hospitals; clearly define the duties, rights, and dies, be degraded below their position in civil life, privileges of all persons in the Navy, including the simply because they place themselves under the duties and responsibilities of the several bureaus, operation of martial-law. and establish a proper plan of accountability, with However adverse to our republican institutions such a system of checks, that even the chief of a it may seem, military or Naval government must bureau, should he be so depraved as to yield to be essentially aristocratic, both in the social and temptation, might not long appropriate public money duty relations of its subjects; consequently, the for private purposes, or self, or family aggrandize- official members of all military bodies of all government. When this is satisfactorily done, let the Secretary of the Navy issue the Regulations and require their observance; and submit the code for the guidance of courts-martial, to Congress for approval. Let it be no longer said, "there is no law for post captains!" Should the department ever call together such a board as has been suggested, it might not be time lost, if they were to read, in a spirit of candor, the following remarks: ments, even of those pertaining to republics, compose a species of aristocracy, in which there must be definite grades and ranks, without which there can be no discipline, the foundation of all efficiency in military or Naval service. To limit the personal rights, authority and privileges of the several grades and ranks respectively, imparting as much strength and incitement to exertion as possible, to every grade without weakening any, so as to produce a harmonious action throughout the whole, seems to be the problem to be solved. If an efficient Navy could be constituted of a single series of grades, through which an individual might pass from the lowest to the highest, from midshipman to admiral, there would be little difficulty in determining the rights, privileges and powers, that should belong to each grade. But to enable military seamen to discharge their professional duties well and cheerfully, they require as from them in their professional avocations, and also, other grades in which the duties are similar to their own, though of a subordinate character, such as boatswains, gunners, &c. One grade of officers is required to manage every thing connected with the It is the opinion of Vattel, and it will be generally assented to, that "the government ought precisely to determine the functions, duties, and rights of all military men." To do this precisely, it is necessary to enter into details, many of which, it is acknowledged, are generally known; but, since they are daily liable to be forgotten or neglected, they certainly ought not to be suppressed, in a system of General Regulations, designed for the guidance of officers who discharge a variety of im-sociation with several grades, which totally differ portant duties, under a great variety of circumstances. As it is desirable that officers should not only discharge their duties well but cheerfully, the Rules and Regulations should be such as will be cheerfully obeyed, and apply equally to all, whether occupying a superior or inferior position. The subsistence and clothing of those serving in ships; rewards and penalties attached to the Rules should be clearly defined; but nothing should be left to arbitrary discretion, or men in the Naval service will be placed as slaves amidst a nation of freemen. The only safe discretion is that which leaves men to choose the most satisfactory manner of obedience; but no power should be vested in any Naval officer to make laws at variance with the written code. another to instruct the young; a third to keep them mindful of a future world, while warring in this, and still another to guard them against the fatal effects of wounds, hurts and diseases, to which they are more peculiarly liable, from exposure to changes of climate, vicissitudes of weather, &c., than any other class of our fellow citizens. In a word, to complete the personel of a Navy, we must associate with the grades of military seamen, the Although military rule must be despotic in its grades of surgeon, purser, chaplain, naval instructor, character, the subjects of it may be advantageously and a corps of marines, besides secretaries, clerks, protected by law or executive Regulation, in cer- and, since the introduction of war-steamers, engitain personal rights and privileges. Men unpro-neers and other subordinate grades. Military seatected in these particulars, seeing the power and men, or "sea-officers" necessarily form the stalk or liberty others possess and from which they them- standard, by which all the associate grades of the selves are excluded, "are apt to live in a state of Navy must be measured or compared. perpetual envy and hatred towards the rest of the In human affairs, it is desirable that all acts community in which they are; and perhaps even should be skilfully performed; and in none is it indulge a malignant pleasure in contributing to more essential to success than in military or nautical destroy those privileges to which they never can life. Hence the propriety of devising and pursuing be admitted."