Most people will agree with Eaton, that “the spirit which dictated this answer betrays more the inspiration of Carter’s Mountain[6] than of Bunker Hill.”

Lear, who was appointed Consul-General in 1803, was authorized by his instructions to pay twenty thousand dollars down and ten thousand a year for peace, and a sum not to exceed five hundred dollars a man for ransom.

When Barron’s squadron anchored at Malta, Consul O’Brien came on board to say that he had offered, by authority, eight thousand dollars a year to Tunis, instead of the frigate, and one hundred and ten thousand to Tripoli for peace and the ransom of the crew of the Philadelphia, and that both propositions had been rejected.

Finally, after fitting out this fourth squadron, at an expense of one million five hundred and seventy thousand dollars, and with Eaton in possession of Derne, the Administration paid sixty thousand dollars for peace and ransom, when Preble, ten months previously, could have obtained both for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.  Thus they spent two millions to save ninety thousand, and left the principle of tribute precisely where it was before.

What makes this business still more remarkable is, that the Administration knew from the reports of our consuls and from the experience of our captains that the force of the pirates was insignificant, and that they were wretched sailors and poor shots.  Sterret took a Tripolitan cruiser of fourteen guns after an engagement of thirty minutes; he killed or wounded fifty of her crew, and did not lose a man, nor suffer any material damage in his hull or rigging.  There was no one killed on the American side when Decatur burned the Philadelphia.  The Constitution was under the fire of the Tripolitan batteries for two hours without losing a man, and was equally fortunate when she ran in a second time and lay within musket-shot of the mole, exposed to the fire of the enemy for three-quarters of an hour.  These Tripolitan batteries mounted one hundred and fifteen guns.  Three years later, Captain Ichabod Sheffield, of the schooner Mary Ann, furnished in person an example of the superiority of the Yankee over the Turk.  Consul Lear had just given forty-eight thousand dollars to the Dey of Algiers, in full payment of tribute “up to date.”  Nevertheless, the Mary Ann, of and from New York to Leghorn, was seized in the Straits of Gibraltar by an Algerine corsair.  A prize-crew of nine Turks was sent on board; the captain, two men, and a boy left in her to do the work; she was ordered to Algiers; and the pirate sailed away.  Having no instructions from Washington, Sheffield and his men determined to strike a blow for liberty, and fixed upon their plan.  Algiers was in sight, when Sheffield hurled the “grains” overboard, and cried that he had struck a fish.  Four Turks, who were on deck, ran to the side to look over.  Instantly the Americans threw three of them into the sea.  The others, hearing the noise, hurried upon deck.  In a hand-to-hand fight which followed two more were killed with handspikes, and the remaining four were overpowered and sent adrift in a small boat.  Sheffield made his way, rejoicing, to Naples.  When the Dey heard how his subjects had been handled, he threatened to put Lear in irons and to declare war.  It cost the United States sixteen thousand dollars to appease his wrath.