YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 9002 07111 3360

Speech of Hon, J-

)nn

l^t .'^n

ir; regard to

Captain S .F.DuPont , U3IT

1856

•Y^IL]1«¥M]I¥I1I^SIIT¥''

Gift of
Robert W. Neeser
1927

CAPTAIN S. F. DU PONT, U. S. N.

SPEECH

OF .

HON. JOHN 1. CLAYT

O F D EL A WAR E,

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED ST4T('^S, MARCH 1],_ 1856^

\

IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THE larjiiVCTio.v op skcrecyhad been nE.iiovED.

W.A-SHING'TON-:
PRINTED AT TIlE'pFFICE CF THE CONCRESSiO.VA], UI.OEE.
1856..

i

SPEECH

OP

HON. JOHN M. CLAYTON,
OF DELAWARE,

IN REGARD TO

CAPTAIN S. P. DU PONT, U. S. N.,

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, MARCH 11, 1856,

IN EXECUTIVE SESSION

THE INJUJfCTIOlS OP SECRECY HAI^ BEEW REMOVED,

WASHINGTON:
PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF THE C0XGSES3I0NAL GLOBE.
1856.

CAPTAIN S. P. PU PONT.

Mr. CLAYTON said:
After several week^ of absence from the Senate, owing to severe
indisposition, I ask leave to make an explanation, which would have
been promptly given at a period when it would have been more fit
ting had I been able to occupy my seat when the necessity for it
first occurred.
A gallant officer of the Navy, a citizen of the Stateof which I am
a representative in this body — a man who is, I believe I may truly
say, universally honored and esteemed by the citizens of that State —
has been personally assailed, indirectly, if not directly, as one of the
naval board. I refer, sir, to Captain S. F. Du Pont, It is not my
purpose to follow minutely the tracks of those contemptible calumni
ators who have attempted to spread a drag-net over every incident
of his life, from his boyhood, when he first entered the Navy, to the
present hour, in the vain hope that some fault might be discovered —
some blot might be fixed upon the stainless name of this ibrave and
chivalrous gentleman, to avenge theraselves for the acts of that naval
board ; but 1 owe it to the people I represent — I owe it to common
justice, to bear my sincere testimony in his behalf, and to repel the
efforts made to injure him, no matter when or by whom made.
Sir, this officer, who has been known to his fellow-citizens of Del
aware from his childhood, has spent about twenty years of his life
afloat upon the ocean wave, fearlessly encountering the perils of bat
tle and tempest, with all the other dangers incident to a nautical life.
A sailor more accomplished, by the universal testimony of his brother
officers, never trod the deck of an American ship of war. For his
admirable qualities as a seamen and an officer, he was selected as
captain of the Congress frigate, when that noble vessel sailed to Califor
nia during the Mexican war, under the broad pennant of the gallant

4 CAPTAIN S. F. DU PONT.
Commodore Stockton, not long since a distinguished member of this
body. Arrived on the coast of California, he was there selected as
a man eminently qualified for the command of the American man-of-
war Cyane, and for the discharge of those active services, the exer
cise of that sleepless vigilance required in blockading ports on the
coast of Mexico, capturing the vessels, breaking up the trade, and
taking a conspicuous part in the conquest of Lower California. Four
different commodores, commanding on that station, bestowed upon
him, for the gallant and faithful discharge of his duties through all
the trials and hazards to which he was there subjected, their warm
and hearty approval ; and the Secretary of the Navy himself added
one of the' most gratifying rewards which an American sailor can re
ceive, in the unqualified approval and highest commendation of the
Navy Department. The Cyane was the ship of war which, under
his command, first hoisted the American flag at San Diego, and was
most of all instrumental in the conquest of Lower California.
If the annals of your Navy Department are truly written, this was
the man who, on the 15th day of February, 1848, performed a deed
which, for desperate courage and skillful management, was never sur
passed in the annals of war. That eminently brave and much-lamented
officer, Lieu ten ant, Hey wood, had been stationed by the commodore
commanding the Pacific squadron, with four passed midshipmen and
twenty marines, in the mission house at San Jose, to prevent the
execution of a threat of Colonel Pineda, that he "would come to that
place and put to death all friendly to the flag of the United States."
Being suddenly apprised that Heywood was besieged at San Jose,
with the whole Mexican force upon him, the commander of the Cyane,
with the most successful dispatch, sailed from La Paz, and arrived
before San Jose on the 14th of February, at sundown. He heard
the report of the besieging artillery, and beheld the Mexican forces,
which included, among their infantry, Piiieda's veieranos, with the
Mexican cavalry, all finely mounted and armed with lances, carbines,
and rifles, and all swarming to the attack upon the fortress in which
Heywood, with his little band, had taken refuge. Heywood was
reduced to the utmost extremity for want of provisions and water,
having been engaged in constant fighting with the overwhelming force
of Mexicans for more than three weeks. Avoiding the danger of an
ambuscade by night, Du Pont landed his whole available force, for the
rescue of Heywood, from the Cyane, at day-break on the morning of
the 15th, that force being but one hundred and two men and officers,
all told, and rushed forward to the rescue of Heywood, throuo-h a
distance of two miles, wading the water and climbing the hills, while
driving before him a Mexican force of more than three times his
number. Flanked on both sides by Mexican riflemen in ambush —
still forcing his way onward amid showers of bullets, he reached the
castle of San Jose, defeated and dispersed the Mexicans, and rescued

