The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-08-09
HERO OF THE WHIGS
An Incident in the Career of the
First Popular Dewey.
He Sawed President JncIxsOn's Cra-
mum from the FignreheRd of
the Glorious FrIgate Con-
stltutIOn.
Especial Washington letter.

Everybody knows that Admiral
George Dewey is coming home; but
very few people know that Capt. Sam
uel W. Dewey has gone to his
long home. Admiral George Dewey is
coming to his own country to be re-
ceived by the plaudits of upwards of
10000, 900 of patriotic people. Capt. Sam
uel w. Dewey has gone beyond the pale
of life, to that land where all distinc-
tions are leveled, and the shepherds
crook is laid beside the scepter.
You probably never heard of Capt
Dewey before, although you have read
many columns about Admiral Dewey.
They were second cousins. Capt. Dewey
was 90 years of age, when he recently
died in Philadelphia. He was as strong
and robust as any average man of 80,
and he was well known in the national
capital and all along the Atlantic coast.
Indeed there was time when his name
was in all of the newspapers. 1t is an
interesting story.
The old frigate Constitution was
revered by our people. Political condi-
tions were such that many people re-
sented every deed done which would
change any part of the old sea fighter.
But during her remodeling the figure
head of Andrew jackson was placed
upon her bow. What a storm of po-
litical indignation arose over that little
circumstances There is where Capt.
Samuel w. Dewey comes into the
story.
1880. That is long way back in the
past, isn't it? But to understand the
story of Capt. Dewey we must go back
to that almost 10 years ago, for then it
was that Capt. Dewey was in his prime
physically, as well as mentally. He was
the embodiment of yirility in every
thought and action.
He is the man who cut the fgurehead
of Andrew jackson from the prov of
the frigate Constitution, and that deed
made him famous with the wings and
notorious with the federalsts; so that
politicians, big and little, of both par
ties throughout the country discussed
Capt Dewey; and his name was uttered
on every stump in the following cam
paigns.
1t was a deed which on one hand set
the wings wild with delight and made
the federalists, who just at this time
were beginning to call themselves by the
new and popular title of Jetfersonian
democrats, equally wild with anger
Nothing at the time demonstrated more
clearly the popularity of jackson, and
for this reason the affair, not known
to this generation, and matter of his
tory even to the generation before, has
peculiar interest.
To understand the story completely
1t is necessary to go back at least to
the year 1880 Then report appeared
in the Boston Advertiser that the ra-
val authorities had decided to destroy
the Constitution, together with num-
ber of other old ships of the war Of
1912. Their planks had become rotten
and the ships were dangerous TO their
crews. Little did the naval authorities,
however, appreciate the sentimental
glamour which hung around the Con-
stitution and when, two days afteFthe
announcement, Oliver Wendell Holmes,
then 81 years old, flung the poem of
sold 'ronsides' to the world, and with
the stirring lines beginning: AYE, tear
her tattered ensign down." struck the