crew as had
been put in the Speedy, and who had not been impressed either in the
frigate itself, or in England after they were turned ashore, had found
their way home, bringing with them an account of the capture of the ship,
her extraordinary appearance near the four combatants, and their own
attempt to escape. This last affair, in particular, had made some noise in
the journals--a warm discussion having taken place on the subject of the
right of Americans to run away with an English man-of-war's boat, under
the circumstances in which these poor fellows had found themselves placed.
In that day, parties in America took as lively an interest in the wars of
Europe, as if the country were a belligerent; and politicians, or _quasi_
statesmen, were little more than retailers of the most ultra English and
ultra French opinions. It was sufficient for the Federalists to justify
any act, if England did it; while the Democrats had almost as strong a
disposition to defend all the enormities which the policy of Napoleon led
him to commit. I say _almost_--for, to deal honestly with posterity, I do
not think the French-American party was quite as French as the
English-American party was English. These last had returned to their
provincial dependence of thought; and, well-read in the English version of
all political and moral truths, and little read in those of any other
state of society, they believed, as he who worships at a distance from
the shrine is known implicitly to yield his faith. The English party had
actually a foundation in deeply-rooted opinion, and colonial admiration
for the ancient seat of power, whereas the French owed its existence
principally to opposition. The alliance of 1778 had some little influence
among men old enough to have been active in the events of the revolution,
it is true, but they existed as exceptions even in their own party. It was
the English feeling that was natural, hearty, dependent, and deep; the
other having been, as has just been stated, rooted as much in opposition,
as in any other soil.

The public discussions of the fate of the Dawn, as a matter of course, had
drawn much speculation, among my acquaintances, to my own. As month passed
after month, and no letters reached America, the opinion became very
general that the vessel was lost. At length, a ship from Jamaica brought
in a blind story of the manner in which I had re-taken my vessel from
Sennit; and, it now being known that we were o