accepted by one who in later years was twice
elected to the Presidency. One of the signers of the Declaration
of Independence fell in a duel with an officer of the Colonial
army, soon after that great event. There are many yet living
who read the startling telegram from the Pacific coast that a
Senator from California had fallen in a duel with the Chief Justice
of that State, and sad as it is, this dreadful recital might be
much farther extended.

While a member of Congress many years ago, in company with
Representatives Knott and McKenzie of Kentucky I spent some hours upon
the historic duelling ground at Bladensburg, a Maryland village of
a few hundred inhabitants, six miles from the city of Washington.
Governor Knott pointed out the exact spot where Barron and Decatur
stood in the memorable duel in 1820, in which the latter was killed.
It is impossible to read the account of this fatal meeting even
after the lapse of more than four score years, without a feeling
of profound regret for the sad fate of one of the most gallant
of all the brave officers the American Navy has known. It was
truly said of Decatur: "He was one of the most chivalric men of
any age or country." He was one of the little band of naval
commanders who by heroic exploits at sea did so much to redeem the
American name from the humiliation and disgrace caused by incompetent
generalship upon land, in our second war with Great Britain.
His encounters with the enemy were of frequent occurrence, and
in each instance added new laurels to our little navy. If Commodore
Decatur had rendered no other service to his country, that of the
destruction of the Algerine pirates would alone entitle him to a
place among its benefactors. His skill and daring when in command
of our little fleet upon the Mediterranean destroyed forever the
power of "the common enemy of mankind," avenged the insult to
our flag, and secured for the American name an honored place among
the nations of the world.

The tragic death of Decatur--recalling so much of gallant service--
has cast a spell about his name. It belongs in the list of immortals,
with the names of Sir Walter Raleigh, Captain Lawrence, Lord Nelson,
and Oliver Hazard Perry. Cities and counties without number
throughout our entire country have been given the honored name
of Decatur.

Commodore Barron, too, had known much active service. For an
alleged official delinquency, he had been court-martialed near the