New-York daily tribune., 1861-02-18

CO.. ;,somous appeal would in ordinary
~ - treated with the contempt IL uose1 s ;,b
tpes dty owe to myself and brother olcers mien
1ee ON associated to reply, and ate tnat an u.ue
whonl are true and loyal 10 the stars ana SUI pes
my ,hs Constitution. My duty s PLAN DeIore NC
% ~ stitutional Government OF the Un'ed oas'es
N ,ot-nsted me with the command OF tnls oeaathu
shin and before will permit any o!heE nag ~
sak than The stars and stripes, VIII hre plstoi
% har magazine and blow her up. This Is my answer
- ronr infamous letter. Yon were one OF tpose men
b6 were retained Oh the active list by the lale ee
testable Retiring Board" In doing this you "eIc "a s
Sorssd as one mentally, physically and morally 0.
10 occupy the station you hold as an oiF,et Erst
in the Navy. And You are one OF Tue ne es
10 prove the decision OF that boafu was
erroneous in your case as 1t was III =; ~ ,bs
who they retired from TIE Navy wa we Ino;ng a
deepest trouble ana never dreamed o. naps II.
traitor To nav country; and now my country s az;
ad ma 70 active servi Q and lntrusled ne WIZ ~ IT,
nortant command. will not betiay tneu 70
Constitution Of the United STATES osHIes % Nc, have
Ss hoa;ng arms against the United States lou nave
nsntly heard this read the quarter deck ol 'nt I
1ssisIs az the navy, and yet you wonlu Pesuu a.
cllent men of the navy to place themselves aoDece @
Of the "traitor'' Arnold ana yGursen ~ had one
tsor witbin her corps You, Sir, are the hst " ue
rov the proud boast. Future history VIII place you
alongside of Arnold and you will be the hrst 70 UEs
the page of naval history illuminated py Tue
of Decatur Porter Hull, Bainbyldge, Jones, ealu"eh'
and other gallant and patriotic officers. hoo,
Yon ase boast of the Star of the West having been
driven back by the rebels of South Carolina apo Iene
prevented thai gallant officer Col. Anderson
There are in the employment Of the government sons
Of gallant officer laie Of the Navy, who carr1eo on
the ses the stars and stripes with bonor 10 himself aDG
GLORY IN his country and the third wltfln cal anu
Rad either of them command Of the Star OF the est
tbs gallant Colonel would have been relieved and al
snv lime the Government wants this done VIII only
he necessary to send one Of these officers. You, SIT
have not pch TO bosst Of in driving off an unarnec
s,eamer. commanded by a merchant captain:
Whatever right the Southern people had under the
sCongtitntiop" those States that have chosen rebel
lion have forfeited their rights, and the only means fo
them 70 obtain Justice will be 10 return 10 their seg
ance. No one for moment who has been born arc
brought up on Southern soil approve Of the course
Of Northern fanatics But on the other hand, tru'
patriot will not approve Of dismembering his country
merely because few fanatics the other slde have
been guilty Of wrong which can be righed by legs
lation" To y 70 revelation is TO seek TIE very woI
of evils and the people of the United States must b
aware that revolution simply ia rapine, murder
bloodshed and that nothing but distress ever FOL
lows in it's train. And / am yet In hopes the eooc
sense of all parties may yet cease to trust 10 taolt
end willy politicians, aud retraee their Steps, anu
that harmony may vet be restored TO my distracted
country. W.D. PORTER, Commander L. s. Navy