CAPTAIN S. P. DU PONT. 5
the brave Heywood with his band. It was this battle of San Vincente
which materially helped to lay the sure foundation for the conquest .of
Lower California. With delight we have often read in romance of
the beleaguered knight rescued from besieging squadrons by tbe gal
lantry of his brothers-in-arms, but there is not an incident in history
which more thoroughly stirs the blood than the official report which I
hold in my hand, which represents Heywood, with his distressed but
unconquerable httle company, as he looked out amid the blaze of
musketry and rifles, from the top of his fortress at sundown on the
15th of February, 1848, upon the gulf of Cahfomia, and saw the
Cyane, with the American flag streaming from the rigging, in the
offing, giving proof that his countrymen had at last appeared to save
himself and his little garrison from those savage enemies who had
publicly declared their fixed determination to exterminate them.
The anxiety of Heywood that Du Pont should not land until day,
lest he should be cut to pieces by the Mexicans in ambush during the
darkness of the night, was relieved as day broke upon the scene of
conflict, when he found that the commander of the Cyane, whose
judgment fully apprised him of the danger of his position, bad then
landed his little force as soon as he could see his way, and, though
pressed on all sides by the Mexicans, who fought desperately, was
driving them before him. Painful, indeed, must have been his
solicitude when he beheld the small force of his countrymen surrounded
by superior numbers of the enemy ; but still, as the flashes of the
musketry enabled him to look through the smoke of the conflict, his
heart leaped for joy as he beheld the American standard still pressing
onward to save him. The greeting between these two officers and
their men, when Heywood sallied' out to drive the enemy from the
town, and support Du Pont, may be better imagined than described.
The dangers which surrounded those engaged in the achievement
of this brilliant victory, where but a few hundred were engaged,
was as great to the individuals involved in them as that actually
incurred in many of those greater battles where thousands were
engaged during the Mexican war. Indeed, had not the Mexicans
fired generally above their heads, our sailors must have been cut to
pieces. Lieutenant Heywood, in his report to the commander-in-chief, thus
describes the result :
"On the 14th we continued digging for water , We found that the enemy had
thrown up a second breastwork more to the westward , giving them a cross fire upon
our watering place. There was a continued fire Icept up upon the cuartel during the
day. At three o'clock and thirty minutes, p. m., a sail was reported in sight, which
proved to be the United States ship ' Cyane.' She anchored after sundown. We
saw her getting her boats out, and were extremely apprehensive that she would
attempt to land men, when, in a night ambuscade, with such odds against them,
disastrous consequences might ensue. It was, of course, a joyful sight to see friends

