The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-03-27


face like a sheet, TO say
"'prlsoner, hear the sentence of the
Court. The Court decides, subject to
the approval Of the President, that you
never hear the name of the l'nited
States again.
Nolan laughed. But nobody else
laughed. Then Morgan added:
Mr.. Marshall, take this prisoner to
New Orleans in an armed boat and de-
liver him to the naval commander
there.
"Nolan was taken to New Orleans.
Colonel Morgan took the proceeding
Of the Court to Washington and ex-
planned them to Mr. Jefferson. They
were approved by the President. Be
fore the Nautilus got round from New
Orleans to the Northern Atlantic coast
with the prisoner on board the sentence
had been approved, and Nolan was a
man without a country"
Mr.. Hale here writes as follows
"When was second officer of the In
trepid, some thirty years after, ! saw
the original paper of Instructions" and
he then gives it as closely as his men,
Ory will permit. 1t is as follows:
WASHINGTON, -, 1907.
".SU-You will receive from Lieut..
Neale the person Of Philip Nolan, late
4 Lieutenant in the United States
army.
This person, on trial by court-mar-
tial, expressed, with an oath, the wish
that he might never hear OF the United
States again
"The Court sentenced him to have
his wish fulfilled.
''For the present the execution of
the order is entrusted by the President
to this department.
"You will take the prisoner on board
of your ship, and keep him there with
such precautions as shall prevent his
escape.
"lou will provide him with such
quarters, rations and clothing as would
be proper for an officer of his late rank
if he were passenger on your vessel
on the business of his Government
"The gentlemen on board will make
any arrangements agreeable to them
selves regarding to his society. He is
to be exposed to no indignity of any
kind, nor is he ever unnecessarily to be
reminded that he is a prisoner.
But under no circumstances is he
ever to hear of his country or to see
any information regarding it; and you
will specially caution all the officers
under your command to take care that,
in the various indulgences which may
he granted, this rule in which his pun
ishment is involved shall not be
| broken.
1t is the intention Of the Govern
ment that he shall never again see the
country he has disowned.
"Before the end of your cruise you
will receive orders which will give effect
to this intention.
Respectfully yours,
"W. SOUTHARD,
For Secretary Of the Navy"
This now brings US to the day
some time late in ISo7-when Philip
Nolan touched his feet to mother earth
for the last time.
will give few touching anecdotes
of his life on board of ship for fifty
three years.
Mr.. Hale says: "No mess liked to
have him permanently, because his
presence cut off all talk of home or of
the prospects Of return, of politics or
letters of peace or of war-cut off more
than half the talk men like to have at
sea. The captain always asked him to
dine on Monday. Every mess in sue
ce5sion took up the invitation in its
turn. His breakfast he always ate in
his state room, which was located where
sentinel or somebody on watch could
see the door.
''He was allowed to read foreign
papers after somebody went over them
and cut out any advertisement or stray
paragraph which alluded to America.
"Nolan was permitted to join the
circle one afternoon, when a lot of Off
GERS sat on deck smoking and reading
aloud. They were reading the Lay Of
the Last MINSTREL Nolan's turn to
read came. Nobody in the circle knew
line of the poem. Poor Nolan read
steadily through the fifth canto, stopped
moment and drank something and
then began without thought of what
was coming.
"Breathes there the man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said
at seems impossible to US that any
body heard this for the first time but
all those fellows did then; and poor
Nolan himself went on, still uncon-
sciously or mechanically
This is my own, my native land!
Then they all saw something was TO
pay but he expected to get through, |
suppose, turned a little pale, but
plunged on
"Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned
As home his footsteps he hath turned
From wandering on a foreign strand?
| lfsuch there breathe, go, mark him well,
He gagged little, colored crimson,
and staggered on
"For him no minstrel rapture swell:
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim
Despite these titles, power and pef,
the wretch, concentrated all in sci =.
"And here the poor fellow choked
could not go on but started up, swung
the book into the sea, vanished into
the state room, and we did not see him
for two months again"
On one occasion the vessel on which
Nolan was confined overhauled dntS