* Those who serve the country in that course of policy which will secure for the serany military capacity, should not be placed in a vice of the government, in the several grades assoworse position, unnecessarily, than any of its freest ciated with sea-officers, the best talent, skill and citizens; nor should those who render important qualification the country affords. A sea-life is far though peaceful assistance officially to military bo- from being in itself attractive or agreeable, and it * Blackstone. is even less so when subject to the undefined ope These observations apply with equal force to medical officers, pursers, chaplains, &c., but we shall attempt to illustrate them by referring to the condition or rather, position of the medical officers in the Navy. ration of military Rule and the penalty of martial- in which, only those who wear some badge of law for these reasons, it is necessary to offer men power or authority, are entitled to official respect. of high tone, professional education and standing in civil life, greater inducements to go afloat, than they usually meet to remain on shore, in the unrestricted enjoyments of home. It is generally supposed that a respectable means of support, added to the chance of reputation and glory which enures to Naval success, is a sufficient inducement for persons, ambitious of such distinction, to leave their friends and country and encounter the perils and privations of sea-life in ships of war. But this glory is out of the reach of the associate grades; and for them, other attractions must be created, which, owing to the general necessity always existing in large populations, is perhaps the more readily accomplished. There are very many persons, fully competent to discharge the required duties, who enter the Navy, more from necessity than choice. But does this circumstance require them to be the unprotected subjects of an absolute power, which is not unfrequently exerted wantonly, capriciously and unnecessarily? And is it necessary, or does it contribute to the common weal, or harmony in the nautical community, to define by law, the personal rights, powers and privileges of one description of officers alone, and leave to their un-sons serving in it. The principle has been long checked discretion the personal comfort and standing of all other grades? It is believed by many, that the general interests of the Navy would be advanced by assigning to medical officers in it, the very highest rank, correlatively, that may be consistent with the general discipline of the service. No assimilated rank, which is in fact a passive kind of rank, can possibly offer any obstacle to efficiency or subordination. The rank and title of "Lord," or even "my Lord Duke" belonging to a midshipman on board a British ship-of-war, commanded by a man whose ancestors received no other title than plain Mister, have never been found in opposition to the most perfect subordination and the most rigid discipline—and if hereditary rank, backed by wealth and political power, be possessed by subordinates, midshipmen and lieutenants, in the English Navy without thwarting its efficiency, we cannot understand in what possible way an assimilated rank for medical officers, can injure the Navy of the United States, or any per tried in the French service, and, for several years, in our own Army, without any objection being urged We have assumed, that the government and dis- against it. Medical officers of the Navy ought to cipline of the Navy are purely aristocratic. No be, at the least, on a level with their professional aristocracy can be expected to move on harmo- brothers of the Army. Taking the assimilation of niously, if the laws define and protect the rank of rank in the Navy with the Army, as set down in only one of its composing classes, particularly if recently proposed Regulations: The Surgeon Gethat aristocracy, as is the case in our Navy, is to neral of the Army ranks as a colonel, or as a capbe filled up from among a people who refuse to ac- tain in the Navy all surgeons in the Army rank as knowledge any legal rank or title in civil life. Al-majors, or, as commanders in the Navy; assistant though military and Naval communities must be un-surgeons in the Army, over five years standing, rank der a government, despotic in its character, there is as captains in the Army, or, as lieutenants in the nothing in the nature of military institutions which requires one class of officers exclusively to possess rank-on the contrary, it is essential to harmony and efficiency, that all classes of officers necessary to constitute an Army or a Navy, should possess a defined rank of some kind; whether this be established by executive Regulation, or by the more solemn injunction of the national legislature, is, for all practical purposes, a question of not very great importance. And it might be most expedient, in systematizing a vast number of various and heterogenious operations, such as we find in the Navy, to make the experiment under executive authority, before the scheme is impressed by the approval of Congress. Rank is the foundation of discipline, of power, of personal privilege and social position in the Naval or military world and it is chiefly for these advantages that it is appreciated, and not for the insignia by which it is recognized, although these are important to persons living in a community Navy; and assistant surgeons of the Army of less than five years standing rank as first lieutenants, or, as masters in the Navy. This fact was most probably known to the Naval officers of every Board that has been formed for devising and modifying the Rules and Regulations of the Navy, since 1832. The first Board, under the direction of Commodore Rogers as President, was in session a whole year, from the 2nd of November. 