6 CAPTAIN S. F. DU PONT.
so near; but I entertained great doubt that they would be able to render us any
essential assistance, the enemy being so vastly superior in numbers.
" The enemy continued their fire on us during the night.
" On the 15th, at daylight, we became aware that the ' Cyane' was landing men.
, They soon commenced their advance, which, for a few minutes, was continued with
the opposition of only a scattering fire; then the enemy opened upon them in earnest.
They had concentrated nearly their entire force near the hamlet of San Vincente.
We saw the flash of musketry through all 'the hills above the ranches. There were
the odds of more than three to one against our friends. Steadily they came on,
giving back the fire of the enemy as they advanced.
" There was .still.a party^of the enemy occupying the town, firing upon us. I took
thirty men and sallied out upon them, drove them from cover, killing one and
wounding several of them, and marched on to join the ' Cyane' men, who, with
Captain Du Pont at their head, had now drawn quite near to us. There were small
detached parties of the enemy still hovering about them and firing at them, but the
main body of the enemy had been broken, and retired to San Animas, distant two
miles. " The march of the ' Cyane' men to our relief through an enemy so vastly their
superior in numbers, well mounted, and possessing every advantage in knowledge
Of the ground, was -certainly an intrepid exploit, as creditably performed as it was
skillfully and boldly planned, reflecting the greatest honor on all concerned, and
resulting most fortunately for us in our harassed situation."
The commodore commanding the Pacific squadron at the time,
in his letter to the Secretary of the Navy, ten days after the battle,
expresses his commendation in these terms. (I read from the public
document transmitted to Congress from the Navy Department shortly
afterwards :)
United States Ship Independence, Mazatlan, February 25, 1848.
Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith reports from Commander S. F. Du
Pont, and Lieutenant Charles Heywood, dated 16th and 22d February, and 21st and
22d same month .
I want words to express my sense of the gallant conduct of these oiEcers, and of
the ofiicers and men under their command, as detailed in their reports; but feel that
I am perfectly safe in saying that the annals of no war can furnish instances of
greater coolness, of more indomitable perseverance, of more conspicuous bravery,
and of sounder judgment, than are to be found in these details. They will be read
with pride and pleasure by the Department, and by every American, and will secure
to all concerned a most enviable place in the estimation of their countrymen.
I have the best reason to believe that these reports, so far from overrating the acts
of those concerned, are strongly imbued with the modesty of true courage, which
adheres to truth, but shrinks from exaggeration, and rather diminishes than magni
fies its own deeds.
The satisfaction arising from this brilliant victory over the enemy is clouded by
the fall of Passed Midshipman Tenant McLanahan, a young officer of groat promise.
He received the fatal wound standing by the flag of his country, and died in tho
hour of victory — an early but enviable death — placing his name high on the roll of
those who peril all in the cause of their country, and giving to his afflicted friends
the mournful satisfaction arising from the reflection that he has sealed a Ufe of honor
with a death of glory .

CAPTAIN S. P. DU PONT. 7
The presence of the Cyane, and the excellent judgment of Commander Du Pont
and Lieutenant Heywood, will, I hope, secure the garrison at San Jose from further
molestation until the measures which Governor Mason informs me he is taking to
send reinforcements into the territory, can be effected.
, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. BRANFORD SHUBRICK,
Commanding Pacific Squadron.
Hon. John Y. Mason, Secretary of the J^Tavy, Washington, D. C.
I forbear, sir, to comment upon other incidents in the life of Cap
tain Du Pont referred to in the naval documents, which reflect honor
upon his character both as a man and an officer ; but I must be per
mitted to revert to those matters which have been made the subject
of animadversion against him. To find ground upon which to rest
a censure, some of those who fancy their friends were injured by his
action as a member of the naval board, have been compelled to go
back and ransack the annals of the Navy Department nearly twenty
years ago.
It will be seen that this gentleman's life has been passed without a
blemish upon his reputation. What a noble commentary it is upon
any man's character that his enemies cannot find one single point for
reproach, even in this instance imaginary, without going back beyond
a history of most exemplary public service of nearly twenty years !
On the memorable cruise of the Ohio line-of-battle ship to the Medi
terranean, under Commodore Hull, in 1838-'39-'40-'41, some of
the elite of our naval officers were ordered to that ship, and Du Pont
was among the number. As a young lieutenant on the deck of that
noble ship, it is acknowledged by all that no officer was more efficient.
No one could have more faithfully discharged all his duties. But it
was the misfortune of Lieutenant Du Pont, together with nearly all
the wardroom officers of that ship, to incur the displeasure of the ¦
commodore. Though perfectly prepared to do so, I shall not enter into an
account of the difficulties which interrupted the social relations be
tween the commodore and his officers. These difficulties had their
origin in a question of apartments, and derived their chief importance
from a peculiar combination of circumstances. He wrote strong
letters to the Secretary of the Navy against these officers, charging
them with disrespect to him. Among the incidents which furnished
the grounds of complaint, was a fight between some of his officers
and the people of Port Mahon, while the Ohio was lying in that
harbor. These officers attended a carnival ball, during which the
people of the place, without apparent provocation, commenced an
attack upon the American officers, who were only eight in number,
including several young midshipmen. Du Pont, of course, took part
in the fight in defense of himself and the other officers, and without
arms these eight gentlemen beat, in fair fight, about five times their

