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i THE REFLECTOR VOL. !. MILLEDGEVILLE, G. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1818. NO. 14. * 1 CONG HESS. SPEECH OK GEN. HARRISON, lOn introducing the motion for honoring the me mory of Kosciusk o, on the 20th of January, in the House of Kcvrtsentatives. The public pajiers have announced an event |w hicli well calculated to excite the sympa thy of every American bosom. Kosciusko, |lhe martyr of liberty is no more ! We are informed that he died at Soleurc, in France, Motile time in October last. In tracing the events of this great man's ilife, we find in him that consistency of con duct which is the more to be 'admired as it is so rarely to be met with. lie was not at one. time the friend of mankind, and at another the instrument of their oppression ; hot lie preserved throughout his whole career those noble principles which distinguished him in its commencement—which influenced him at an early period of hi3 life to leave his coun try and his friends, and in another hemis phere to fight for the right of humanity. Kosciusko was born and educated in Po land, of a noble and distinguished family—a country where the distinctions in society are perhaps carried to greater lengths than in any other. His creator had, however, en dowed him with a soul capable of rising a- bove the narrow prejudices of a rast, and breaking the shackles which a vicious cdu- ation had imposed on his mind. When very young, he was informed by the Voice of fa me that the standard of liberty bad been erected in America—that an insulted & oppressed people had determeined to be free, or perish in the attempt. Ilis ardent and generous mind caught, with enthusiasm, the holy flame, and from that moment he became .the devoted soldier of liberty. His rank ih the American army afforded him no opportunity greatly to distinguisl himself. But ho was remarked throughout his service, for all the qualities which adorn the human character. His heroic valor in the field, could only be cqalle.d by his mode ration and affability in the walks of private life. He was idolized by the soldiers for his bravery, and beloved and respected by the .officers for the goodness of his heart, and the great qualities of his mind. Contributing greatly, by bis exertions, to the establishment of the independence of A- merica, he might have remained and shared the blessings dispensed, under the protection of a chief who loved and honored him, and u the bu3oin of a grateful and affectionate leople. Kosciusko, however, hud other views. It s not known that, until the period I am peaking of, he hud formed any distinrtidea >t what could, or indeed what ought, to be lone for liis ow n. But in the revolutionary car he drank deeply of the principles which •reduced it. In his conversation with the Intelligent men of our country, he acquired new viewsofthescicnceofgovernment and the was turned on the hero who had already fought their battles—tho sago who had en lightened them, and the patriot who had set the example of personal sacrifices to accom plish the emancipation of tliu people. Kosciusko was unanimously appointed ge neralissimo of Roland, with unlimited pow ers, until the enemy should be driven from the country. On his virtues tho nation re posed with the utmost confidence j and it is some consolation to reflect, amidst the gene ral depravity of mankind, that two instan ces, in the same age, have occurred, where powers of this kind were employed solely for the purposes for which they were given. Itisnotiny intention, sir, to follow the Polish chief throughout tho career of victory w hich, for a considerable time, crowned his efforts. Guided by his talents, and led by liis valor, his undisciplined illy armed mili tia charged with effect the veteran Russian and Prussian : the mantled cuirasscrs of tho great Frederick, for the. first time, broke and fled, before the lighter and appropriate cavalry of Poland. Hope filled the breasts of the patriots. After a loug night, the dawn of an apparently 'glorious d.#. broke upon Poland. But, to the discerning eye of Kosciusko, the light which it shed was of that sickly and portentous appearance, indicating a storm more dreadful than that which lie had resisted. He. prepared to meot.it with firmness, but with means entirely inadequate. To the ad vantages of numbers, of tactics, of discip line, and inexhaustible resources, the com bined despots had secured a faction in the heart of Poland. And, if that country can boast of having produced its Washington, it is disgraced also by giving birth to a se cond Arnold. The day at length came which was to decide the fate of a nation and a hero. Heaven, for wise purposes, determined it shffuld he the last of Polish liberty. It was decided, indeed, before the battle commenc ed. The traitor Poniski, who covered with a detachment the advance of the Polish ar my, abandoned his position to the enemy, and retreated. Kosciusko was astonished, but not dis mayed. The