The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-12

IN THIS CITY.
The following remarks Of Judge Porter Of Pennsy
tseoreary Of War in ls4s44) viii be read with much
pleasure BY his numerous friends and admirers
The Of 1912 was emphateAlly waged for ree-trade
aud sailors nghtsRfor freedom to navigate the in
security and 70 prevent the mpressment Of seamen cit
Gems Of our country foreign power Great Brit
ain had yaunted that
The winds and are Britain's wide domain,
And not sail but by perhaissioa spreads"
She had impressed thousands Of seamen compelled
them 10 hight her battles 1t resist these aggres-
sons and to establish national character which had
suffered from not having previously done So that
compelled 70 declare war on the 18th Of June 1872 re-
member well the impression produced upon me, while yet
youth by reading Mr. Cays eloquent description Of the
sufertngs Of our impressed seamen,
"Who sighed while they tugged at the oar"
And yet am told that il utterly impossible
fer TO report the glowing eoquence Of the original
As that war progressed, nOby indicated
try rights and there need invdious distinctions be
drawn between the different of service engaged
between the citizens of different portions of the Union
All did their duty. Patriotism is the common property
and characteristic of eounrymen They taught the
hirelngs OF foreign powers well the despots Of the
Old World, that treemans best defend free
mans home"
While celebrate with becoming and respect
the anniversary Of that day which the immortal Jack
son ended the war IN blaze OF glory at New Orleans let
be unmndful of those who wrested the trident of
Neptune from enemy upon the In the language
of Pennsylvania bard, in reeounting naval victories
First gallant Hull he was the lad
Who sailed tyrant hunting,
And staggering Dacres glad
To strike to striped bunting"
Time will suffice on the present OCCASION to enuInerae
the subsequent victories of noble upon the
and the gallant who achieved them Suffice il say
that heard aunts about few fir-buit
frigates with pieces of striped bunting for colorss
When turn TO gallant army il is that disas-
tiers accompanied at the outset Our officers and
chiefly taken from the pursuits of civil life they
were tted against officers and men educated to arms and
Injured to the discipline Of But the Americans
apt scholars, and gallant army taught to
conquer the conquerors OF Europe need not the
gallant spirits who led them victory but York Chip
pewa Lyons Creek Lundys Lane and the river Thames
gave proof that the spirit of their sres their
Ii is related of the gallant chieain who heads
army, that the hostile ranks closing for charge
and the lines within hearing distance of each other
the British commander gave the order Charge boys they
are nothing but militia they will run before you touch
them The gallant Scott replied, addressing his men,
"No, boys you American reemen charge homen and
suitng the action the word they drove the
England from the field. All honor then, to the who,
everywhere supported the flag of country and drove
the enemy from shores That war; then, truly a
second of independence 1t established national
character at home and abroad and caused the and
stripes to be respected wherever they oated
try's flag.
We have enjoyed unparalleled period of prosperity
from that day this We have trebled population.
We have in far greater proportion increased national
wealth. We have added State after State the coneder-
alton of our Union Civilization and the arts agriculture
and commerce. have been extended the almost count
less rivers lakes and regions OF the West and the nstt
tons of country reach from the Atlantic the Pacific
The of freedom has been extended by the
QUESTION of additional territory and by the settlement and
cultivation of that which wilderness with no tenant
the savage 1t is them to country in this
prosperity with overowing treasury and boundess
extent of public lands yet to be cultivated part of the
great domain belonging to the whole American people
that apply for remuneration for services in
the of 1872 We mendcants to seek this
boon from the charity of country we come re-
spectfuly to claim the payment of Just debt due
frnv,
us, and OF whose government we are constituent part
We ask that they should give to portion of the public
lands done to the soldiers of the revolution the
soldiers OF the regular army of 1872 and to the soldiers
and volunteers Of the Mexican war and said we ask
this charity but claim il debt In the proud
consciousness that we have done our duty to our
ask that country do her duty u.s. To some of us
the amount of land may be matter of but little conse-
quence STILL if due us, should have it. But to far the
greater portion Of it greatly important smooth their
descent in the vale of years They left homes and their
resde their families and their business the call of their
country The farmer, the mechanic the artisan, the
chant and the professional left all their pursuits to
fight for their country Many Of them them and still
are the humble walks of life with little property, and
with to sustain themselves but honest hearts
and willing hands When look this assembly, and
see the heads ofmy companions slvered DER with age
when the time for aborious exeron sustain themselves
and families almost pastwhen know that to many of
them the debt due to them from their country would cheer
their declining and give them homes for their wives
and little ones feel anxious to that debt paid and
those homes furnished Although it has been said that
longer be cast upon them The people with us and
their representatives will hesitate carry out their
will Some may be found for the long delay expe-
renced by fathers of the revolution in getting their
claims settled in the then embarrassed state of the public
treasury and the want of power in the old confederation
The system first adopted, of giving pensions but
paupers almost Immediately changed by the nnani-
nous indignation of the country, and pensions then
granted to all the survivors. But alas they
late to large majority They had been promised they
served to the end Of the that they should receive
half-pay for life which afterwards committed when
the closed to full pay for five years and that paid
certificates This was example to be avoided not mi
tated
But look for better times and for more equal justice
Forty years have expired since rendered services
large majority of the volunteer army of 1872 has sunk
to rest We their survivors, their representatives
and TO Congress- the OF ourselves
and eowcitizens and ask them do justice only
to us but to the widows and orphans Of fellows
We cannot but think that it will give the repre-
sentatives of free people heartfelt pleasure to pay the
honest debt which our country
The sLooP-oF-wAR ALBASy.-We stated few days ago
that the United States steamer Princeton was at Havana
the 3lst ultimo. The following letter from the COM
mander of the Princeton In the New Orleans