The New York herald., 1845-10-20
THE NAVAL HERoHs
OF THE LAST WAR.
Commodore Stewards Vindicat0ry
Statement.
NEAR Bonprrrowr, N. j.. Oct. 10,


Statement.
NEAR BoRpENro OWN, N. J., Oct. 10, ls45
The various notices and comments upon certain pas
sages in the history Of the late by Charles nger
soil Esq havsng reference to the decision of ths Presi
Dor Of New York. and not to employ at during the
wharf.-the doubts expressed to the accuracy Of this
been publicly stated doubtless proceeding from Mr.
gorsol in the correspondence Of the Wassgton Union
that the account published in his work has been derived
from mcrsnder it proper and advisable that should
make certain statements this resng passage in
the rsva and political history of the United States
which will place T. as well as the agency Of the late
Commodore cambridge and Myself with respect to it. in
proper and accurate view before the public for all time
to come In order to do SO properly It will be necessa
ry to refer to end comment upon much that has been
said BY the public press well inac-
curaces and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. into which Mr. Ingerso
tivss of cambridge and myself My "reminiscences,
consisting partly of facts and partly Of conversations
FORM and in detail which will present an opportunity
for better comparison and test by other facts either Of
record or existing in the memories of persons living
and sustained Dy other corroboratng circumstances to
First To show how far am amenable to the charge
Of having furnished information to Mr. Ingersoll dero-
gatory to the character of Commodore Banbrdge and
acknowledging im Are and selfish motives in efforts
to get the ships ordered to sea by Mr. Madison avail
myself OF the opportunity TO transcribe part of let
ter to Mr. lngerso receiving from him the extract
from his work speaking Of this transaction, which will
presented by him; and which was done, aso to enable
him to correct the errors and unjust mputatons before
'ne work had passed through the press -, 80.
Sin 81 received last evening your note of the 18th
inst (post marked the 2Oth) with the two passages from
on your history % the war Isa with Grea Brtsn
regret exceedingly that you did not yeu promised
me in May last, show me the manuscript narrative prior
to the publication that part relating to the employ.
men OF the vessels Of war instead Of keeping them in
the port Of New York for the defence Of that city Had
/ he ma hav lad N
rect several in account of that AFFAIR."
and to have satisfied you that the motives which you
our that occasion have foundation in TRUTH
but that quite the reverse was the We had both
camille enterprises, which had been prosecuting for
more than four years. ION furlough) in various parts Of
the world, having each of us realized fortune ample
To this MIR Ingerso replied, saying that, if would
wait until saw he volume Of his earnest effort to ee-
vate the American Navy, and Commodores Bainbrdge
and Stewart Of glorious founders by the ex-
poits Of the Of 1922 must be convinced that any
disParagement Of either of them thought he never
The volume has now appeared, in which the follow
ing passages occur, which certainly must 60 down
at was the mere remonstrance Of a couple of naval
onicer against being deprived of their livelihood which
before
Stewart had built privateer called the Snapper,
eventually commanded by Captain Peregrine Green,
Capes In that privaeer deprived the authority to 60
forth in figaes these gentlemen propose to seek their
tain or frst officer II was not with them therefore.
matter of mere national character they to be
moved entirely by puerie or unselash
They wanted fortune we'll fame livelihood besides
dstnctlon the Navy was laid mp, they saw their
cupaton gone for all advancement and all acquisition
The report Of the Naval Committee of the House Of
Representatives of lsll2 prior to the declaration Of
war, OF which the Hon. Langdon Cheeves chairman,
quoted az evidence that Congress had not abandoned
the Navy as efficient of protection and defence
the sea- 1t seems to me- If the action of Congress that
abandoned the Navy an efficient arm in the war then
contemplated, and reposed confidence in it efec
tual or important against the naval power of England
Had Congress sdepted that report mesgre prov
on were and appropriated the money to build the ten
ngatss and to purchase the timber recommended, as
Well az for constructing the dock for repairing vessels Of
war, would have been some evidence that Congress
meant to sustain the Navy had that body gone fur
Navy in 1911 would have furnished emphatic evidence
70 the President and his Cabinet to its constituents and
h e .aa .he Navy was not only to De sustained %
tive way for the prosecution of the the ocean to
vndcate the honor and to the interests Of the
nation while battling for he rights Of sailors" But their
almost total disregard of the committees report and Of
the Secrstarys opinions and recommendations furnishes
strong presumpve evidence that they expected nothing
from the Navy Indeed after ships had achieved by
their prowess the most splendid victories the reluctance
Of Congress to sanction the bill providing for four 74s
only speaks in language too strong to be
propristons recommended in that report.
other vessels for four ships passed the Senate by
large majority; in the House OF Represen,a it met
majority q three votes On this OCCASION Mr. r..
Calhoun, (who boarded IT the house did, when
ne returned from tho House of suggest
ed tue idea OF putting Congress in better humor with
the navy. This suggestion promptly acted on and a
na and party were given on board the Constellation
gra6ed Mr. Calhoun took advantage Of this and call
e. for reconsideration, which carried and that por
ton OF the bill relating to the 74s was rerserted and
" a m V 0f al " +
ngersou will credit me- also, with of those ships
for the purpose Of plumber, set of for the $500
would have been strange bribe poor navy captain
who wanted broad and fortune.
far strenuous and liberal in their appropra
ons for ships than were the advocates Of the war and
they contributed to sustain the navy until
on the ocean and the lakes became frequent, that
some persons began to fancy it was not becoming q
moral and religious people rejoice in their victories
In these facts cannot but that Congress expect
cd nothing from the navy as an auxiliary in the
ton Of the war and as they exercised instructive
rover the decisions of the President and cabinet
to fisk tho ships at may have been in accordance
with the views Of that body.
This being determined on, the next question was,
mission for which appropriations have been made for
me year" Congress had made no provision but left
send them to sea- to lay them up Looking back to
with which the British seized New York and its waters
war; it natural that the President and his cabinet
should feel anxiety for the safety of that great
merciai emporum andthey readily embraced PROPOSE.
ton OF the Secretary Of the Treasury to
pioy eur ships in the defence Of that port.
In June 1884, the United States entered on with
Great Britain All will admit now, that longer subms.
sion to insult pd injury eternal dshonor and that
we had no alte native but Without the means Of
striking e6icien at England, her colonies by sea,
Congress made appropriations for the land service,
for the purpose attacking and subduing the Canadas
in the hope that er acquisition would be harbin
ger Of An these views of the government st
kngly evdenccdin the b anslaton Of seamen from
the ships on the seaboard to tho lakes the excessive
maments Lake Ontario and the turning Of the whole
military aud hacal resources Of the country to the north
ern frontier The anxiety Of the government to obtain
possession OF these provinces, grew out Of desire to
have something which might be yielded to England as an
equivalent for the abandonment Of system Of lawes
blockadss, and still moro lawless impressment and
permanent and satisfactory peace. And the government
were induced to increase their efforts in that direction
under the belief that the Canadians would joyfully