Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-08

to prosecute the work, before which
sentinel paced night and day. The
6gurehead was completed and bolted
upon the cutwater of the Constitution
before she left the dock and hauled out
to her anchorage in the stream. To
guard against any intended attack by
the mob, Commodore Elliott had placed
the yard in state of defense.
The frmuess of Mr.. Beecher and the
boldness of Commodore Elliott tended to
increase the excitement in Boston.
There seemed to be fixed determination
that the Constitution should not 90 TO sea
with that fgurehead. How TO accom-
plish the result was not so easy to decide
upon But way at once seemed opened
to them. Capt Sam. Dewey, bold,
daring, and reckless man, had just ar
rived from sea, aud one evening, while
in company with a few kindred spirits,
the matter was broached. Capt Dewey
declared that he would cut off the figure
head and produce it on a certain eve
ming. The boldness of the proposition,
and the well known intrepidity of the
man, gained immediate credence, and it
was not long before preparations were
made for grand celebration and supper
at Gallagher's Hotel, the old Stackpole
House. The night fixed upon by Dewey
was eminently propitious-a fearful storm
was raging, accompanied by sharp light
ming and terrific thunder. Dewey
had his confederates at a given point (;
he took a skif at Charestown bridge,
and, without the aid of oars, dropped
quietly alongside the frigate; fastening
his painter to the lower bobstays, he
climbed up to the head, being provided
with narrow but highly temprred saw,
and, watching the beats of the sentry SO
as to avoid him on approach, he sawed
the 6gurehead through just above the
lower jaw, placed strong leading line
over the upper part, which, at given
signal, was responded to by his confede-
rates. The igurehead was safely brought
to Conveys wharf, and from thence taken
to Gallagher's Hotel, where brilliant
assembly was gathered-of all that gay
crowd but few are left-and there was
wit and sentiment and song such as have
rarely been reproduced. AS the time
| and the occasion have been so long for
gotten, and as the asperities of political
wrangles have been so deeply buried, we
leave them where they were, but the
Hartford Convention, with Tim Bigelow
at its head, could hardly have matched
the excitement that followed.
AS soon as Elliott discovered the in
suit to his chief he was like roaring
lion. Sending a peremptory message to
| Mr.. Beecher TO appear at the yard, that
gentleman appeared. "Mr. Beecher,"
said the irate Commodore, these
damned rascals have cut off that figure
head; can it be repaired p Yes,
said Mr.. Beecher, "but you must excuse
me from doing anything further in the
matter, as the excitement is already so
great" The mutialed part was then COW
cred with the national flag, and the Con-
stitution left the hsrbor in that condition.
The after history of that fgurehead is
shrouded in mystery. Dewey was bold
enough to proclaim his part in the trans
action, and it was certainly to the credit
of Mr.. Beecher to refuse the offers and
disregard the threats of those who were
his patrons, on the ground that he did.
There was court-martiel, before which
the sentry was summoned, but, as there
was no dereliction of duty proved, he was
honorably acquitted. The place bec0m-
ing so hot, Commodore Elliott was at his
own request allowed to take the Consti-
tuition to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, New
York. The romantic story that has
passed current, to the effect that Dewey
carried the fgure-head to Washington
and presented it to jackson, is without
foundation. The thing was never done
or contemplated Dewey is now living
somewhere in NATURALIZATION TraU-
eIIey