The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-26
THE NAVY.

within Itself, the seeds OF its mortality Its Of
dcers are said to be skukers from duty afflicted with
raging epidemic, carable only by Tie medicinal
virtues of the White Sulphur Springs. To them is
imputed forgetfulness that they have given them
selves 10 their counIry-ther services, yea to The
sacrifice of their lives, for The splendid mainte-
naaee they hare hsrete fore receiued" omtcenpto
hundred dollars per month according 10 grade, be-
sides the great rewards bestowed upon them !" tper
scouting Courts Martial degradingiy turned from
their commands Offices at The beck Of anderling
Of the Nary Department j and the rank bestowed
upon them" [Captaias for forty yearsl for their
faithful and gallant services.
"That, notwithstanding the honorable badge they
wear" [their Rpery,l (which stamped them gentle
men !" [his is information 10 the officers, that
they not gentlemen until they got into their uni
forms, accorded to them by their generous country
They seem TO think the feelings and motives which
impel man." BLACK or white,l ito handle spade
or shovel" perhaps 10 carry bod alsol for his
daily bread, are those which inspire them" [tac
Mary e6eersl TO WELD their swords" and that as
lazy louis, skukers from their work. whenever they
can live without it, so do "Mey the defenders of
the country, think they have right 10 quarter and
feed on the vals of that country, suck her blood
get all they can, and do as little as possible in re-
| turn"
These are the principles and spirit now said to
pervade every grade in the Navy, which bid "de-
hance TO Mr.. Dickerson, or any other man living
TO bring back to that glorious high water mark
where once il foated through the impossibility of
making heroes out of men, possessing the maxims
and principles of COOLERS and thinkers"
Shades of Madison and Monroe look down up
on that once gallant little Navy of your country le
you by Jefferson! Adams and jackson behold
the PROSTATE condition of the Marine, which your
Administrations had consummated; how honorable
70 your rule, TO your patriotism, your skill and your
integrity,
Excellent men! what a noble return you have
hiaae your country Tor the confidence your fellow
citizens reposed in you thus to fill the ranks If ina,
once gallant little corps with lazy louis and tood
eaters" and creating in it discomfort and iealousies
thereby rendering its members undistinguishable
from F." cut troats and cut purses"
What noble selection from the youths of your
Republic, you have furnished for our future Navy
possessing nought save the sublime "narims and
principles of eoblers and iakers Of whom it is i'm
possible to make heroes" And at what cost to your
country? Upwards Of serenity millions of dollars
This, then, is the charge which the official organ of
your successor makes against you. Ilusrious states
men was it for this, that venerable Senators became
the simple and the supple recorders of your will and
OF your edicts Was il for this that they sanctioned
/ your promotions and appointments TO the Navy?
Was for this that they assented to the restoration
their ranks OF the broken, the cashiered, and the
worthless? Was it for this, that they have autho-
rized the oversaugh of vaor skill and merit sick
ening, thereby, the hearts of their possessors and
loading them with the agony Of hope deferred
This the reward to men,
"Who through fire, and food
Through battle and blood"
sustained for SO many years, in every cline, and on
every sea, the honor and the interests of your Ad-
ministrations, and your country-and who have
hung your halls Of office with the proud trophies of
their triumph y #..
Spirit of Decatur look down upon the dcgene-
racy of that service 10 which you were welded, and
the glory of which, your selcsacrifcing devotion so
highly promoted Was it for this, you prostaed the
enemies Of your country, in so many battles? For
this your gallant deeds spread such blaze of glory
throughout the East? For this, that you tore the
triple cross (Britain's emblem of her Wanted
power) from the Macedonian, to decorate the ban
quoting hall Of our political metropolis? Was it
for this that you FRUSTRATED the barbaric foe and die
taedto his master (the Dey of Algiers) peace for
your country, on your own terms, on the quarter
deck Of your own vessel Was it, indeed, for low
ing too much this now degene ate service, that you
finally left the world?
1t may be proper 10 particularize little respect
ing the circumstances to which we have just alluded
Had the Navy Department granted to Commodore
Barron, the Court of Inquiry before the duel be-
tween him and Decatur, that they did afterwards,
that unfortunate rencounter would never have hap
| pened: for no one would have been more ready 10
| acknowledge the innocence of Commodore Barron
than Commodore Decatur of all the vile suspicious
that had been cast upon him by vicious, designing
| and wicked men, Nor would Commodore Barron
have been allowed opportunity to clear himself
of all these aspersions, but that 1t thought, after
the fall of Decatur, it would be popular measure.
Commodore Decatur destroyed the frigae Phila-
delpha in gallant manner, under the batteries of
Tripoli during the seige of that city, by the Naval
| force under the command of Commodore Prcble
He also boarded and captured two Of their gunboats
in succession with the one he commanded and the
latter of the two, with only eleven men, killing and
capturing fory-ive of the Tripolians.
! Commodore Decatur always extremely
sitive on every thing connected with the honor of
the Navy. The smallest reflection cast on any Off
Ger, if permitted to pass unexplained, was sure TO
ruin that officer in his estimation.
The gallant Perry, too, what was his fate2 He
who could "meet the enemy" and say that 1" they
are ours" how was he treaed1 For having pressed
for trial by Court Martial, Of one who he charg
ed with having aspersed his conduct during the en-
gagement on Lake Erie pretext was found to send
him away to perish in the Mangroveswamps border
ing the river Orinoco, in Spanish America. He
was buried at the Island of Trinidad with all the
honors of conferred at this last ceremony on his
remains, by the BRIrIsH GARRISON, and attended BY
all the Military, Civil and Naval officers at the
place. Would such honors have been bestowed on
his memory, under the orders of Secretary ThomP-