Evening star., 1926-04-04
Fame at Last Has Come in Full Measure to John Paul Jone

with indignation. AS time went on
the presence of John Paul Jones on
the sea wrought them to a frenzy, and
the story of the stolen plate was car
ried over two continents. Jones was
pictured as a ruthless scOurge of the
sea and an abandoned pirate of the
most depraved type.
Upon learning of the theft of the
silver plate, however, he had bought 1t
back from the men for $500 and, at
the first opportunity, returned 1t to
Selkirk with a politely worded letter
Of explanation and apology. Selkirk,
in his letter of acknowled gment, was
equally courteous, and in it held that
Jones was no pirate, but acting under
an honorable commission.
Later, when Jones took his prize
Into Holland ports, the English min
lister there always referred to him in
his official correspondence as "a GER
tain Paul Jones, a pirate" Jones
skillfully countered with the accepted
definition Of a pirate as zone who Is
at war with mankind"
II am holding" he wrote, "a regu-
lar commission as a naval officer in
an honorable service and making war
only upon the armed enemies of my
country. England is at war with
America, France, Holland and Spain.
eral colonies. and it seems TO me that
England is the pirate, and not L"
1t is interesting TO recall that later
Lord Dunmarore. at the head of a
command of British and Tories.
ravaged John Paul Jones plantation
In Virginia, burned his buildings.
killed his. cattle, and sold his able
bodied slaves in Jamaica.
THE fame of John Paul Jones as 4
sea captain of rare genius and
indomitable courage has been firmly
established in the 20 years that have
elapsed since fitting honors were rem
| dered him at Annapolis. The other
aspects of his genius, however. are
| apt TO be overshadowed by his valor
at sea.
! AS a diplomat he early urged upon
his Government the policy of attack
| ing British sea power in her home
waters to weaken the disa strous Brit
| ish blockade of our coasts. His chief
diplomatic triumph was taking the
captured Scraps and Countess of
| Scarborough into Holland ports 10
| raise questions concerning the rights
| of belligerent ships in neutral waters
| and to embroil Holland as a valuable
| ally in the war against England. This
he did against the advice of leading
| French lawyers and diplomats, but
succeeded in ranging Holland against
| England without having caused of
| fense to Holland or wounding French
susceptibilities.
The United States showed its faith
| in his diplomatic skill by intrusting
| him with the difficult mission of the
collection of international claims, and
! later by appointing him as its commits
| sioner to treat with the redoubtable
Bey of Algiers. Washington sent him
on q diplomatic mission TO Holland TO
urge Holland TO join in an expedition
against the Barbary pirates with an
| American squadron to be under his
command. but before the ships could
be provided Jones died in Paris. Wash
ington once wrote of him that Mr..
Jones is not only q master mariner
but holds a strong and profound sense
of the political and military weight
of command at sea"
OF his personal characteristics there
is enough known TO depict a gallant
sailor of rare personal charm and
sterling qualities, who was a master
of French and Spanish. In dress he
was exceedingly fastidious. of arrest
ing presence, and a model of ease and
department in fashionable gatherings.
| Yet, for a background, we find that
he was the son of Scotch peasant
and had made voyage on a SLAYER
before he was 20 years of age.
AS an index TO his personification
of sheer courage, one might quote his
saying that Men mean more than
guns in the rating of ships"
While in command of the Provi-
| hnpCrinCyS
aboard ship excited little comment,
he boasted that there was not a cat
o'-nine tails on her. for he had thrown
the only one overheard on the first day
out. In his early days as merchant
sailor, however, when attacked by a
giant negro. Jones killed the mutineer
with one blow of marlinspike. When
tried for murder he was readily ac-
quilted. for he showed that had he
wished to kill the man he might easily
have shot him with one of the two
pistols that he carried. and that he
had used the marlinspike in the wish
to disable and not kill.
He was generous to a fault. a COM
mon quality among born sailors. For
months he paid his own expenses
rather than make demands upon a
poverty-striCken government. In
foreign waters he paid large sums to
to his sailors by over-enthusiaStiC re-
cruiting officers. For long periods he
forebore to recover from Congress
money that was long due him.
TN o,o 'oe. o,,,,,.on,,.u.
where dissipation was universal he
was notably free from dissipation, and
was a deer student of history, lam
guages and naval warfare.
1t was inevitable that with his repu-
tation for bravery and his striking
personal charms, among which are
loften cited his eXquisitely proportioned
figure, dark gray eyes of magnetic
quality and a speaking voice of rare
charm. John Paul Jones was known
as a gallant at the French and Rus
sian courts.
An index to his character is shown
in his long intimacy with such out
standing figures as Washington,
Franklin, Lafayette, Wayne, Hamil-
ton and the two MOrrises. Franklin
paid tribute to the strange magne-
tism of his presence. the indescribable
charm of his manner" He was fond
of epigram and verse. and noted for
his caustic wit. The latter once cost
him the friendship of John Adams.
Fame has come in full measure to
John Paul Jones. although as Gen.
Porter pointed out in his commemora-
tive speech 20 years aSv. mo inscrip-
ton was engraved upon his coffin, no
statue was erected in his honor. no
ship was given his name, no public
building was called after him."
Thanks to Gen. Porter and to such
historians as Buell., and the initiative
of Theodore Roosevelt, the rare eX-
ploits and fascinating character OF the
Scottish DeaSant boV now rank with