Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-02-27
Tng RAF TsMAN's JOURNAL.
A SEVERE REBUKE.

"A SEVERE REBUKE.
Lieut. ]. r.. Hamilton, citizen of South
Carolina, and an officer in the Navy, after
having resigned his commission on board the
Wyoming at Panama, on the lst Dec, 1861,
proceeded TO Charleston and issued letter,
addressed to all the officers in the Navy from
the Southern States, urging them to resign
also and join hostile force against the Gov
ernment. One of these letters was sent to w.
D. Porter, commandant of the U. S. Ship ST.
Marys, to which that gallant officer replied as
follows -
PANAMA BAY, N. e., Feb 8, 1861.
SIR 81 have received your reasonable ap-
peal, published in various papers of the Unit
ed States, and addressed to your late associ-
ates of the navy. So far as am Interested,
will here state that / was born in New Orleans,
in the State Of Louisiana, but educated and
domiclated in Pennsylvania, and that during
those times that was uot performing my du-
ties as a naval officer, / generally resi-
dent of either Virginia, or the District of CO.
lumbia. / therefore, may be considered
Southern man, having twice married at the
South. 1t affords me pleasure to say that
have been in the navy of the United States
thirty eight years. and am descendant of
gallant officer, who in these very seas battled
for his country under the stars and stripes.
and uuder the present Constitution and a
mong my early lessons was taught to love
the Union, the ssstars and stripes.''
You, sir, have called upon your brother Of
ficers, not only to become traitors to their
country, but to bctray their sacred trust and
deliver up the ships under their command
This infamous appeal would, in ordinary
times, be treated with the contempt it deserv-
es. But feel it duty owe to myself and
brother officers with whom am associated to
.lxy and cfafn hot oil n6ary md
are true and loyal to the stars and stripes and
to the Constitution. My duty is plain before
me. The constitutional government of the
United States has entrusted me with the COM
mand of this beautiful ship, and before l will
permit any other flag to fly at her peak than
the stars and stripes, will fire pistolin her
magazine and blow her up. This is my
swer to your Infamous letter. You were one
of those men who were retained on the active
list by the latessdetestable Retiring Board"
In doing this you were endorsed as one men,
tally. physically, and morally fit to occupy the
station you hold as an officer of the navy.
And you are one of the first to prove the
decision of that Board was as erroneous in
your case as it was in mine, 'swho they retr-
ed from the navy" / was then in the deep
est trouble, and never dreamed of becoming
traitor to my country and now my country
has recalled me to active service and entrust-
ed me with an important command. l will
not betray their trust. The Constitution of
the Uuited States defines sstreason" TO be
bearing arms against the United States. You
have frequently heard this read on the quarter
deck of these vessels of the navy, and yet you
would persuade the gallant men of the navy to
place themselves along side of the sstraitor"
Arnold and ssyourseh." 1t has ever been the
boast of the navy that she has never had one
traitcr within her scorps." You, sir. are the
first to destroy the proud boast. Future his
tory Ipil r,la n n
you will be the first to blot the page of naval
history, illuminated by the example of Deca-
tur, Porter, Hull, Bainbridge, Jones, Cald-
well and other gallant and patriotic officers.
You also boast of the Star of the West hav-
ing been driven back by the rebels of South
Carolina, and relief prevented that gallant Of
icer, Colonel Anderson.
There are in the employment of the govern
ment sons of gallant officer, late of the navy,
who carried on the seas the stars and stripes
with honor to himself and glory to his coun-
try, ssand the third within call, )" and had eth
er of them command of the Star of the West
the gallant Colonel would have been relieved,
and at any time the government wants this
done, it will only be necessary to send one of
these officers. You, sir, have not much to
boast of in driving off unarmed steamer,
commanded by merchant captain.
Whatever rights the Southern people had
under the ssConstitution," those States that
rights and the only means for them to obtain
justice, will be for them to return to their al
legiance. No one for moment, who has
been born and brought up on Southern soil,
can approve of the course of Northern fana-
tics. But, on the other hand. a true patriot
will not approve of dismembering his country
merely because a few fanatics on the other
side have been guilty of wrong, sswhich can
be righted by legislation To fly to revolu-
tion is to seek the very worst of evils, and
the people of the United States must be aware
that 'srevolution simply is rapine, murder,
bloodshed'' and that nothing but ssdistress"
ever follows in its train. And l yet in
hopes the good sense of all parties may yet
cease to trust to traitors and willy politicians,
and retrace their steps, and that harmony
may soon be restored to my distracted coun-
try. w. ID. PORTER,
Commander United States Nagy.
THE New CONFEDERAcY.-The Inauguration
D.. - -