1832, and was known as the Board of Revision. The members of this Board declare, "they are well aware of the great importance to the Navy of a medical corps, possessing high professional qualifications, and feel great gratification in believing that, in this respect, no other service surpasses, if it equals, our own." And the department has expressed a similar opinion; but no act of any of the Boards of Revision can be brought forward to prove the sincerity of such most flattering expressions. If the medical officers of the Navy are worthy of holding the same rank as the medical officers of the Army, and, it is presumed, no one will deny that | Navy, be denied the right of trial by his peers? they are, they will rank correlatively with the sea- It is conceded to medical officers in the Army and officers as follows: to every citizen. Chief of the bureau of medicine and surgery, as a captain in the Navy. Surgeons of the Navy as Commanders; If it were the practice to appoint surgeons, (who in the course of their professional education, give considerable attention to the principles of law which Passed Assistant Surgeons as Lieutenants; and effect medical cases,) to act as judge advocate when Assistant Surgeons as Masters. This scheme of assimilated or correlative rank might be established without interfering in the slightest degree with discipline, or derogating from other officers in the Naval service. courts-martial assemble abroad, in a very short time, the duty would be more efficiently performed than it now usually is, because they would make themselves intimately acquainted with the subject, and from being long in the Navy, they are always better acquainted with the "usages of the sea-service" than Secretaries (who are commonly detailed for this purpose) whose connexion with the service seldom goes beyond a cruise. And according to the same measure, pursers in the Navy would rank as commanders, at any rate after they had been ten or fifteen years in service. Such an arrangement would be startling to those for whom there is no law but their own will. It I must close this article, which may be crudely would be novel certainly; and it is true, that in pre-prepared, for want of time and space, and through judiced or envious eyes, novelty of every descrip- apprehension that its subject is altogether too spetion is objectionable. And perhaps some may be so wise as to suppose, that it would never do to invest an old surgeon, or an old purser in the Navy with so much dignity, as to entitle him to be drummed in and out of a ship; or imagine that it is not within the pale of possibility, for either of these gentlemen ever to know as much about managing a boat and a dozen men, as a boy fourteen years old who has held a midshipman's warrant three months. cial to be of sufficient interest to attract the attention of the readers of the Messenger. But should this, my first exhibition of Naval information on paper, be considered worthy of following in the track of HARRY BLUFF, you may again hear from, TOGA CIVILIS. OUR YOUNGER POETS. JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. To those who are unaccustomed to the influence of defined rank, to those who only defer to individual worth and intelligence, the value of rank will not be readily appreciated, because they are not aware In a former number of the Messenger, we prethat rank controls association, and points out pre-sented our readers with brief sketches of the lives cisely where the foot may or may not rest on board and writings of Messrs. C. W. EVEREST and P. of public vessels. K. KILBORN; we purpose continuing the series from time to time, without any special regard to the comparative merits of the gentlemen noticed, in the order in which they are given to the public. The nature of the duties of surgeons and pursers is so far removed from the routine of that of others in the Navy, that they may have a proper and clearly defined rank without in the least interfering with the general efficiency of the Navy. And as the medical corps consists of several promotable grades, the same principles apply to it as to other branches of the service. It is a trite observation, that the lives of literary men, as a general rule, are strikingly devoid of incident, and it is for this reason, that their biographies possess so little interest to the mere lovers of fiction and the admirers of the fashionable tales and But when rank is established for these associate romances of the day. Unlike the career of the grades, it should be on just principles and proper warrior or statesman, his youth and manhood are considerations; they