that it would
not be inexpelient to mention the ~propriety of such
an undertaking. 1t is believed that every citizen Of
the State, who reveres its institutions and en~tertains
an honest pride of country, would proudly contrib
ute to the accomplishment ola design, which cannot
fail to be applauded by the world, and excite the
admiration and e%ncomiums OF sister communities
II is not for US to say when, or in what manner, a
plan like this should be conducted that we leave
/ - ~ - A L. ...sl -.---l- H.