WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
283
The Southampton had been lauded and trumpeted, and a little trumpeting here would have been acceptable; but if the trumpet- ing would not come, they would take the whistle. Well, sir, the letter again says: "We have been truly gratified yesterday by showers of official and friendly gratulations from Mazatlan, but these certainly would not have made yours less acceptable." That is on the principle of "you tickle me and I'll tickle you"; but Thornburn did not do this, even after this intimation that a puff might go into the papers, and the poor fellow has been struck down-one of the best sailors in the Navy, I am told, or as good as any. This shows you the love of praise and the laud- able ambition of this distinguished man, whose reputation my friend from Delaware [Mr. Clayton] thinks is so important to be taken care of. I have not assailed it. I use no epithets. I have used documents. I do not say that a man is dishonest or not a gentleman. I do not say that, whatever may be my private opnuon. [Laughter.] ... Mr. President, I will ask the Secretary to read a letter from Commodore Shubrick, dated at Mazatlan. I am willing that it shall go into my speech, for I wish to accord all justice to this gentleman. I will use it with more cheerfulness because my friend from Delaware [Mr. Clayton] selected it as an evidence of the merit of a member of the board; and for the purpose of sus- taining his action and the action of the board, I presume, in the course which they have adopted. I am perfectly willing it should go out to the world in my speech. I wish the Secretary to read the letter. The Secretary read as follows: [The letter, from Commodore Shubrick to the Secretary of War, February 25, 1848, praised Commander Du Pont and Lieutenant Heywood in extravagant terms.] Mr. Houston. This letter says, in one part: "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." This is evident, because Du Pont, after the trumpet blast given to the gentlemen of the Southampton, was so modest thnt he was willing to put up with a whistle for the Cyane in return. [Laugh- ter.] It was the modesty characteristic of cool courage, to de- scribe a march of two miles, and killing nobody, as one of the greatest achievements in our annals; and I believe he says, it is
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