CHAPTER XVII.

Com. Barron solicits a command in the Navy--Com. Decat ir's opinion as to his re-admission into the Navy-The unfortunate misunderstanding between them-It eventuates in a challenge to single combat, from Barron to Decatur-Duelling-Result of the meeting-Immediate effects of it-Honours to the remains of Com. Decatur-Funeral ceremonies at his interment-His CHARACTER.

THE writer approaches to the conclusion of these sketches, with a solicitude, if possible, greater than that which he has experienced in the progress of them. His blood almost congeals as he writes-his heart throbs at every sentence-and his feeble powers sensibly experience their insufficiency to pourtray the calamitous catastrophe and its calamitous consequences. It is not for the writer to fathom the motives of Com. JAMES BARRON, nor pronounce a sentence upon a deed which has spread mourning through our vast Republic. To his Country, and to his Creator, is he accountable. STEPHEN DECATUR'S fame would acquire no new tint of lustre by an attempt to throw a shade over the character of the surviving combatant. A Dearborn could not blast the fame of a PUTNAM, by attempting to erect the fabrick of his glory upon his ruins. Com. Barron is too generous to triumph over a fallen hero, or attempt to tarnish his fame.

Let the reader peruse the following unvarnished tale, and as nothing will be recorded with a view of

impairing the living reputation of Com. Barron, so nothing will be omitted to defend the memory of Com. Decatur-consecrated by death. Defend, did

I

say ? let me retract-his memory needs not the defence of the living. His posthumous fame can neither be augmented by eulogy, nor diminished by aspersion.

Having been devotcountry by his noble

As a NAVY-COMMISSIONER, Com. Decatur had an important official duty to perform; and for the performance of it, he was accountable to his superiors, to his country, to his conscience, and his Creator. Let his decision have affected whom it might, the reputation, the honour, and the glory of the American Navy, were ever first in his thoughts, first in his words, and first in his deeds. ed to the naval service of his father, and by his own ardent heroism, he had ever manifested a readiness to spill his blood, and spend his life in advancing its glory. The Navy was his pole-star; and his views were as undeviatingly fixed upon it, as the needle points to the pole. He had arisen from the lowest to the highest grade of command in actual service, and for ever submitted to the orders of his superiors, and the decisions of naval tribunals, without an animadversion. When called upon to decide upon the conduct of others, he approved or disapproved as his well-informed judgment dictated. Personal attachments, and also personal antipathies, (if he had any) were merged and swallowed up in the paramount interest of the Navy.

When placed in the important official station of Navy-Commissioner, he had the highly delicate, and

responsible duty of a judge of merit and demerit to perform. It would require some being "more than man" to satisfy all, and in some instances, decisions might meet with reprehensions, from those who were "less than man" ought to be. His motto in this capacity was "Be just, and fear not." When called upon by official duty to decide a question which might affect his senior in the Navy, he as fearlessly and as impartially pronounced his judgment, as in the case of the youngest Midshipman. Unspotted himself as an officer, he made himself the standard of naval character. Alas! the model was too perfect for universal imitation, and he perhaps too unyielding and too tenacious, in adhering to it. The honour of the American Navy was to him as the virtue of a wife was to Cæsar-"It must not only be chaste-it must be unsuspected." If there ever was degeneracy in the Navy, he was always too exalted to sink to it, and too elevated to be approached by it.

Thus fixed and thus undeviating, Com. Barron solicited the Navy Department for a re-instatement, in his command in the Navy. Com. Decatur had served under him in the Mediterranean, in 1804, and succeeded him in the command of the Chesapeake frigate in 1807. From the last mentioned period to 1819, Com. Barron had not been in actual service, although he had ever been under that pay which was established for officers in his situation. In that year, (1819) Com. Decatur, as Navy-Commissioner, had to express his opinion in regard to the fitness of Com. Barron to take a command in the

Navy. He did express it in his official capacity, and in interviews with officers of the Navy.

As to the affair with the Chesapeake," in 1807, however deeply it might have wounded the honour of the Navy, he had nothing to do. Com. Barron had suffered the disabilities which a court-martial adjudged; and those disabilities had ceased-the time of his suspension from service had expired. But, Com. Decatur, frankly, and unreservedly declared, that "he entertained, and still did entertain the opinion that his conduct as an officer, since that affair, had been such, as ought for ever to bar his readmission into the service," at the same time unequivocally declaring, that he "disclaimed all personal enmity towards him."

As to the sentence of the court-martial, although approved by the President of the United States, Com. Barron declared it to be" cruel, and unmerited," and further remarks-" It is the privilege of a man deeply injured as I have been by that decision, and conscious of not deserving it, to remonstrate against it." Before what tribunal that remonstrance was to be made, is not conceived. As to his conduct since the promulgation of that sentence, Com. Barron endeavoured to exculpate himself from every imputation*.

A long and animated correspondence commenced between these officers in June 1819, and terminated in February, 1820. It is sincerely to be lamented that it ever met the public eye-it is deeply to be

* Vide correspondence of Decatur and Barron,

regretted that the jealous enemies of our rising Navý, ever pored over it with malignant satisfaction— for satisfaction it will ever be to them to discover disaffection between our accomplished and gallant Naval officers. While Americans lament the personal altercations between Perry and Heath, Deca tur and Barron, &c., our enemies rejoice at them. Without dwelling longer upon a subject pregnant with the most gloomy reflections, we must now add, that the various explanations and recriminations, between Commodores Decatur and Barron, ended in a direct call from the last to meet the first in the field of single combat, and which he accepted*.

This is no place to enter into a dissertation upon the subject of duelling, nor will it be attempted. It belongs to the Legislators of our Republic to enact laws upon the subject-it belongs to Judicial Tribu nals to enforce them-it belongs to the Ministers of our Holy Religion to pronounce the canons of the Divine Law-it belongs to the Teachers of Morality to inculcate its doctrines upon this practice. Above all, it belongs to the most distinguished officers of our Navy and Army to evince their sentiments upon this subject by their examples. They have devoted themselves to the "Profession of Arms." It is a profession in which a high sense of honour forms the prominent feature. Not that superficial,

* In 1779, the Earl of St. Vincent (Sir John Jervis) received a challenge from Sir John Orde, for giving a preference to Sir Horatio Nelson in the command of a squadron. It was of course accepted. But the friends of the parties interfered. The civil authority put their lordships under bonds for keeping the peace, and restrained two gallant officers from making war upon each other,