disposition of his army would have done honor to Hannibal. The succeed ing conflict was terrible. When the talents of the general could no longer direct the mingled mass of combatants, the. arm of the warrior was brought to the aid of his sol diers. Ho performed prodigies of valor. The fabled prowess of Ajax, in defending the Grecian ships, was realized by the Pol ish hero. Nor was he badly seconded by his troops As long as his voice could guide, or liis example lire their volor, they were irre sistible. In this unequal contest KoSciusko was long seen, and finally lost to their view. I “ Hope*for a season bade the world farewell, And freedom shriek’d when Kosciusko fell*’* lie fell, covered with wounds, but still survived. A Cossack would have pierced «• Ilehold your general, come once more To lead you on to laurel’d victory, To fame, to freedom.” The delusion could have lasted hut for a moment. Ho was hiihself, alas ! a misera ble cripple; and, for them! they were no longer the soldiers of liberty, but the instru ments of ambition and tyranny. Overwhelm ed with grief at the reflection, he would re tire to his cottage, to mourn a fresh over the miseries of his country. Such was the man, sir, for whose memory I ask from an American Congress a slight tribute of respect. Not, sir, to perpetuate his fame-—but our gratitude. His fame wilt last as long as liberty remains upon the earth: as long as a votary offers iticeiise upon her altar, the name of Kosciusko will he invoked. And if, by the common consent of the world, a temple shall be erected to those who have rendered most service to mankind, if the statue of our great countryman shall occupy the place of the “ most worthy,” that of Kosciusko will be found by his side, and the wreath of laurel will be entwined wit* the palm of virtue to adorn his brow. - rights of man. He had seen too that te he free j ] MS fo^ast, an officer interposed. < Suftbi it was only necessary that a nation should will | t j ln ( 0 execute his purpose/ said the bleeding hero—* I am tho devoted soldier of my coun- t, A to be happy it was only necessary that a ation should be free. And was it not possible ;o procure these blessings for Poland ? For Poland, the country of his birth, which had i claim to all his services. That unhappy ration groaning under a complication of e- rils which has scarcely a parallel in history., die mass of the people were the abject slaves if the nobles ; the nobles, torn into factions, vere alternately the instruments am! the. vic- iims of their powerful and ambitious neigh- )ors. By intrigue, corruption, and force, mine of its fairest provinces had been sepa rated from the republic, and the people, like leasts, transferred to foreign despots, who ere again watching for a favorable moment in* a second dismemberment. To regene- ate a people thus debased— to obtain for a ountry thus circumstanced, the blessings if liberty and independence, was a w ork of s much difficulty as danger. But to a mind ike Kosciusk o, the difficulty and danger f an enterpr,. i served as stimulants to un- ertake it. The annals of these times give us no de fied account of the progress of Kosciusko n accomplishing his great work, from the eriod of his return from America tp the a option of the new constitution of Poland, n 1791. This interval, however, of appa nt inaction, was most usefully employed to umine the mental darkness which inve- (oped his countrymen. To stimulate the ig- orantand bigotted peasantry with the hope f future emancipation—to teach a proud hut ;allant nobility that true glory is only to be und in the paths of duty and patriotism— terests the most opposed, prejudices the ost stubborn, and habits the most invete te, were reconciled, dissipated and broken, the ascendancy of his virtues and exam- e. The storm which lie had foreseen, and T which ho had been preparing, at length urst upon Poland. A feeble and unpopular /vemment bent before its fury, and sub itted itself to the Russian yoke of the in d ’r. But the nation disdained to follow example j in their extremity every eye try, and will not survive its liberties.' The name of Kosciusko struck to the heart of the Tartar, like that of Marios upon the Cim- briau warrior. The uplifted weapon drop ped from his hand. Kosciusko was conveyed to the dungeons of Petersburg!! ; and, to the eternal disgrace of the empress Catharine, she made him the object of her vengeance, when lie could be no longer the object of her fears. Her more generous son restored him to liberty. The remainder of his life lias been spent in vir tuous retirement. Whilst in this situation in France, an anecdote is related of him w Iiich strongly illustrates the commaiul which his virtues and his services had obtained over the minds of his countrymen. In the late invasion of France, some Po lish regiments, in the service of Russia, passed through the village in which ho lived. Some pillaging of the inhabitants brought Kosciusko from bis cottage. “ When I was a Polish soldier,” said