National Republican., 1888-03-11
FAMOUS BATTLE SWORD
That Once Belonged to Capt. samuel
Chester Reid.

In the room of the committee ON naval
affairs of the Houses still hangs celebrated
battle saber, where ii was left on the
death of the iOrty-ninth Congress. 1t was
once welded by Capt, Samuel Chester
Reid, who commanded the privatc-arm
brig of war Gen. Armstrong in the heroic
battle with a British squadron in the Bay
of Fayal, one Ofthc AZOrc islands, in Sep
tcmber. 1874, The squadron mounted Il
total force of 1876 guns and over 1000 men
and officers The Armstrong was armed
with but seven guns and crew of only
ninety men and officers. After three most
sunguinary conflicts the British lost over
300 men and officers, while the Americans
lost but two killed and seven wounded.
This sabcr was made by the celebrated
Swordmaker Fernandez, of Toledo, Spain.
The blade which is Il curved cutlass, is OF
the purcSt steel, and will bend from point
to hilt. The handle is of raspGd black
ivory, mounted with Il gilt guard, and the
srabbard is of black leather, with gilt-cm-
bosscd mountings and brass socket. 1t
was made in 1907, and is consequently
over eighty years old. With this saber
Capt Reid achieved a brilliant victory in
the most desperate, bloody, and heroic
battle ever fought on the ocean. Its blade
was crmSOned by the blood of the first
lieutenant of the British trigatc Rota, who
fell in hand-to-hand conflict.
At the last session the President sent Il
message to Congress conveying the offer
of sam. G. Reid to present the battle sword
of his father to the United States and rec
commended that appropriate action be
taken for the acceptance of this gift.
/ The message of the President was re.
| tcrred to the Senate committee on the
. library, and Senator Hoar reported II joint
resolution authorizing the President tC
. accept the sword in behalf the United
States, which was passed but failed in tho
House for want of time,
1t being late in the session Senator l1Oar
to dispose of the matter us briefly as posi-
BILE, no doubt unintcntiOnally and unwit
tingly, committed discourteSy to the
President by misconstruing his recon-
mcndation that appropriate action bt
taken 10y Congress for the acceptance oi
/ this giit' (Which is the usual mode in such
/ cases., and instead drew up II resolution
authorizing the President to accept tn,
| gitt in hchulfof the United States. Thi,
/ the President could have done without
any action on the part of Congress, rs il
was not gift from foreigner The sum
mary mode adopted in the hurry o
legislation. and without due consideration
tion of the message and uncOnsCiOusly
di,parging both To the President and til,
donor.
In the case of the presentation to tn,
United States of Thomas Jelicrson's writ
ing desk, upon which was written the
Declaration of independence, by the hci'
of the late Joseph Coolidge, jr., at the frs
session of the turty-scvcntll Congress, 23C
of April, 1850, they individually by name
NIt-E a. "a
ccivcd the thanks of Congress for the gilt
This battle sabcr will again he offered I,
the present Congress for its acceptance il
behalf of the people of the United States
It was welded in asserting the rights o
America Ia the freedom of the seas, anC
wrote with its point the second DcClara
tiun of independence in crimson letters q
Britain's brlvcSt blood, while upholdin!
the national honor of our tlNg-that tla!
which in its present form now floats owe
the Union, and was attcrward designed b,
Can't. Reid and adopted by Congress in 1895
It would not only be Il deserved rcCog
milton of the great services of the lat
Capt. Reid, but u decent respect To hi
son, who spent Il lifetime to vindicatc hi
fathers honor in the celebrated diplomat
contest between the United States, Portu
gal, England, and France, and tnull,
succeeded in establishing the pcriidy q
Albion in the violation of the ncutmlit
of Fayal
surely there Is sufficient patriotic ma
tiOnality in Congress to accept and pr,
serve for the people Il giit that records sue
heroic deeds of our ancestors by II gratcil
= and generous acknowledgement of thank
To the donor, not for the undeslrcd PRIV
, lcgcS, but that the descendants of Cap
, Reid may point with just pride to th
, recognition of the country gratitude,