Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-22
SOtal ann persunal.


AhS wan WhU SaWSu oh tho
1t is within The recollection of many persons
that during the administration OF General Jack
son, much excitement was caused by the
figure head affair" A full length statue, in wood
| Of The venerable President had been put upon
the old ship Constitution, and in the dead OF night
il was removed Several months ago, cores
pondent of one of the newspapers furnished The
| following statement in relation TO the subject:
A few years since, in company with friend,
called on the venerable Mahlon Dickerson, at his
residence, near Dover, Morris county, New Jersey,
and after politely showing us over his grounds
and iron .mines, he took us through his extensive
library, and while giving us detail OF his books,
and the history of many of them, he also laugh
ingly told us the story of the fgure-head which
was looking down US fromthe upper shelf lie
said:
:" You know at the time this occurred, was
Secretary of the Navy, and that Government had
offered reward for the apprehension OF the per-
petralor of the outrage. Well, one day | was
sitting in the office, when sailor walked IN with
a bundle in his hand, and asked if was the Sec
rotary of The Navy! He went on TO say:
'You offered a reward for the one that cut off
the fgure-head of Gen. Jackson +"
"Yeso
al am tie man.
And untying his budget, placed before the
il could mean. | asked him who helped him 10
do it,"
Nobody"
How did you do il ~
~ rowed out alone, climbed up in the chains,
and sawed il off, attempted 10 saw II of through
the neck at first, but the saw struck bolt, and
had to saw il through the mouth.
How did you manage 10 escape being seen by
the watch z"
"Humph. swear there wasn't any light, nor
a man deck"
WHO got you TO do this
Nobody, and nobody knows H."
Why did you do II; don't you like General
Jackson? 2"
Yes, am Jackson man, and | have no OBJ
lection TO his buSf being on Old lronsides, but
don't believe in ucholeiengh figure head, and II
YOU put il back again, d-n me il don't saw II of
again"
"In cons uItation with the President the cues
lion came IN, what shall we do with this man The
old General said, there didn't appear TO be any
political motive in the act, and the man had volun-
tarily surrendered, and as his story Implicated
the officers of the Constitution, who had sworn
before the investigating committee that the hghts
were burning, and the watch set, why we mad
better let the man go, and hush II up
$50" said Gov K. "when left Washington,
| threw the head into my trunk, and brought II
home and that's the history OF the anair OF the
figure-head
We may add that Captain Dewey performed
the feat of saving off the figure head; and, some
years ago when he resided in this city, related 10
the writer hereof all the circumstances attending
the occurrence. The night dark end rainy,
and he therefore truly supposed not only that the
awatchn would not be on !the lookout but
that no damage TO the ship, from any outsider"
was anticipated by the officers ill command, So,
he approached, while il lay off Boston harbor,
making use of mufed oars 10 propel the small
boat which carried him 10 the gallant vessel
An anecdote of the Captain may here be APP
propriatey introduced. A Mechanics Associa-
ton having cen formed in Boston, he came for
ward 10 attach himself as member; but objec-
ton was made, on the ground that he was not
mechanic. He Immediately made a speech, in
his peculiarly happy vein, insisting that he had
the necessary qualification, being mechanic.
sWhat trade?n asked blacksmith +" A great
national acood-saacyer," replied the Captain.
Every one present understood the alusion, ITO
the saving off of the figure head) and so he was
admitted TO membership without a dissenting
voice.