Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-17

ment which was ceded to you. He is told;
" oh, this is very wrong; you LETT your own
country and went and enlisted under the star OF
another and foreign government and that is
set down to the detriment Of this man. How
consistent are we? How just are We? Why,
sir, we may turn back 10 the history of our own
country and see illustrious examples directly in
point when we call upon the names of Lafayette
and his illustrious compeers. They rendered
assistance to us in our darkest days Of trial.
and our people render them the highest HON
age of gratitude and praise, and thanksgiving
Why is this? 1t is because Lafayette left his
own government and came here to enlist under
the banner of feeble people, struggling for
liberty and selfgovernment. The nations graf
itude is poured out to him. Here, however, a
man doing precisely the same thing, increased
only by the consideration that he was going to
fight the battles of his own countrymen, who
were flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone, and
kindred Of his kindred, it is said, is not entitled
to the gratitude or the thanks of this govern
ment when your statute book is filled with de-
monstrations Of the nations gratitude for men
who performed precisely the same service.
But, Mr.. President, suppose you incorporate
this remnant of the Texan navy into the Amer
lean navy. You do no wrong; you do no injus-
tice; you deprive no man of his rank; you de-
prive no man of his chances of promotion; you
simply add this number to your navy. Is that
anything new under the sun? Is it anything new
in the history Of this government? Why, sir,
your statutebook is literally filed with such
cases. Have you not gone into the ranks of
private life. and put men into your army? Take
the case of the distinguished Senator from Hi
nois, Mr.. Shields He was taken from the
walks of private life and made general So
with the President of the United States. He
was taken from private life and made general
might 60 on with an interminable list of such
cases in the army. You have done the same
thing in the navy. / will refer to one case.
You took French officer, and incorporated
him into the American navy into the same pc.
sition which he had held in the French navy.
The marine committee, to whom was referred
| the letter from Baron Steuben, recommending
Captain Landas, report that they have had a con-
| ference with Captain Landais; that he produced
brevet commissions OF his being lieutenant and
and captain in the navy Of France also contnen-
| tal commission, dated March /, 1777, appointing
| him captain of the ship Reureaux, or Flammand,
which commission is accompanied with letter
| from Silas Deane, Esq"
| THAT Mr.. Deane, in letters TO the marine COM
miitee recommends Mr.. Landais in the strongest
Terms"
{" ResOirea That Captain Landais be continued as
captain in the navy of the United Stntes.'-Jonr-
mails IF Congress. A. d., IT'S, p. ST.
No complaint was made of that. No cry
Of injustice was heard then. That any man
| in the American navy should be now found
raising his voice in opposition to this PROPOSE.
ZION is matter of astonishment to me. This
proposition is simply to increase the navy by
the number of eight officers. That is all. You
are increasing, without objection, your officers
in all the civil departments of life and in the
army. Why may you not incorporate eight
men into the navy Of the United States without
perpetrating an injustice on the navy of the
United States? Are we not bound, as just
and generous people, to do it? When you an
| nexed Texas to the United States you had
power, with her consent, to do it. Here were
Two sovereignties combining together to ac-
complish great national purpose, the ANAL
gamation of two republics Now, are we pre-
pared to say that the little remnant of her
gallant navy, which helped 10 secure the liber-
! ties of that republic, the benefits of which you
and are enjoying to-day, shall be turned loose
| upon the world, Invested Of their profession at
an advanced period Of life, to seek some new
avocation, or TO starve and die of penury or
neglect? Is that compatible with the dignity
the magnanimity, the generosity Of a liberal
ard enlightened people-ofa constituency such
as yours and mine?
MIR. President, have not the strength to pro-
long this debate, and i feel that it would be a
| trespaSs on the Senate to do it but there are
few other points on which must touch be.
! fore conclude. Another question for our con-
sideration Is, whether the men proposed TO be
incorporated into the American navy are wor-
| thy of such Incorporation If believed that
a single one of this number was unworthy of
association with the officers of the American
navy, should be prepared to exclude him and
! to incorporate the remnant. / believe, how
ever, that no charges have been preferred
/ against any Of them save one, and that one is
( Commodore Moore. As said before, / shall
have nothing TO do with private ouarrels be.
tween him and others; but so far as the charges
against him are Of pnblic character, and con.
nected with the records Of the country have
and shall have something TO do.
| Ii has been alleged that this man is unwor.
thy Of association with the American navy, that
he has been guilty Of deeds which render him
| obnoxious to the censure Of every honorable
man, and Of every patriot. What are the
charges against him. One is that he has been
guilty Of murder. Upon what ground is that
charge attempted to be maintained / have
before me the records Of the country; have
looked into them, and they show the facts
| which / will state.
There was a mutiny on board one Of the
ships OF the Texan navy, ship upon which
Commodore Moore was not present, and which
he did not command. That mutiny occurred
in the port Of New Orleans. The lieutenant OF
the vessel was killed, and two or three of its
officers we're wounded. The men we're arrested
/ by the authorities Of New Orleans, and placed
in prison. That fact was communicated 10 the
! government Of Texas, and the President OF
Texas issued an order to the authorities oil
/ Louisiana to surrender those men who were
charged with this mutiny and murder, as will
be seen BY the following authentic record:
DEPARTMENT or WA AND MARINE,
September Is, 1912.
| SIR: Your communication Of the 9TH instant
with the accompanying correspondence had be
tween yourself and his Excellency A. b. Roman
| governor OF the State Of Louisiana, upon the sub
Ject Of the detention, by the authorities OF tina,
State, ofsundry prisoners,( Texas seamen) charged
with mutiDy board the schooner OF war San
Antonio, while lying in the Mississippi river. In
4 the month of February last, and the murder n,