The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-03-27

missed to protect their persons, property.
and rights, This proclamation the young
man dil genIy circulated. Finally he
was arres,ed Tor s.iition, roned, and i'm
prisoned .. ltr ersun's creek, The ,ce
he was pat on boald OF Com. Barclays
fleet. Ia to- engagement with Commo-
dore Perry, Just before action commen-
cel, IN order Ia train him for fight
agalns, lis country, lie was ordered 10
cnce. Wih the British soldiers, or be shot
Bra he rtluSed. After the tigh. common
Ted, lieutenant sent for HIM several
times and ordered him to fight. But he
as often refused. Finally, the lieutenant
shot AT him and hit him in his right breast.
As he liy ainos, suilocaled with blood
the lieutenant ,old him that he should
tire again unless he consented TO fight
The student sighed, Fire away. Death
before dishonor." A. the lieutenant was
raising tie pistol Tor second fire, as a
Just Providence would have ii, a ball
from pcrry's fee, launched him into
eternity. lie was recaptured by Com
modore Perry, and set a, liberty by Ge-
neral Harrison. But disabled as he was
by this sho, in his breast, he served
through the war, and received an honor
able discharge as surgeons mate.
When the committee made the report,
they could not find this discharge. Ii has
since been found, and he ough, now 10
have S25. so per month instead of $500.
The name OF this gallant man. who told
the dead coward to murder, but not dis
honor him. Is Orris Crosby. He has
had too much pride TO ask his govern
menl for pension, until reduced not only
to entire bodily disability, but TO extreme
poverty. Shall we withhold the piliable
sum our pension laws grant to cases Of
this kind! Aner this rehearsal Of his
wrongs, the proof Of which is positive
on your table, sir. who will. who can
say. IL object" Who will say that a
more merliorious case has ever been pre-
senled TO congress
Aside from strict justice, sir. am FOR
pensloning all the old soldiers, 20 encour-
age the groulh of valor and patriotism in
these cautious, calculating, selfish, mer.
cenary days. Encased by their SCARED,
shattered, and decrepii bodies. are souls
more sensitive TO the honor Of their cOun-
ny lhan belong to the mass Of men who
10 much TO mould the public sentimen,
of the times. And WORKOUT, and feeble,
md poor as this humble applicant for the
meagre piilance doled on, by our be-
CRU dying pension law is, sincerely be-
lieve he would turn out himself and fight
before. he would consent to The surrender
Of an inch of American soil. Av. sir,
did our country require ii, believe he
would DO what his feeble frame could
endure to !. DIST The American stripes and
stars upon the plains Of Abraham, and
enfranchise that people, for spreading Ii
beral sentiments among whom he wa. ar
rested on charge Of sedilion. The events
Of every days occurrence speak to US in
A warning voice to pension the poor and
disabled brave, as We once had them, and
now reap the reward Of their sacrifices
and valor. Time was, sir, when our
people unanimously preie rred death to
dishonor-when no British o,tcer dare
kidnap one Of our citizens or burn one OF
our steam boats. But in this COLI, cow
ardly, craven age. we seem TO be trying
the extent and power Of national en-, 'nr-
ance. lnfIngements Of our rights are
overlooked. exorbitant Gamands are ac-
guessed in, and direct offers Of portion
OF our country TO Great Britain 10 pur-
chase disgracelul ard temporary peace,
are not only made, but they are so uni
versalIy approved that they excite no
surprise and the only question is, not
shall we cowardly surrender any portion
Of our common country, but, how much
will satisfy Grea, Britain For this wide |
spread national maady, prescribe liber-
al pensions to the old soldiers as bounty
for the encouragement of patriotism,
which | fear is grossly wanting in the |
political leaders Of the rising generation.
il we ever want men TO fight for our ter
rliorial rights it will help us much that
we have done justice TO those who have
fought before. My motto is, do justice
to the old soldier and stand by our rights.
Then, if war come, the result would GER
tainIy rebound to our victory and honor.
TO doubt this when we know our cause
is just one-when all say and believe
our title to all of Oregon is clear aad in
disputable-would be to question the
courage of our countrymen and doubt the
justice of Almighty God, who crowned
The American arms with success, not tina,
ours might be the only abode of liberty
on earth. bu! that i. nigh, be the grea,
centre whence should radiale the ligh, of
religious and political freedom, until the
whole world should be blessed with lis
Cooi.-We experienced piece Of as.
'urance on small scale, on SUNDAY
morning, which was cool enough to send
he thermometer down a few DEGREES