8 CAPTAIN S. P. DU PONT.
number, and were about to restore order in the ball-room, when sud
denly, by command of the governor, the armed soldiery of the garri
son, twenty-five in number, with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets,
led on by their officers, charged upon the Americans in the theater,
where this occurred, and beat these young officers cruelly and brutally.
Du Pont made a report of the whole affair to the captain, and askea
that his statement of the outrage committed by the governor at Port
Mahon might be transmitted to the Senators and Representative from
his native State in Congress. In this affair Du Pont was to blame
for nothing. He bravely defended his own life and the lives of his
friends, who escaped with their lives indeed, though covered with
blood and wounds and subjected to the most shameful indignities.
An attempt was made to represent the carnival ball as a disreputable
place ; but this imputation was completely refuted by the fact that
the ladies of the commodore's own family were present in that
assembly in the early part of the evening. Du Pout's request for
permission to send a copy of his report of this affair to the Senators
and member of Congress from his State, drew down upon him, as it
appears from this correspondence, a special censure from Commodore
Hull, of which he was wholly ignorant till the call for these papers
was made.
The result of all the commodore's representations to Mr. Paulding,
the Secretary of the Navy at that time, made before he received the
statements on the other side, was, that a severe reprimand, sent out
by the Secretary of the Navy, was publicly read to these officers ;
and this was follpwed by an order from the commodore sending home
four of the wardroom officers — ^Pendergrast, Du Pont, Missroon, and
Codon. Here they demanded a hearing from the Secretary, (Mr.
Paulding,) laid their proofs before him, and the final result of his
review of the whole affair was that he fully exculpated these officers,
ordered them back to their places in the Ohio, and sent another dis
patch to the commodore exempting them from all censure ; and so
strongly was the Secretary convinced of the injustice that had been
done them, that he directed the commodore to cause this dispatch to
be read publicly in presence of all the officers who had heard the
previous letter of censure.
I hold in my hand an official copy of Secretary Paulding's letter
of acquittal, which I ask may be read.
It was read, as follows : Navt Department, June 24, 1840.
Sir; Lieutenants Pendergrast, Du Pont, Missroon, and Godon, have reported
themselves to the Department, in obedience to your order, and a.t the same time
requested an examination of the facta which led to the course you have pursued,
alleging that such an examination will show that they have suffered great injus
tice in being removed from the squadron and sent home to the United States.
These allegations, together with some passages iu the dispatches referring to the

CAPTAIN S. P. DU PONT. ^^ 9
motives which influenced you in sending them horae, induced the Department care
fully to examine and collate all the communications received from you since your
departure from the United States. This examination has produced a conviction
that, although there might have been sufficient cause on the ground of general
expediency, and a due regard to that harmony among all classes of officers which
is so essential to the honor and interests of the Navy, to withdraw a portion of the
ofiScers from the squadron, ani for the commander to direct the position of others to
be changed, there are no specific acts or definite charges exhibited in the documents
transmitted to the Department, and no oificial misconduct alleged against the ward
room officers of the Ohio generally, that would authorize or justify the censure
which the Department passed on these gentlemen in the letter of the 16th Decem
ber, 1839.
As this letter undoubtedly led to the measure of which Lieutenants Pendergrast,
Du Pont, Missroon, and Godon complain, and has been made public in the squad
ron under your command by being read to the ofiicers of the Ohio, the Department
feels it equally due to the obligations of justice, to its own honor, to the feelings of
the officers of the wardroom of that ship, and to the Navy generally, that it should
repair, as far as may be proper and becoming, the consequences which that letter
may have produced. For this purpose, therefore, it has been determined to direct
Lieutenants Pendergrast, Du Pont, Missroon, and Godon to return to the Mediter
ranean, and resume the duties and stations from whence they were removed; and
that equal publicity be given to this letter with that of 16th December, 1839, which
was the ultimate cause of their removal.
In thus promptly endeavoring to repair the injuries which may have been inflicted
on the interests and feelings of these officers by an act which, though believed to be
just and expedient at the time, is now, from subsequent explanations, admitted to
have been otherwise, it is confidently expected that this example will have a salutary
influence, and produce the restoration of that mutual harmony, respect, and confi"
dence among the officers of the squadron in the Mediterranean which is equally
essential to the efficiency and reputation of the Navy and to the welfare of their
country, which looks to that right arm of its defense for the special protection of
its interests and its honor throughout all parts of the world.
Under the particular circumstances of this case, and most especially as this letter
is intended to be read in presence of the officers of tho Ohio, the Department deems
it a fit occasion to express a further hope that the commanders of the squadron, and
of the vessels composing it, will continue to enforce, by example, as well as by the
exercise of their just authority, the laws and regulations of the Navy, with a view
to the maintenance of that subordination, order, and discipline, without which it
can neither preserve its well-won honors, nor acquire new claims to the gratitude of
the country.
On the other hand, by a prompt, cheerful, and willing obedjence to orders, by a
cordial and zealous support of the measures of their superiors, and by being equally
inflexible in the performance of their duties as in the assertion of their rights, every
other grade of officers will best honor themselves and their profession, serve their
country, and merit her confidence in all future trials.
I am, sir, respectfully yours, J. K. PAULDING.
Commodore Isaac Hull,
Commanding UnUed States Kaval force in the Mediterranean.
Mr. Clayton. This letter, of one of the ablest Secretaries who

