302 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Feb. 26,

"It is a remarkable coincidence that as Barney was the first
individual to unfurl the banner of the Union in his native
State, in October, 1775, he was also the last officer to quit its
service in July, 1784. He died December 1st, 18.18, from
fever, superinduced by the severe wound at Bladensburg.

William B. Barney, my father, the eldest son of Commo-
dore Barney, was distinguished as Major and Adjutant in the
battle of North Point, whilst his father, the Commodore, was
in the engagement at Bladensburg, and often accompanied
his father in his privateering depredations. In aftertirnes,
the Major's Troupe of Baltimore Cavalry was always culled
upon to successfully suppress mob violence in Baltimore.—
He was a member of the Maryland Legislature, our Consul at
Trieste, and in 1820 was appointed by President Monroe Naval
Officer of the Port of Baltimore, from which office he was re-
moved by General Jackson, in 1829, on the detestable doc-
trine "That to the victor belong the spoils," which act called

forth the ever memorable letter to General Jackson, (See
Scharf s Chronicles of Baltimore, page 434, Chapter 6,) from
my mother, Mrs. Mary Chase Barney, the youngest daughter
of Judge Samuel Chase, who thus proved herself nn Ameri-
can matron, worthy of being the daughter of Judge
Chase, and daughter-in-law of the hero, Commodore Bar-
ney. This letter much affected General Jackson's politi-
cal popularity, as it was used as an electioneering document
by his enemies; and his personal better feelings were so much
goaded by remorse and a desire for atonement, that in an in-
terview with my mother a few years afterwards he besought
her, exclaiming, "Mrs. Barney, what can I do for you?" —
My mother replied, placing her hand on my shoulder, "Put
this boy in the navy ;" and I forthwith bore that order to
that effect to the Secretary of Navy, Mahlon Dickerson. And
:now that boy is your memorialist, who refers with profes-
sional pride to Judge J. S. Black's accompanying summary
of his own naval career, as submitted, under instructions,
to President Buchanan, in review of the action of the "Mem-

orable Returning Board of Fifteen" in 1855, dropping him from
the navy,and from which report and recommendation of Judge
Black, he was honorably restored by President Buchanan, and

confirmed by the Senate, to the retired list U. S. Navy, on
account of his acquired and confirmed deafness through his
"hard and meritorious services. (See extract from Judge
Black's report embodied in accompanying synopsis of petition
to Congress.)

With this statement of facts, your memorialist prays the
interposition of your Honorable Bodies in vindication of his

character as a man of honor and an officer of the navy, whose