lie, addressing the plunderers, “ the property of the peaceful citizen was respected.” “ And who art thou,” said an officer, “ who addresses us with this tone of authority 2” « I am Kos ciusko.” There was magic in the word. It ran from corps to corps. The march was suspended. They gathered round him, and gazed, with astonishment and awe, upon the mighty ruin lie presented. « Could it indeed be their hero,” whoso fame was identified with that of their country 2 A thousand in teresting recollections burst upon their minds —they remembered his patriotism, his devo tion to liberty, his triumphs, and hi^g lori- ous fall. Their iron hearts were sffiened, and the tear of sensibility trickled down their weather beaten faces. We can easily conceive, sir, what would be the feelings of the hero himself in such a scene. His great heart must have heaved with emotion, to find himself once more surrounded by the compa nioi.s of liis glory ; and that lie would have been upon the point of saying to them SPEECH OF MR. JOHNSON, On hit resolution to amend the present navy laws. Mr. J ohnson, (of Virginia,) said, i am a- bout to oiler a resolution for an amendment of the law relative to the government of the navy—1 beg it to be understood sir, that 1 am friendly to a navy, 1 consider it of the ut most importance to tho defence of our coun try. That a navy of a size and fcmcc pro portioned to the population and resources of the nation, under which some equitablu and just regulations will always bo found of the most essential service cither for defensive or cocrsive operations. But sir, it is to a navy of this description and thus governed I am friendly. Not to one where military despo tism reigns. It is to 111c truly astonishing that for nearly twenty years the laws of this country should have created and recognised a distinction between the superior and in Cert or officers of the navy, which would disgrace the most despotic government. For an as sault on a superior officer, an offence, which if committed by a citizen, would subject him to punishment by fine only—you condemn the inferior officer to death, whilst the superior officer for an assault on his inferior is subject to such punishment, short of death as a court martial in its discretion may pronounce, ge ncrally I presume, a private reprimand. J presume no question to he more clear, than that no Court can impose a penalty of death unless the power to punish by death be. ex pressly given. How incompatible is such a distinction with the genius and spirit of our government. What a libel on the principles of freedom and equality every where claim ed in the United States, To what ridicule would it subject the inferior officer who should boast of the declaration of independence and the equality of rights in this country, 1 ask if "the discrimination be just. If the offences committed by the superior officers ho not the most likely to prove injurious to the service ; the most calculated to produce demoralizing and had efl'ects by their exam ple. I have no question that all evil and bad examples set by men high in office and in the confidence of the country, descend on socie ty with the accumulated force of gravity That whilst the same act if performed by an obscure subaltern would be ridiculed and condemned—'if performed by some distin guished and popular favorite would, if not openly approved, at least find many apolo- ists. The true policy of this government is to afford equal protection to all— to deal out equal and exemplary punishments against all offenders. If any distinction he made, I would punish with most soverity the high in office—the popular idol, who should become forgetful of his duties and obligations to se- cioty. There islittle danger that the rights of the superior officers of the navy will be violated, his person attacked or his feelings insulted by those under his command. Ex pericnce, and recent occurrences,. prove to us, that the subaltern officer is in a very dif ferent situation. I allude to a recent occur rence on tho Mediterranean station. It has been published to the world, and so far as am informed, never been contradicted, that whilst on that station, a most distinguished officer, Captain Perry, did so far forget his own dignity, as to order in his presence, Captain Heath of the marine corps, and first load him with the most vulgar epithets, and then proceeded to inflict blows on his person, and immediately ordered him under an ar rest. Can such conduct bo tolerated in this country 2 I hope and* trust not. But Capt. Perry has submitted to and received the sen tence of a court-martial. I will not at pre sent speak of the proceedings of that court —I am not possessed of the facts in a way to authorise me. If the present resolution should bo adopted, it is in my [lower to call for the proceedings of that court. Sir, if Congress docs not interpose its aid to pre vent the recurrence of similar abuses in that department, I shall consider tho «uu of glo ry which had risen with such unusual splcna dor on tho navy of the United States, as shorn forever of his beams. What man of honor, under existing circumstances with tli« present law, would either enter your navy himself, or permit liis son to do so 2 I would as soon become the miserable slave, who licks the dust from the foot of despotism, as to enter, with the commission of u subaltern officer, the navy of the United States with the existing law, under the .command of a proud, supercilious & tyrannical commander. 