10 CAPTAIN S. P. DU PONT.
has ever been at the head of the Navy Department, confers the highest
honor upon his own character, as it proves him to have been one of
the few men we find in this world who, after having done an act of
injustice, are capable of voluntarily making ample reparation for it.
Such, sir, is substantially the history of the facts upon which an
attempt has been made to disparage such a raan as Frank Du Pont.
J have reason to believe, sir, that when my honorable friend from
Texas was induced to call for the papers which disclosed much of
the history of the events to which I have referred, some of those who
instigated the call, or prompted others to press it, knew the fact, that
at that time the original draft of Secretary Paulding's last dispatch,
which exonerated Du Pont and his brother officers from the charges
which had been made against them, was believed, somehow most
unaccountably, to have disappeared from the files of the Navy
Departraent. But fortunately an official copy of that important paper
in the possession of one of these officers was produced, and then a
record of the same dispatch was discovered, so that the Department
has been able to furnish the Senate, in reply to the call, with a
correct copy of the exculpatory letter. If the Senator from Texas
was furnished with a copy of these papers without that dispatch
by any one, of which I pretend to know nothing, or was informed
only of the contents of the other papers, omitting the last, then I
think he will readily perceive that a grossly erroneous impression has
been made upon his own mind by the account of these transactions
which he has seen or heard, and that a fraudulent attempt has been
made to impose upon him, to the injury of a gentleman whose whole
life is calculated to win only his respect and admiration.
No man who has a proper respect for the honored memory of the
commodore will seek to recall these events for the purpose of casting
unjust reflections upon the living ; and I purposely forbear all com
ment upon any part of the proceedings except the triumphant final
vindication of Du Pont and his associates contained in the letter
of the Secretary, which justly closed the whole controversy forever.
Indulge me in reference to one other incident which has been
referred to in the Senate. A letter from Captain Du Pont to Lieu
tenant Rhind, written pending the investigations of the naval board,
was, during my absence, produced here and read. Allegations had
been made before the naval board against Lieutenant Bartlett, an
officer of the Navy, who has been dropped from the service. That
officer had been accused, among other things, of trading in a public
vessel and smuggling — a disgraceful imputation, if true. It was
Captain Du Font's duty, as a raember of that naval board, to as
certain the facts agreeably to the strict instructions of the Secretary
of the Navy, to make a '• careful examination " of each case. He
attempted to do it by addressing a letter to Lieutenant Moore. That
officer replied, in substance, that he knew nothing of the matter,

