340
WRITINGS OF 5AM HoUSTOi'-, 1856
capacity. There is something peculiar in his case, and the Senator from Louisiana has arrayed the facts and given us the secret. He told us that, being a connection of Commodore Perry, and seeing a certain correspondence, he felt an interest in the matter; and what is the whole of it? Most strange, indeed, that he should have felt that Commodore Perry's honor was about to suffer, when I think that one of the most honorable acts which any gentleman could have done is the one that was imputed to him by Lieutenant Bartlett. It will be recollected that on one occasion Lieutenant Bartlett met Mr. Parker, and being shown a letter written to Mr. Parker that seemed to indicate a disposition enter- tained by Commodore Perry, favorable to the disrated officers, it made a deep impression on his mind. He sought an interview with Commodore Perry; and what was the consequence? It re- sulted in a very unrestrained communication on the part of Com- modore Perry to Mr. Bartlett, which was transmitted by Mr. Bartlett to a friend, to whom he wished to administer consola- tion-not with a view to have it published. That friend incon- siderately sent it off, and it was published. Thus it made its appearance in the newspapers. A mind heated, encouraged by the denunciations of Commodore Perry of the action of that board, would naturally recur to the most striking portions of that conversation, and identify them with any circumstance that held out a hope of redress to the injured parties. He says that Commodore Perry, in the conversation, stated this: "I hope the day will soon come when the monstrous injustice which has been done to you and others will be corrected." Those are the words-"monstrous injustices," and that he should have repeated them in connection with this letter is one of the most natural things in the world. He had not seen the letter for weeks; but recurring to his conversation with Commo- dore Perry in detail, in order to corroborate that, he adverts to the letter to Mr. Parker. Can any one believe for a moment that Mr. Bartlett intended to pervert the truth or to distort the facts? Did he not suppose that the letter to Mr. Parker was what he stated? But hurried, excited upon the subject, his mind recurring to the strong expressions of Commodore Perry, he merely stated them as if they had been used in the letter to Mr. Parker. Could he have any bad motive in misrepresenting the letter? Did he not know that if he had misrepresented it he was liable to detec- tion and correction at any time? The Senator from Louisiana indulged in very harsh, and, as I thought, unnecessary remarks in regard to Lieutenant Bartlett.
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