The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-24
Speech at Refinement of Naval
Hero.
HIS SCORN OF DEATH.
Every Officer Should Emulate
Ills Example.
He Who Would Win Glory Must
Not Count Odds.

velt delivered the address on the occa-
sion of the reinterment Of the body of
John Paul Jones. He said:
"On behalf Of the American people
wish to thank our ancient ally, the
great French nation, that proud and
gallant nation. to whose help we once
owed it that John Paul jones was able
to win . for the Stars and Stripes the
victory that has given him deathless
fame, and to whose courtesy we now
owe it that the body OF the long dead
hero has been sent. hither, and that to
commemorate the reception of the il
lustrious dead q squadron of French
warships has come to our shores.
The annals of the French navy are
filled with the names of brave and able
seamen each of whom courted death
as a mistress when the honor of his
flag was at stake; and among the fig
ures of these brave men there loom the
larger shapes Of those who, like Tour
vile, Duquesne. and the Bailt de SUI
fren won renown as feet admirals in
ferior to none of any navy of their day
in martial prowess.
I'm addition to welcoming the diplo-
matte and official representatives OF
France here present, let me also ex-
press my heartiest knowledgments
to our former ambassador to Paris,
General Horace Porter. to whose zeal
Gus devotion we particularly owe 1t
that the body of John Paul Jones has
been brought to our shores
Il
when the body WAS thus brought
over the representa- tives of many diff
ferent cities wrote to me, each asking
that it should find its last resting place
in his city But l feel that the place
of all others in which the memory OF
the dead hero will most surely be
living force is here in Annapolis,
where year by year we turn out the
midshipmen who are to officer in the
future the navy, among whose found
over, the future naval officers, who live
within these walls. will find in the
career of the man whose life we this
celebrate, not merely a subject for ad-
miration and respect, but an object
lesson to be taken into their inner
most hearts Every officer IN our navy
should know By heart the deeds of
John Paul Jones. Every officer in our
navy should feel in each fibre of his
being the eager desire to emulate. the
energy the professional capacity, the
indomitable determination. and daunt-
less scorn of death which marked
John Paul Jones above all his fell
lows.
1.-The history of our ma ~. like the
history of our nation, only extends
over a period of a century and a quar-
ter; yet we already have many mem
cries of pride to thrill US as we read
and hear of what has been done by
our fighting men of the sea, from
Perry and MacdonOugh to Farragut
and Dewey These mem Ories include
brilliant victories. and also, now and
then, defeats only less honorable than
the victories themselves. but the only
defeats to which this praise can be
given are those where, against heavy
odds, men have stood to the death in
hopeless battle. It is well for every
American officer to remember that
while a surrender may or may not be
defensible, the man who refuses to
sfrrender need never make a defense.
/ The one fact must always be ex-
planned; the other needs no explana-
/ ton. Moreover. he who would win
glory and honor for the nation and for
himself. must not too closely count the
odds; if he does. he will never see
such a day as that when Gushing sank
/ the Albemarle.
The Paul Jones Spirit.
In his fight with the Serapis Jones
ship was so badly maued that his op-
ponent hailed him, saying, Has your
i ship struck To which Jones answered,
! I have not yet begun to fight The
spirit which inspired that answer up
bore the man who gave it and the crew
/ who served under him through the fury
1 of the battle, which finally ended in
/ their triumph. It was the same spirit
which marked the commanders of the
/ Cumberland and the Congress. when
they met an equally glorious though less
! fortunate fate. The Cumberland sank
4 her flag flying. and her guns firing with
! the decks awash, while. when sum
moned to surrender. Morris replied,
/ Never. I'll sink alongsider and made
! his words good Immediately after the
! Cum berland was sunk the Congress
was attacked, and her commander,
Lieu snant Joe Smith. was killed. After
fighting until she was helpless and being
unable to bring her guns to bear. the
ship WIS surrendered: but when Smiths
I father old Commodore Joe Smith, who
was on duty at Washington, saw by
+ by the dispatches from Fort Monroe
4 that the Congress had hoisted the white
/ flag he said quietly Then Joe's deadr
/ Surely no father could wish to feel a,
/ prouder certainty of his boys behavior
than the old commodore showed he pos
sessed when he thus spoke; and nonaval
officer could hope to win finer. cpl
taph.
Value OF Courage.
I'VE have met today to do honor to
the mighty dead. Remember that our
words OF admiration are but as sound
/ ing brass and tinkling cymbals if we do
not by steady preparation and by the
! cultivation of soul and mind and body
/ fit ourselves so that in time Of need We
shall be prepared to emulate their deeds.
Let every midshipman who passes
/ through this institution remember al
! he looks upon the tomb of John Paul
Jones. that while no courage can atone
for the lack of that efficiency which
comes only through careful preparation
in advance through careful training Of
the men. and careful fitting out Of the
engines Of war, yet that none of these
4 things can avail unless in the moment
of crisis the heart rises level with the
crisis The navy whose captains VIII
not surrender are sure in the long run
to whip the navy whose captains VIII
surrender unless the inequality of skill