CAPTAIN S. P. DfJ PONT. II
except from rumor. Captain Du Pont refused to be satisfied with
rumor ; and having been referred by Lieutenant Moore to Lieutenant
Rhind, (whose name I see among those dropped from the service,)
as one who was cognizant of the facts, he very properly applied to
him to give him the true information. As an honorable man, he,
of course, desired to acquit the officer of the charge, if it were not
true. Before this letter was written to Lieutenant Rhind, the naval
board had disposed of the case of Lieutenant Bartlett upon other and
different grounds, and upon information as to this matter from other
sources ; yet the decision of the board, before the receipt of inform
ation from Rhind, has been by some persons outside of this Chamber
presented, and held to be evidence to show the injustice of the naval
board in deciding upon the officer in question, without waiting for
the answer of Rhind. The simple fact, that the officer was dropped
on other grounds laid before the board, and that they also had
abundant evidence which, in their judgment, made it entirely unnec
essary to procure the testimony of Rhind, puts an effectual extin
guisher upon this whole accusation against the naval board. The
report of the Naval Committee will show us how utterly immaterial
the testimony of Rhind really was.
Mr. President, the position of this brave and meritorious officer,
whose vindication I have thus imperfectly attempted, has been most
cruelly and unjustly assailed for the decisions of that naval board ;
while others, members of it, equally liable to malicious attacks, and
who exercised as great an influence in that council, have escaped
notice. The reason for this is understood to be, that, in the judgment
of the friends of those who have been dropped or retired from the
Navy, this gentleman was a leader among his brother naval officers.
It is but a just compliment to him to say that he never plays a second
part among any officers, old or young, when his duty to his country
requires him to lead. Superior intellect will always subject any man
to the imputation of controlling others ; and it is the highest compli
ment which his enemies could have bestowed upon him in reference
to this whole matter, that he is believed by them, however untruly,
to have been the ruling spirit in that board. But all men who are
intimately acquainted with him would tell you, sir, that he is utterly
incapable of setting aside any raan from the active list of his profes
sion except upon evidence clearly conclusive to his own best judg
ment. There never lived a man more disposed, by the kindness and
generosity of his nature, to put the most charitable construction on
the conduct of others. When this board was organized, he earnestly
desired the Secretary of the Navy to excuse him from service upon
it. I know that service was a bitter cup to him, which of all things
he most desired should pass from him ; but the Secretary, knowing
his high qualifications and his elevated character, so well adapted to
give confidence in the board to the public mind, was inexorable ; and

12 CAPTAIN S. F. DU PONT.
no alternative was left to Captain Du Pont but to serve as he was
commanded. I have said, heretofore, tha't, from my knowledge of
him, I believe he would rather have gone into action with one ofour
frigates against a line-of-battle ship of any enemy than to have served
as a member of that board. Some of those who were dropped
from the active list were among his former personal friends, and the
objects of his deepest sympathy. But his moral, like his physical
courage, was equal to any emergency. Forced to discharge a most
uapleasant duty, he did it according to the very best judgment which
God had given him. , The members of the board were compelled to
investigate facts; like judges, theywere compelled to express definite
and conclusive opinions. In such cases the individuals, if honest,
are exempted from personal responsibility for their judgment. No man
is allowed with impunity to insult them for their opinions ; yet the
officers of this naval board ought, in the judgment of some of their
most malicious enemieS), to be shot down or degraded for the exercise
of their honest judgment. They removed no man from office. The
whole responsibility of the removals rests upon the Secretary of the
Navy and the President, whose duty it was, in obedience to both the
Constitution and the law, to have satisfied themselves of the justness
of the decision of that naval board. The Secretary recommended to
the President to adopt the whole report of the naval board, without
a single exception. Nothing would be raore unworthy, for either the
Secretary or the President, than to retreat behind the naval board,
and suffer fifteen of the very best officers in the Navy to be victimized
for the purpose of shunning that just responsibility which belongs to
the Executive alone. I cannot believe that the President or Secre
tary will shun it. The noblest act the Chief Magistrate could now
perform would be to inform Congress, while it is wasting its time on
this subject, that he would not permit his constitutional power to be
usurped by others ; that he acknowledged no right of appeal existing
in this Senate or in the other House, or in both combined, to sit in
judgment upon his acts of removal, over which they have no control ;
that if it could be shown to him that injustice had been done in any
one of these naval removals, he would redress the wrong when satis
fied it had been committed ; but that he would yield nothing to pop
ular clamor, got up by interested parties, or their friends or relatives,
in high or low places ; and that he would suffer no man to degrade
him by assuming that he had exercised no judgment in these matters,
or to throw the responsibility due from him alone upon those unof
fending officers in the naval service who had been compelled to obey
his orders in the expression of their honest opinions.
That, sir, would be worthy of Jackson in his best days. Were
Jackson now President that is the very course he would adopt.
Sir, I will venture to say, if the precedent is to be set in this case
of trying these naval judges on charges made by the accused, after

