The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-03-27
VOL. VINO. 40.
THE FREE TRADER.
OTTAWA, In.. Friday, March ~. Isae
An Inioresiiug Speech.


no matter that will be read with more interest
than the suhjoined speech OF Mr.. WExrwoRrH.
1t was made in the lower house Of congross on
the 2s,h ut., under circumstances that are cr-
plained by the proceedings of the honsc which
we prefix by way oiintroduciion. The speech, Il
will he perceived was purely ex,emporsneous, and
speaks well for the head as for the hear, Of iis
author We copy it from the reports OF Union.
Friday, Feb. 27th, being the day set apart for
the consideration Of private clan,s, number of
bills having been called and objected TO-, vera.
under the rule, passed over wi,hou, consideration,
(Which, as it placed them q. the end of the calen-
der where they would not again be reached, WAS
equivalent to their deteat;) when the bill grant =
, ing pension to Orris Crosby was called and
read, as was also Tie report Of the committee, set
! ting forth the facts in the case, as follows;
"That, upon the commencement of the war be-
tween Great Britain and the United States in
1912, he was in Upper Cauady; that he was
called upon to take up arms against his county.
which he refused In do; that on tho morningof
the 9Th June, 1873, he was arrested by SER
geant' guard, and carried by them to Dover, and
'irNc DNeIsoH creek, WueTe II pOrtton OF tuef
British forces and their fleet lay TINT he was
then put in irons, and suffered very harsh trent.
ment; that on thu nigh, Of the l7th of July he
was put on board Of the British fleet, with the
avowed intention Of compelling him to fight in
the action that was hourly expected that on
the 10Th September, Just before the battle COM
menced, he was ordered to cheer with the Others;
this he refused 10 do, whereupon the first lieu.
tenant threatened to shoot him. and V>en the
hattie commenced the first lieutenant told him
be should fight or he would shoot him; he still
refused. and went below. when the lieutenant
several times sent for him, and ordered him to
| come on deck and fight, or I've shot; that he
utterly refused to fight upon which the lieuten-'
ant drew pistol and shot him in the right breast,
, that the shot passed into the lungs that he fell
and was nearly suiioca,ed with his own blood;
that the wound thus inflicted occasioned a diss.
hi,y which has increased upon him with age.
7 until he finds himself utterly disqualified to oh
: tain living by labor. The petition is verified
Ivy the oath of the petitioner and the facts stated
therein are substantially proven by other disn-
terested witnesses. Upon this state OF facts. he
, applied at the war department for a pension. but
the commissioner of pensions declined granting
a pension, upon the ground that the pension
laws now in force did not authorize him 10 grant
pension In any case except when the disability
, was occasioned to the pensioner while he wss
technically in the service of the United States,
f! hut stating at the same time, that his case was
merl,orlous one, and that congress would not fail
, to grant relief Now in this case it is to be re-
marked (says the committee who reported the
[. blll) that u man may as etlec,uslly serve his
:, county by refusing under the penalty Of death,
-, TO fight against it when on board, as prisoner.
a hostile vessel actually engaged, as if he were
tc~h in mi. ofh
y men; and although he certainly does not come
w,thn the letter Of the law, yet, in the judgment
Of every one, he must very clearly come within
its equity. 900 ID IT
n 'The Incorporating patriotism Of Mr.. Cros-
= by is ahundantly proven, not only by the act
which occasoned the disability, hut by his char
acter and conduct both before and afier that
II event, and is mast strcngl eyinced Nv bis Join.
y ing the American army whilst yet suffering from
/ his wound and continuing in the service until
the close Of the war. The committee observe
- that America rewards those whose patriotic de-
= voton subjects them to injury fromihej brutality
o bastard foe, and therefore report bill for his
> relief, and recommend its passage"
After this repor, had been read abe words II
Object" were indlsinctly heard. MIR. Wentworth
II rose AMI said he could scarcely conceive that any
VI $. G.. rose and said 81 object Mr. w. then
i said tina, if the objection To this hill was persist
:. ed n he should feel himself justified in ohjec,isg
k to every other bill the calender let their me-
hts be VIVA, they might, ond it would not be worn
q while to consume the time of the committee in
: calling them over$ Mr. W. persisted, and the
E CO mmi,tee rose.
q Saturday, Feb. 2Stb, the journal having been
read, Mr.. Sims asked leave to make a personal
, explanation. Leave having been granted, he sent
to the clerks table to be read the report Of the
proceedings Of the day previous, as given above,
and then proceeded to say. that from this report
'o granting pension to 0ris Crosby from person.
- al or coptious considerations; which was not tue
Is case. lie conceived an important principle 10 bs
l. involved. From the report Of the COMMITTEES il
appeared that Orris Crosby had been a res,den,
! Of Canada at the commencement of the last wsr
ld and had continued to reside there IL months az
ter war had been declared and was, al the time
I'd for all the house knew British subject. in which
ne case he was clearly entitled no protection from
this government. MIR. $. dwel, at some eng,l
on this point, and having concluded
to Mr.. WENTWORTH said he had I
H. personal explanation to make in an
Id swer to the gentleman from Soutl
to Carolina. When the private-bil
calendar was red over under thu
rule of the house making no bill de
all batable on that day, he saw severa
, a members Directing to bills reported
unanimously from committees in ia
of vor of pensioning the war-worn We
IN terans of the revolution, and tn
yer wounded and disabled soldiers Of tn
ye, last war, whose cases were not CO
Ice vered by our present restrictive an
self parsimonious pension-laws, an
on which bills he was confident the
to knew nothing about. By-and-by, II
ra- case of Orris Crosby was called
ore he thought if the report was on
the read, that case, above all other
ned would have no objection. The =
still mort was read. and this poor soldl