The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-17
VISIT TO THE DELAWARE.

VISIT TO THE DELAWARE.
On Saturday last, the Secretary of the Navy, with
the other several heads of department, Except the
Secretary of the treasury with large number Of
Members Of Congress, small number OF ladies, and
few gentlemen official and others, who were foiu
nate as to be included in the invitation of the Hon
Secretary of the Navy and Commodore Morris, visited
the ineof battle ship Delaware, which had been pre-
viously ordered round by the Secretary from Norfolk
to Annapolis in order to afford Members of Congress
and other branches of the Government opportunity
of viewing ship of war fully manned and equipped
and ready for service. /
To the great disappointment of all the President
was not of the party-a circumstance which tended
joined in the On reaching Annapolis, after
rapid ride by railroad from Washington, the
pany visited the old State House so rich in historical
associations, and shown the precise spot in the
hall OF the Senate where stood he noble and dign6ed
form OF the Father of his Country, when, after his
military labors were ended, he resigned his sacred
trust. We venture to say that there one of
that large company Saturday who STOOD that spot
without periencing feeling of veneraon for the cha
racter of that great man-and gratitude for his ines
Unable services. The we'll selected library in the State
House visited, and was politely shown by the
librarian. Those who climbed the top of the lofty
dome OF the State House were richly compensat ed
their trouble by the surprisingly beautiful scenery
spread out before them. At their feet lay the venera
bic old town. its sngulary arranged streets radatine
from the State House common centre. The
time old church, surrounded by its grassy yard
and aged poplars, all looking like the rural church
yards in England of which read and telling many
a tale to the magination of Colonial days and Of the
times that tried mems souls, and bringing to view
throng Of revolutionary worthless who worshipped
and perhaps buried there. Beyond and around
| lay verdan and beautiful country forming striking
and agreeable contrast 10 the sterile and uninteresng
aspect of that through which we had passed in our
ride from Washington.
The beautiful river Severn comes in from the north
and gently sweeping round nearly encirces the town,
On the east, lay the Chesapeake bay, dividing from
the dmly discovered eastern shore of Maryland, and
stretching away its blue to the south the very
perfection Of summer sea"
The ship Delaware appeared magnlfcently, as seen
from this point. She lay quietly anchored some five
six miles off, southeasterly from the town looking
like some great monster taking his repose. Embarked
on board the steamboat, which the of our Commo-
dere had provided, the company were as
to the three formidable Of teeth Of this great
floating castle, and to admire the graceful taper Of her
masts and spars and the complicated regularity of her
rigging An universal exclamation of pleasure and
$, rprse burst from the lips of all, when, suddenly
stretching to the ends of the spars were the
hardy tars neatly dressed in white and in instant
in, uch
believe them any thing than stationary images There
they WERE piled up covering yard after yard suspend
ed at fearful height between the waters and the sky.
!" Hou beautiflip was the exclamation heard from
! the lips of many grave statesman and delighted
belle. After passing under the lofty stern, and ar
rived along side the ship, the process Of climbing
up over her sides, though nearly as high as the
top of a two story house, from the deck of the
steamboat, was easily accomplished And then,
what ,eorid presented itself on the deck of that
ship Such mass of human life crowded with
in her wooden walls in apparent confusion vet in
perfect order and rcguarly-all so warke and ormi-
dable yet cleanly and CONFERENCE.-The men arrayed
in order in companies and with their officers, station
ell at their respective gunsthe marines drawn up in
order their arms gltterng in the sun, and the brilliant
uniforms Of the fine looking officers every where add.
ing the briancy Of the scene, all presented sight
not to be forgotten Ivy those who witnessed it for
the first time A pleasing ceremony then took place,
the presentation to the Secretary Of the Navy OF all
the officers, from the Captain down to the youngest
little laughing boysh looking MILDLY.
salute was then fred from the /" big guns to the
great satisfaction of all who could stand fire" with.
out tnching, and to the great credit of the ladies
board It may be said after little experience in the
matter, nearly all of them we've included. The vari-
Gus cvolutons and exercises of the men were gone
through, the men beat 10 quarters and sham fght
:ook place in which all the guns were manned, the
ammunition passed round, and all preparations made
in such haste that all seemed chaos though each was
IN his place in an instant the fight began and such
! fight The laundering Of the big guns from both
sides and from three decks once the sharp crack Of
the muskets Of marines, and the carbncs and pistols