escription of the ship as "a bunch of pine boards." The
"Guerriere" was an "old worn-out frigate," responded the English,
returning to the charge. "She was on her way to Halifax to refit, when
attacked." Again they were refuted by their own statements; for, but a
month before, the "Guerriere" was said to be "able to drive the
insolent striped bunting from the seas." Throughout the discussion,
the shrewdness of the Americans enabled them to meet the arguments of
the British at every point; but not until the charge was made, that
the "Constitution" was chiefly manned by British sailors, did the
people become thoroughly in earnest in the war of words.

Such a charge as this was adding insult to injury. Was not the British
navy full of Americans who were forced against their will to serve
against their own country, while the few Englishmen on the
"Constitution" were enlisted with their own consent? For Capt. Dacres
to say that his ship was weakened by allowing the ten Americans to go
below, and then beaten by the efforts of the Englishmen on the
"Constitution," was merely tantamount to saying that the victory
hinged on the fact that Americans would not fight against their own
country, while Englishmen did so willingly. But for Great Britain to
exclaim against the American navy because it harbored a few
Englishmen, was the rankest hypocrisy. So said the American
journalists of the day; and, in support of their statement, they
printed long letters from American seamen impressed into and held in
the British naval service. One writes that he was impressed into his
British Majesty's ship "Peacock," in 1810, and after serving two years
he heard of the declaration of war. After a consultation with two
fellow-seamen, both Americans, all decided to refuse to serve longer,
claiming to be prisoners of war. But the captain under whom they were
enrolled looked upon the matter in a different light. He heard their
claim, pronounced it a bit of "confounded insolence," and straightway
ordered that they be put in irons. After some hours for meditation in
"the brig," the three sailors were taken to the gangway, stripped
naked, and tied up, while a sturdy boatswain's mate laid on a dozen
and a half blows of the cat. Later, when the ship went into action
with a United States vessel, the three sailors asked to be sent below,
that they might not fight against their own countrymen; but the
captain's sole response was to call up a midshipman, and o