The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-05-11

unaccountable feature which is exposed in the FOLLOWING
article from the Boston POST 1t the only unplean,
circumstance which has met notice in the whole pro-
ceedngs, and its appearance is douby odous this yey
account With no other exception, Capt Forbes seems
to have performed his mission in spirit worthy OF H.
and we wonder that he should have allowed it 10 be
mared, it has been, by the iconceived and l-tmed
communication in which Mr.. s. C.. Phillips degraded
himself by attempting TO degrade his country. We sin.
cerey hope that its publication abroad was the result of
nadyerence rather than design yet even careessness
in such case is almost beyond excuse, while deliberate
y publish is nothing short OF what the "Boston POST
has declared it-treachery
The letter itself is one of which any man should be
ashamed 1t sezes the occasion OF general charity 10
circulate partisan views, and the money which ii con.
veys osensbly for the Irish poor becomes thus only the
price of advertising foreign newspaper IFS own shame.
full calumnies upon the American government. Had
they appeared in federal journal of Massachusetts,
they would have excited no astonshment, either
from their viruence their author but nothing ex-
coed the meanness of attaching them to great public
enterprise and sending them the at the
pense in part least, of patriots and honest men, Mr.
Phillips had no right to pacard his political opinions
upon the cargo of the Jamestown, and those who fur
nshed that cargo never intended that should be used
for the purpose OF propagatng Salem federalism among
the starving population of Ireland. The idea OF making
politics a question of "bread bread" is not in
own republic, without high precedent; but Mr. Phil
lips need fear no competitor, if he shall claim the honor
of first introducing the doctrine to famine stricken peo
pie abroad Such was not the feeling OF the democratic
Congress which authorized the Jamestowns mission,
the republican Secretary OF the Navy who placed her
charge of Capt Forbes of the benevolent citizens who
contributed to her freight outfit without distinction
either of religion of party and if therefore, such
the disposition of Mr. Phillips, common decency required
of him that he should keep it to HIMSELF and not endea
vor to share its responsibility with those who regard the
whole doctrine of his letter with utter adherence
The precise point OF his complaint against the admins
aton is far less manifest than his general disposition
to abuse it, and part of his letter doubtless the result
of ignorance The Joint resolution of Congress autho
rized the Jamestown to be sent either as public or
private ship The Department preferred to send her as
private ship for reasons which are given in its own
letter below. Had if embraced the other alternative it
must have taken her from Capt Forbes and differed her
from the navy; it must have provided her with
when its public ships waiting in port for the want
of men, it must have diminished her cargo by keeping
board her armament and providing other arrangements
without which no national vessel could properly go to
sea in time of war and it would have made the whole
mission less acceptable to Great Britain by giving to the
charitable offerings of people the aspect of a favor
done by government The selection of the Department
doubtless wise and met fully the wishes of Congress
and since it the only one which could have left
Capt Forbes his command, hardly believe that
will be very resoutey censured, by MIR. Phillips
But if Mr. p complains of the Department for not paying
all the expenses Of the ship, well furnishing herfor
the voyage citizen captain, he complains of it only
for not violating the law The Secretary not author
lied to do any than place the ship the disposal Of
Capt Forbes unless he saw fit to send her to
public vessel; and in the latter case, she would have
been made public in her officers well as in her
penses
What was really done by the Department and all that
done, under the joint resolution, will be in the
letters which publish below, and which have been
oblgngly furnished to us, request from the pub
JIG records They will be found in all respects approp
e and courteous well in strict compliance with
the directions of Congress They indicate, to be sure
desire in the Department to employ vigorously all the
means at its disposal for the purpose of procuring speedy
and honorable peace but this disposition will hardly be
condemned except among those who deem it "unbecom-
ing moral religious people to rejoice Ameri
victories and for the opinions of this class of per-
the Secretary of the Navy, we believe, has no es
pecial reverence