The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-22
Copyright, 1896, by S. S. Mcclure. Ltd,

copyright, 1896, by S. S. Mcclure, Ltd
One of the principal questions in the
historical debate of 1858. between
Abraham Lincoln and Stsphen A Doug
las was whether negro was man %
Judge Douglas argued that he was not,
and SO not included in that clause of
the declaration of independence which
declares that 'ah men are created
equal Chief Justice fancy in the
famous bred Sect case, had put forth
the same opinion. Two years later the
negative of the question had become
the shibboleth of a national party and
raised an issue which could only be de-
cided by civil war.
An event that occurred during my
residence in Washington in the stir
ring days of that civil war, proved to
my own satisfaction, not only that the
negro was a man, but when occasion
demanded, hero.
In the first winter of the war Cen
eral Wool was in command of Fortress
Monroe. The inhabitants of the neigh
oorhood had gone beyond the Confed-
crate lines, leaving their slaves in des-
Ertutten. These fiocked by thousands to
the Federal camps, where General
Wool gave them food and shelter
Across the James river in the Norfolk
ardvy yards the Confederates were con-
Ve1'ting the steamer Merrimac into an
dron-clad vessel. When completed, she
was to come out of Norfolk harbor, at
tack and sink all the vessels of the
Federal fleet, control Chesapeake bay
and all its tributaries, ascend the Po-
tomac, capture Washington and end
the war.
On March s the MerFimac began her
resistless though brief career of de-
Struction. Anxious faces hung over the
telegraph in the navy department at
Washington as it licked off it's unwel-
come messages. 1t said:
THE Congress has sunk-the Cum
berland is aground and the Merrmac is
Kidding her with round shot and SHE'LL
There was a pause and then The wire
spoke again: THE Cumberland has
struck her c5lors.''
Then Joe is dead" said a voice. 1t
came from a gray haired man in naval
uniform, who stood with bowed head,
and we knew that the gallant son of
brave old Commodore Smith, the young
lieutenant in command of the Cumber-
land, had given his life to his country.
Then worn came that the Merrinlac,
satisfied with her work, had retired
into Norfolk harbor
The duel between the Merrimac and
the Monitor on the following day needs
no description here. After it was over
the wounded Merrimac crawled into
her harbor, but no one supposed her in
juries were beyond repair.
Preparations were at once made by
the Federals for her next appearance,
1t was desirable not to expose the Mon
itor to another battle until her injuries
were repaired The Merrimac must
be sunk or destroyed. After many con-
sultatrons the naval authorities decided
upon the plan of attack that had been
proposed by the gallant Lieutenant
Smith a few days before his death.
A DESPERATE PLAN OF ATTACK.
There is only one way to cope with
the Merrimac, / think, sir the young
lieutenant had said a few days before
to Flag officer MarstonNand 'others as
sembled in the ward room of the Min
nesota She lis encased in a shell Of
railroad and other iron bars which we
could net break through even if we
could board her. We must make a
dash at her and ram her with every
thing we have that carries steam, with
an operl throttle and all the steam each
one can carry. We would have a better
show if the Congress and Cumberland
had steam. But the Lord may give us
wind, and if he does the stout cid fri
gates will get there. If / once lay my
ship alongside, 1 will lash her to the
Merrfmac so close that if the old Cum
berland goes down she'll have COM
panvr'
What will happen to our ships that
ram hero was asked.
'They will go to the bottom" said
Smith. 1.-The blow will open seams
wide enough to let in whole boat. My
ship will sink anyway before she