Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-05-23
ADMIRAL MEADE.


his rank in the navy, but old
enough to have completed nearly
forty-fve years of active service,
has requested to be placed upon
the retired service next month.
Dissatisfaction with the way in
which he has been treated on his
recent cruise is said to have
brought about this most undesir-
able result It is alleged that
his orders we're overruled on
more than me occasion and that
he was not accorded the consid-
GRAFTON to which his long service
and high record entitled him.
Whether this be so or not, the
country loses the service of a
sailor of whom it was officially
recorded fifteen years ago, that,
las a commanding officer he has
no superior" Nor was that the
only time that he received the
thanks of his ~superiors and Of
the nation for brilliant and heroic
work.
Inheriting high traditions of
valor and patriotism from Re-
volutionary ancestors, he has
added by his own deeds to the
splendid record Of the Meade
family. He early had an oppor-
tunity Of studying an object les
son in Americanism, for he was
a midshipman on the St. Louis
when Captain Ingraham rescued
Martin Koszta, at the mouth of
the cannon, from his Austrian
j~ailers in the harbor of Smyrna.
Nine years later he held his first
command as Lieutenant-Com-
mander in the civil war, receiv-
ing again and again the official
thanks of the nation for his rare
courage and skill.
Through his executive ability
he made a success of the nava
ordnance factory at Washington.
To him was given, and by him
well accomplished, our first
treaty with Samoa, for which he
again received the commentator
of the Navy Department. It was
accomplished in the course OF
one Of the most remarkable voy-
ages on record, that Of the Mar
ragansett, which he navigated
under sail on a Pacific Ocean
cruise of go, 900 miles.
Admiral Meade is equally dis
ti%nguished for physical and NOR.
al courage. An anecdote shows
the fiery pride of the man. Once
when the Navy Department was
in charge of"Uncle Dick'Thomp-
son, the Secretary and the
Captain had a difference over q
question on which the sailor was
infinitely better qualified to pass
judgment than the lawyer. Being
beaten in the argument, the lat.
ter testify inquired, DO yor
know, sir, that 1 could order you
to sea tomorrow" Unto which
the sailor promptly replied, "Dc
I know it? Yes, sir, know it
l know that you cannot pay E
higher honor to an American
sailor than by ordering him to
sea-" That point of view haG
never occurred to the oficeholdel
from the banks Of the Wabash.
Admiral Meade will not bt
surprised Or discouraged if his
lifelong services have been ap-
parently sighted at the close o
his noble career. He is not the
first of his family to experience
the proYerbial ingratitude Of re
publics. His grandfather an6
namesake, Richard Worsan
Meade, son of the patriot who
gave 82, ZOO to the Army O
Washington at Valley Forge
trusted to the. honor Of tht
United States Government whe1
it assumed, along with the ces
sion of Florida, the debt O
Spain to him amounting to owe.
S491, 900. The debt was dull,
voached for by the Spanisl
Government and admitted b,
, ours; but it was never paid, an
never will be paid until we bree'
a new race of Congressman t.
whom honesty is not an incom
l prehensible thing.
This untoward experience O
the elder Meade did not proven
him from giving two sons to tn
service of his country; one, Gen
!, eral GeorgeG 6. Meade, who save
the day at Gettysburg; the other
, Commodore Richard w, VIII
! died after rounding an heroi
career by distinguished service