should not be agglomerated to passed in quiet and seclusion-finding, at once, sorank with each other according to date of commis-ciety, pleasure and employment among his books, sion, but the grades should be distinct, and have a and spending his hours of relaxation amidst the precedence assigned to each, although the grades hallowed endearments of the social circle. There of surgeon, purser and chaplain should be all ranked is usually little in his daily pursuits or habits to correlatively as lieutenants or commanders. attract the observation of the populace; yet are his Among the instances of injustice complained of labors far from being fruitless of good. The rivuby the commission officers, composing the associate let may ofttimes wind its way silently and unseen grades of the Navy, there is not one more remarka-through lovely vallies, yet, the grass grows greener ble perhaps than the usage which excludes them in those vales, and the flowers that spring up along from sitting as members of courts-martial. There its borders, are of a fresher and lighter hue, than is no law against appointing them to perform this if it were not there. And thus, though the career duty; and there is no good reason why they should of the poet may be a noiseless one, his influence is not be represented, when one of their respective powerful in effecting the character and destiny of grades is tried. Why should a surgeon in the our race. IV. GEORGE HOOKER COLTON. One of the most promising of the young poets of | this country is, JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. Aside from a peculiar species of mysticism, or vagueness The author of " Tecumseh" is a son of the Rev. of thought and expression, which appears to be GEORGE COLTON, who, though a native of Conneccommon in the school of transcendental writers ticut, was for several years settled as a clergyto which he professedly belongs-his style is cha- man of the Presbyterian order, in the western part racterized by great beauty and elegance; and, not of the state of New-York, where the subject of this the least among its commendable qualities, there is, sketch was born. Young Colton, having finished running through most of his poems which have fallen his preparatory studies under the direction of his under our notice, a vein of pure, elevated, spiritual brother, (the late Rev. JOHN OWEN COLTON, of piety. His object in writing appears to be to excite New Haven,) entered Yale College in August, and keep alive in man the feelings of humanity-to 1836. During his collegiate course, he was disawaken his higher and better sympathies--and lead tinguished not only for his scholarship, but also for him to the contemplation of the glory of his nature his literary industry and talents. At the "Junior and destiny. He is a son of the Rev. Dr. Lowell, Exhibition," in 1839, the faculty of the College an eminent Unitarian Divine in the city of Boston. awarded him the highest appointment in his class; The subject of this notice was born in 1819, and and about the same time, he was selected by his graduated at the annual commencement in Har- classmates as one of the editors of the " Yale Lilevard College in 1839, on which occasion he derary Magazine," a very excellent monthly journal, livered a poem which was subsequently published. which has, for several years, been published by the In 1841, he published a volume entitled " A Year's students of that Institution. At his graduation in Life," and has since been a frequent contributor August 1840, he delivered the " Salutatory Oration to "The Dial," (a "transcendental" periodical in Latin," and a poem entitled "Life.” printed in Boston,) and some of the magazines. On the first of January last, MR. LOWELL, in company with MR. R. J. CARTER, commenced editing "The Pioneer," an elegant and very able monthly; each number of which has contained articles, both in prose and verse, from his pen. The style and spirit of the author are clearly discernable in the annexed sonnets: THE POET. "POET, who sittest in thy pleasant room, THE DEAD. "To the dark, narrow house when loved ones go, He has since devoted himself entirely to literary pursuits, and as one of the results of his labors, he published, about a year since," Tecumseh ;" a poem of about twelve thousand lines-descriptive of the character, customs and habits of the Indian tribes, and particularly of the deeds and exploits of the celebrated chief, whose name is adopted as the title of the work. Of the merits or demerits of this poem, it will not be necessary for the writer to speak, as it has been for several months before the public, and has already been subjected to the criticism and comments of the periodical and newspaper press. As the only extended poem on the subject of the aborigines of this country, which has yet appeared from the pen of an American author, it is worthy of consideration, and will be read with interest. Even a prejudiced mind cannot fail to discover in it many passages of striking beauty, which will long be cherished by the lovers of true poetry as gems of intrinsic worth. The introduction to the first canto is appropriate and beautiful: "My country! if, unknown to faine, I dare "What tho' no tower its ruined form