CAPTAIN S. F. DU PONT. 13
they have decided against them, no honorable man in the Navy or
Army will ever again consent to serve on such a board of inquiry:
he would prefer to resign his commission. It would seem as if there
were an effort making to compel some of these raembers of the naval
board to fight every one of the two hundred and one officers who
may chose to insult them, or to submit to be abused and denounced
in the most scandalous raanner.
There is no view in which any one of the naval board could be
justified, according to the principles which govern raen of honor in
the Navy, in seeking personal satisfaction frora one who has been
thus removed from the service. The mere attempt to do it would
injure him in the estimation of all officers of his own rank, and be
most disastrous in its consequences to the naval service.
Such is the position of the officers of this naval board. If they are
to be tried and condemned by the Senate for their honest obedience
to the orders of the Navy Department — if they are to receive no pro
tection here for the faithful discharge of their duties agreeably to the
instructions of the Secretary in the execution of our own law, their
condition is rendered intolerable and desperate ; and I repeat, that,
after establishing such a precedent as would result frora condemning
them, we could never expect any honorable man to serve on a board
of inquiry.
As to Captain Du Pont, I have made these explanations without
the slightest knowledge on his part that it was my intention to address
the Senate to-day on this subject. I want no highei- evidence to
sustain him than the eulogistic testimonial of Commodore William
Branford Shubrick, then the commander in the Pacific, whose eminent
services during the war with Mexico were attended with such signal
success, and whose bravery was illustrated by his participation in one
of the most brilliant naval victories during^the last war with Great
Britain. " The annals of war," he says, " can furnish no instances
of greater coolness or more indomitable perseverance, of more con
spicuous bravery, and of sounder judgraent," than Du Pont has
exhibited. No man is more beloved or honored by his brother officers
in the Navy, or more respected as an accomplished officer, sailor, and
gentleman. No man living stands in higher repute wherever he is
known. Captain Du Pont, as I have stated, has spent twenty years of his
naval life at sea ; but his professional usefulness has not been con
fined to that element alone. On shore he has been employed in the
most important public duties, and especially in such as required the
exercise of the highest professional knowledge and experience. I
may ment ionthat, among other duties, he has been a member of two
boards convened for the purpose of making codes of rules and regula
tions for the governrnent of the naval service. He was a member of
the board which furnished the fundamental plan and organization of

14 CAPTAIN S. P. DU PONT.
the Naval Academy, when that institution was founded, and, subse
quently, of the board which revised the original system, and advanced
the Academy towards its present efficient and prosperous condition ;
and, finally, he was complimented by a late Secretary of the Navy,
Mr. Preston, with the appointment to the office of superintendent, of
this admirable institution.
I do not think it worth while to dwell upon the responsible, oner
ous, and disagreeable duties he has often been called on to perform,
as a member of courts-martial and courts of inquiry, otherwise than
to notice them as evidences of the confidence and respect of the head
of the Navy. His present situation on the light-house board, of which
he is now a member, and has been from its first organization — taking
an active part in the creation of the present hght-house estabhshment
— is another and conclusive proof of his high standing with his Gov
ernment. •
Captain Du Pont has also contributed to adorn his profession and
benefit his country with his pen. While in 1851 the idea prevailed
in the country of modifying the existing systera of national defenses
by the introduction, to a greater or less extent, of floating batteries,
Captain Du Pont v/as called upon by the Secretary of War to express
his opinions on the subject. His " report on ihe national defenses"
was considered so masterly, that it has been republished separately,
and very generally distributed by some officers of the corps of
engineers. It has received distinguished notice abroad. Lieutenant
General Sir Howard Douglass, in the last edition of his standard
work on gunnery, a work which has always been considered, both in
England and in this country, as the highest authority, has cited its
opinions and conclusions with respect and reliance, and styles it " an
admirable work."
Sir, the standing and character of Captain Du Pont are dear to all
the people of his State, as my honorable friend and colleague [Mr.
Bayard] will readily testify; and he holds a place in their affections
as one who has conferred honor on the State, keeping in view the
careers of Jones and McDonough, who were also her own children,
and who had by their faithful and distinguished services created in
Delaware a special pride in the prowess of our Navy. Like those
naval heroes, he will stand in future time, in despite of calumny, as
a man who has passed through hfe with a breast untainted, and a
hand unstained.

<