The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-28
HANDSOME COMPLIMENT TO THE FIFTH
AUDITOR.

II gives us much pleasure to lay before our read
ders the following correspondence, which has pass
ed between the committee of the town Of Balti-
more, and Stephen Pleasanton, esq, the 5,h Auditor
of the United States. Ii is a tribute paid to him
for his great exertions in putting the lighthouse
Enlistment, which it his duty to superintcnd, on
the proper footing.
The gold medal, which is referred TO in the cor
respondence, is handsomely described follows,
in the Baltimore Sun of the 23d inst:
"TRBurE OF MERIr.-We on Saturday had the
pleasure of examining very handsome gold medal,
prepared under the direction of number of the ship
ping merch ants of our city, and others connected
with the commerce of this port, and which is to be
presented to Stephen Peasanton, esq, 9Th Auditor
of the Treasury Department at Washington, as
mark of the high estimation in which they hold the
service he has rendered the shipping interest gene
rally by his interchangeable exertions in maturing and
carrying out IN his official capacity az superinien-
dent of lighthouses, the lighthouse system at
present established throughout the United States
The close and devoted attention Of Mr.. p. to the
particular department Of his duties alluded TO, as
well the discharge Of the other obligations I'M
posed upon him by his official station, have richly
/ merited this compliment. The high character Of
the present lighthouse system, under his manage
ment, abr,ad as well as at home, NAV be inferred
from the following language Of Mr. Fesnel, at that
time engineer and superintendent Of French light
houses, In a letter upon the subject, dated 25h
August, ls43-'ther administration (,hat Of our
ghhouses) has acquired the best right 10 the graf
i,ude of all maritime nations for the immense ser
vices which il has afforded to navigation for so many
years" @E& .f#tEEs ~ #HEr.
''The medal is of octagon form. with richly
chased border, surmounted by handsome scroll,
forming the loop to which the fastening is to be at
tached. II 10 three and quarter inches in diane
ter The surface of each side 10 superbly polished;
and the front stands, in bold relief gold light
house, built upon rock, the base Of which is lash.
ed by the angry waves, while on the back is the IN
scrip,ion, TO the Hon. Stephen Pleasanton, 5th
Auditor Of the Treasury Department of the United
States, and superintendent Of light houses, th. med
al is presented by the shipping merchants and 9TH
ers connected with the commerce of the city OF Ball
timore, a token Of their high appreciation OF his
eminent services in building up and presiding over
the present lighthouse system Of the country The
weight of this beautiful article is aeventy-two PEN
nyweights; and the whole cost ono hundred dollars
Ii is the work OF those excellent artists, Messrs A.
z. Warner g. Sons, Of this city, and will well
tain the high reputation they have already acquired
for the skill and beauty displayed in their manu-
features generally. The inscription engraved
by Capt. James NJ. Anderson, in his usual happy
style Of workmanship"
1t is decidedly one Of the most beautiful produc
tons of the arts have ever SEEM in ingenious de-
sgn as well as elegant execution. IL was preseDeu
on the Oath inst, in MIR. Pleasanton's Office in pres
Of the officers Of his bureau by the two gentle
men of the committee whose names are subjoined
to the letter. They were introduced to him by Mr.
Glles, the member Of Congress from the city Of Bal
timoTe.
Mr. Picasanton's letter is interesting. II exhibits
the expansion which the light house system has re-
oeivcd and the number Of lighthouses light-shps,
&c, which are now 10 be found in the United
States. .....
STEPHEN PLEAsAsToS, esq
DEAR SIN In behalf Of the shipping merchants
and commercial men Of the city OF Baltimore, we
beg your acceptance the accompanying medal. For
many years we have watched with interest your la
bors IN furtherance Of the lighthouse system OF tins
country, and, feeling as we DO, that success has
crowned your efforts, and that are now blessed
with the most economical, best sdapte 7, and adj
mirable system known we have thought u due that
some public appreciation Of your official conduct
should be given. II the testimonial itself Is slight
sir, our estimate Of your talents asa public man,
and your worth rs q private eiizen--our appreca-
ton Of your hdelty integrity, and economy 10 the
administration of the lighthouse deparmentis not
on that account diminished.
IN performing the pleasing duty which some Of
our 61ov-ei,iEsns have imposed upon US, we take