The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-02-26
LIEUT. MOORE AND THE TEXAN
NAVY

/
To the Editor Of The Morning .Ne,cs:
address myself TO you, sir, on the present &C.
casion, not because you dstine uished advo
cate of The party, but because believe that you
have not
"Givcn up to party what was meant for man
kind;
that tor your brother men you still retain and are
prepared TO manifest your indignation against all
wrong, your sympathy with all just and hunora-
BILE feeling. Relying implicitly on this behalf, |
present to your attention the following sketch:
In 1887 the West India squadron, as that
portnh of the United States Navy devoted to
service in the Gulf of Mexico and the adjacent
seas was called, was commanded by the lamented
Dallas, one who, as gentleman and an officer
might have written on his shield % sans pear ct
sans reproche." Social in his nature, he had
drawn around him spirits sympathlsng with his
own, and there probably never was, in our own
or any other Navy, an assemblage of officers of
more heightened character, or more generous de
votlon to the flag to whose serv ice they were
pledged. Far down in their ranks one of the
youngest Leutenanis in their number left that
| flag for another. Let us not blame him too Sc
verely. He was good seaman, and we doubt
not a brave man, but with no higher qualities
than those of hundreds around him, he saw pro
motion and increase of pay far, far ahead in
the Navy of the United States while in that
OF Texas it immediate. Ii is true, other
officers resisted the same temptation, but that
was under the influence of that love Of their own
and their fathers land, which more philosophic
minds than Lent. Moore's pronounced preiu-
ldice.
! Little more than eight years have passed since
| the events we have thus briefly narrated, but to
many OF The actors In them those years have been
! full Of change. Dallas, the accomplished oentle
and oh nffioor L.
sleep on the shore of the Pacific He was s,rick
en- by the hand of death under the flag he loved
and IN the midst of the duties to which so much
OF his lite had been devoted OF the Cumnan-
ders and Lleutenants of that squadron, some, like
their noble Captain, have ceased from their la
bors and are at rest, but many still remain in the
service to which they have given the ardor of
their youth and the energies of their manhood
Most OF these retain the titles which then distin-
gulshed them, and receive The same pay They
have made no advance in the worlds wealth or
the worlds honors. Yet something they have
gained They have commanded frigales and
fleets-they have borne the flag they love hon
orabIy and proudly over many a sea, and in
circumstances of delicacy and danger have prov
ed their devotion to it, Thus they have gained
experience, skill, and that self reliance on which
so much of a Commanders power in moments of
peril depends. They hoped, too, that they gained
the confidence Of their country. She had not, il
is true, done all for them which they had hoped
she wonld-they had grown grey in waiting Tor
those rewards which in youth had seemed so near
them, but which now seemed farther from them
Than their graves-yet, loyal to the last, they
were ready to believe she had done for them ali
that she could
And what, IN the mean time, has become of
orr young Lieutenant who had Withdrawn from
their number, and from the service of his father
land, that he might win at once, and by one bold
stroke, The rank ard gold which she was slow TO
bestow? With the name of Commodore, he
has been placed in command of some halfdozen
vessels, the largest of them a small corvette with
which ne has sailed several times to and from the
United States. DO not mistake us, sir we
would not say word derogatury to Lieutenant
or Commodore MoOre's character. We have al.
ready said that for very young Lieutenant. he
was at the time he left our service, good sea
man, and we believed him then, and we believe
him now, 10 be brave man, who, had an oppor-
luniy been afforded him, would probably have
distinguished himself in the very favorable posi-
ton he has occupied. But we DENY, and chal-
lenge his warmest friends to prove that he has
had such an OppOrtunlty-ihat any occasion has
been afforded him To prove that he pUssessed
more skill as seaman, more experience as an
officer, or more daring as man, than belongs To-
GNtly ICoptOtdOIC i1GhlGUdUl III our service
And yet If report may be believed, this Young
Lieutenant who, had he never left our service,
would stand halfway down her list of Lieuten.
ants, is about to be elevated over the heads of bis
former Commanders--men to whom he is a how
in service, and well-nigh boy in years. Can
this be so, sir II it be, we will not blame the
President Of the United States, or the Secretary
Of the Navy, who, with their SOULS interest on
the great object Of annexibg Texas, may be ex
cused for making some false steps in attaining 10
it J but we may well ask where is the wisdom of
orr Senate, The constitutional advisers of the
Executive. the body by whose deliberations the
mistakes of that Executive may be repaired
We call upon that Senate, in the name Of Justice
and honor, TO protect the rights of the long tried
servants Of their country We call upon the
people, the great source and centre of power. and
upon the press, the peoples voice. to protest
against this measures, which confers on an adop
ted citizens such advantages over those who have
never reliuquished their allegiance to the United
States. And on what plea are these advantages
asked or granted Is it for having done our Go