Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-25

returned to NOrf0lk; at "hion P".S
exander Claxton took m OF herIIProcseu-
ed to the West Indies, and returned to New-forH
December 7th. 1897. Captain Claxton sailed
aoa;n in Nav 1928. cruised in the West Indies,
and returned to New-York in November. Capt.
Ohio Norris assumed the command on the yin
Of December 1928. and sailed from New-York
on the 4th of February 1929 on a cruise In the
West Indies and Gulf of Mexico, from which he
never returned.
From the preceding narrative of the numerous
and extensive cruises of the late U. S. ship HoR-
NET, it will be readily perceived, that out lew
national vessels have ever performed greater OF
more important services than she has done. vi
her class of ships she was always considered a
peculiar favorite in our Navy. In the list OF her
various commanders, and other officers attached
to her at different times, will be found the names
of MANY of our distinguished heroes, who have
! contributed to fill the measure OF their countrys
naval glory. Among them vii! be seen the no.
nored name of the late heroic and lamented LAW
RENEE. whose expiring orders to those around
him. .sdon't give up the ship!"-will be the
watch-word of American commanders, IN every
future naval conflict.
The fearful apprehensions for some time past
entertained for the melancholy fate of that here
tofore successful vessel, and which are now, alas!
reduced to a moral and painful certainty, have
spread a gloom over the minds of our citizens,
and excited feelings of the deepest sympathy,
with the surviving friends Of her officers and
crew. But while it is allowed to US to mingle
the tears of sympathy with some OF their bereaved
and mourning families and friends, who are left
to depIore their sudden and apparently premature
fate, it is enjoined upon us, as christians, not to
ssmourn as those who are without hope" How
ever mysterious and inscrutable this solemn dis
p%ensation of divine Providence may now appear
to our limited views and understandings, see
ing as we do but 50 through a glass darkly;" yet
in that we may confidently trust that the ''GOd
of all the earth will do right" Although, in his
dealings towards his creatures, it may sometimes
appear as though "clouds and darkness were
round about Him, vet righteousness and judy
ment are the habitations of His throne forever"
To the surviving families of the officers and
crew of the lamented Hornet, that Almighty Be-
ING, "whose ways are in the great deep" will
assuredly perform his gracious promise, that he
will be s. the father of the fatherless, and a hus-
band to the widow" In his Almighty hands are
the hearts of all men, and He can so mould and
form, and dispose of them, as to make them the
instruments of accomplishing his purposes of love
and compassion towards the bereaved children OF
afHiction.
In this view of the subject, I sincerely rejoice
to perceive that our government, with a prompt
ness and l~iberality that does equal credit to their
enlightened views and benevolent feelings, are
already engaged in making provisions for the WI
dows and orphans of the officers and crew of the
Hornet, so that the privations incident to penury
and want, NAV not be added to the agonizing
pangs they feel, from the irreparable loss they
have sustained i'll the death of those who render
ed life, to them, most endearing and desirable.
In the sudden and total loss of the Hornet, and
her brave officers and crew, we are solemnly adj
monished of the uncertainty of life, and the utter
futility of all human calculations. 1t was but a
few DAYS previous to that tremendous hurricane,
which engulphed herin the great abyss, that some
of our citizens, then residing in Mexico, and
wishing to escape from the war and conyulsions
of that distracted country, embarked themselves
and their property on board, and claimed for
themselves, as Americans, the protection of that
ship; doubtless, anticipating a speedy return to
the bosom of their beloved families, and the en-
ioyment of social intercourse, in their own free
and happy land. But He who seeth not as man
seeth, had, in the %counsels of His wise and just,
though inscrutable providence, otherwise ordain-
ed; and it becomes lhe duty of all, whether So
Joeihhi Oh HS iohuS y" tS mighty
waters, to bow with submission to His sovereign
will, knowing, that however mysterious his dis
posal of his creatures may now appear, it will be
made manifest in that day, when, the earth and
the sea shall give up their dead"
This solemn and affecting Providence, by
which nearly two hundred of our fellow citizens,
in the full enjoyment of health and strength,
found a watery grave, calls loudly on all, and es-
pecially on those who follow the sea, in the en-
phatic language of divine inspiration, "Be ye al
so ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the
Son of Man cometh."
1t is extremely gratifying to perceive the bene-
violent efforts which of late, have been so extern
sively made, to improve the moral and religious
habits of our numerous seamen, and thereby to
promote their social and domestic happiness. 1t
must be c~onsoling to every friend of seamen, to
know that these pious and generous efforts in
their behalfhave already been crowned with great
success. Instances of intemperance among that
class of our fellow citizens are daily diminishing,
and, with the correction of that demoralizing ha-
bit, numbers of them have been saved from all
those m~iseries and vices. which foliowad IN ITO