uprears, No lovelier realm than thine, free-born Hesperia! A GHOST STORY. it, saying, she would just skip across the cloister, and that the door was to be left open for her. She wished good night, and danced and sung with the exuberance of her spirits as she tripped through the ancient monastic precincts. When she reached the door, she was dismayed at finding it locked. The hour was so late, that the family had made sure she was remaining at the Smiths', and all had retired to rest. She knocked as hard as she could with her hand, then she kicked the door; but all in vain; the passage that intervened between the door and the house, prevented the sound being heard. After a moment's consideration, she ran back to the other side to try to gain admittance, but she was there equally unsuccessful, for the door had been locked as she went from it to go home. After a raw unpleasant winter's day, a storm burst forth towards evening, that had evidently been some time brewing. The wind howled, the Fanny was by no means of a timid temperament, rain and hail beat against the windows, and we in- and when she found that she really must spend the stinctively drew our chairs closer around the cheer-night in the Cathedral, her feelings were rather ful, blazing fire; we felt, when doing so, as if our agreeable than otherwise; and the more she thought comforts within were sensibly increased by the vio- of it, the better she felt pleased at an occurrence lent raging of the storm without. We talked over that savored so strongly of romance. our reminiscences of former storms, and told many a story of peril by flood or field. One of our party had been a quiet listener all the evening, which we thought unfair; so, before separating for the night, we urged him to give his contribution for the amusement of the rest. once. "I have been very little of a traveller," said he, "and have no personal adventures to recount; but if you wish it, I will relate a ghost story, and moreover I am prepared to vouch for its truth." "Let us have it by all means," cried we, all at Our friend then gave the following history The city of Exeter, in the south of England, contains one of those venerable Cathedrals, whose magnificence gives evidence alike of the wealth of the church, and of its liberal expenditure in those days when England acknowledged the spiritual supremacy of Rome. Dwelling-houses are now joined to the remains of monkish cloisters, and at the time I speak of, two mansions, on opposite sides of the Cathedral, were inhabited by Mr. Smith and Mr. Sheffield; both of them were clergymen who had connection with its ministerial services. The moon was nearly at the full, and sometimes shone brightly through the gothic windows, forming many grotesque figures, by the shadows it threw around. Flying clouds swept over it occasionally, and all was dark; then again, it would emerge bright as ever. It is not surprising that Fanny should have little inclination for sleep under these circumstances. She walked slowly up and down the aisles, sometimes stopping before a monument where the crossed legs told her that the mortal remains of a gallant crusader had been deposited, and then passed on to tombs, where the youth and beauty of more modern days, had alike mingled with their mother earth. No one could be alone at midnight, in such a place, without feelings of awe; and most persons would be unnerved. After pacing about in various directions, Fanny began to fancy that she saw something in motion near the organ, but she would not permit herself to dwell on the thought, for, said she to herself, "I know that I am alone in this place; it can be nothing but the moonlight; however, as I am growing fanciful, I had better go to sleep." In order to pass from one house to the other, you She thought the pulpit would be a good place for were obliged to make a considerable circuit; there- rest, and she mounted its steps, arranged some cushfore, for the convenience of social intercourse, the ions, amused herself with picturing the surprise of families had solicited and obtained permission, each the family when they should hear, in the morning, to make a short passage, by opening a door-way where she had spent the night, and was in the act of into the cloisters, by means of which they could dropping asleep, when she heard footsteps gently pass privately from house to house. This explana- approaching up the aisle. All thoughts of sleep tion is necessary for the understanding of the story. vanished, and she looked in the direction from Fanny Sheffield had been spending an evening which the noise proceeded-could it be that her at Mr. Smith's, where the young people had enjoyed eyes deceived her? No, it was not an illusion; for, themselves with so much gayety, that time had by the bright moonlight, she saw a white figure, slipped away more rapidly than any of the party with perfect distinctness. She was rooted to the was aware of, and when Fanny rose to return home, spot, she could not stir, nor could she scream; she the Smiths begged her to stay the night, which she was as unable to withdraw her eyes from the object had often done before; but she positively declined' which created so much alarm, as is the poor little |