1 believe no acts of.distinguished valor and great importance to society were over per formed except by those who possess strong passions. Passions are the winds that fan the sacred ilamo of human genius. When regulated and properly directed, they ariso the owner of that rare gift to the most sub lime heights of glory and renown. But when irregular and unrestrained, they as frequent ly precipitate the possessor of the most bril liant genius into the gulf of ruin and destruc tion. It is the province and the duty of tho legislature, by salutary laws, to curb and re strain the wild, irregular and pernicious sal lies of human passion. • No man deserves more of liis country for his gallantry than Capt. Perry, tho hero of Lake Erie—lie who during the late war shed the brightest beam on this nation by which it was lighted. Sir, 1 should despise myself if 1 possessed a heart so cold, as not to participate in the general respect, gratitude and admiration for the man who by his prow ess achieved such unfading glory to the na tion ; but the most radiant beam which ever played about tho head of the hero, may bo obscured; and the most blooming laurels may become tarnished by subsequent acts of* tyranny and oppression. Who can behold without the deepest regret—and without be ing ready to drop a tear for the frailty of poor human uaturc, tho hero surrounded by by the trophies of military fame and renown, basking in the sunshine of popular favor— enjoying the respect and confidence of hi» own nation, and receiviug the respect and applause of foreign nations—stooping from Ins elevation—forgetful of his own dignity, and tho principles of justice—bringing be fore him a feubaltorn officer, first bestowing on him vulgar and scurrilous abuse, and then violating bis person by blows. Sir, the A- mcrican flag, wherever it waves, whether it floats in the soft, voluptuous, and demoraliz ing air of the Mediterranean, or glitters in tho northern blast, should afford protection* complete and ample protection, to every cit izen who sails under it, from the common sailor who stands before the mast to the proud commodore who commands the squadron. I hope the resolution will bo adopted.—i am influenced by no other consideration than a regard tojustice—and a just regard foe the true and lasting prosperity of the navy. To ail the parties, Capt. Heath, Capt. Per ry and Coin. Chaunccy, I am a perfect stranger. “ Resolved, that the committee for the de partment of the nary be instructed to en quire into the expediency of £0 amending the act, entitled “ Jni act for the bettor go vernment of the navy of the United State*,* (approved April 23, 1800,) which imposes the penalty of death on an officer or private in the navy who shall disobey tho lawful or ders of his superior officer, or strike him, op draw, or offer to draw, or raise any weapon against him while in tho execution of the du ties of his office, as to make the punishment in the case of an officer, the forfeiture of his commission or warrant and dismission from the service, and in the case of a private a dismission from the service; and so to amend said act as to subject the superi or officers who shall strike, or draw, or oK fer to draw, or raise any weapon against his inferior officer, to a forfeiture of his com mission and dismission from the service: and further to provide that no officer dismissed from the service of the navy of the United States for either of the causes above enume rated, shall be reinstated by the president of the U. States.” Mr. Forsyth moved an amendment, as h£ thought the resolution of the honorable gen tleman from Virginia struck at the very root of subordination. Mr. Johnson objected to the amendment, when it was withdrawn. Mr. Pleasants, chairman of the commit, tee on naval affaire, moved to amend it, or substitute the following, which was adopted by Mr. Johnson. And the resolution pass ed. “ Resolved, that tho committee on na val affairs be instructed to enquire whether, any, and if any, what alteration,s are neces sary and proper to be made in the several laws regulating the government of the navy.” Mr. Johnson then moved tho following which was also agreed to s “Resolved, that the secretary of the navy bo directod to report to this house the proceedings of the coart martial, ordered by com. Chaunccy on tho Mediterranean station, for the trial of com. Oliver H. Perry; also the proceedings of the court martial on the same station, order ed by the same officer, for the trial of C.apfc. iohn qf tyo marine cojj^