repudiated by the supreme court in the cases above cited, but the latter was maintained and much insisted upon as the basis upon which alone the law of the state could be held not to impair the obligation of contracts.-By the laws of most countries of Europe, the cession of the property of an insolvent to his creditors for the payment of debts is not a ground for releasing his future acquisitions from liability for his debts, but only for discharging the debtor from process against his person. In France, the law respecting imprisonment (contrainte par corps) for debt has recently undergone great modification. For commercial debts, imprisonment is limited to 3 months when the amount does not exceed 500 francs, 6 months when the amount does not exceed 1,000 francs, and so on in that proportion, but not to extend beyond 3 years for any amount; and in the case of a man having minor children, imprisonment may be suspended a year. Ecclesiastics, minors, septuagenarians, and women not engaged in commerce, are exempt from imprisonment. Officers of courts (greffiers, notaires, avoués, huissiers, &c.) are subject to contrainte par corps for moneys received by them officially or professionally, and wrongfully withheld, or for any other violation of official or professional obligation to suitors. So also constraint is allowed pour stellionat, i. e. the selling or hypothecating property belonging to another, en cas de redintegrande, or action for the recovery of property wrongfully withheld, and various cases of fraud or breach of trust. The law relating to this subject is to be found in the Code civile, § 2,060 et suivans; loi 27 Avril, 1832; and loi 13 Dec. 1848.

DECADE (Gr. dexa, ten), an aggregate of ten. In the French republican calendar, decades of days were substituted for weeks in the division of the year. In the French system of weights and measures, the prefix deca multiplies the quantity by 10, while deci divides by 10.

DECALOGUE (Gr. dexa, ten, and λoyos, word), the Ten Commandments, or more properly, according to the Hebrew, the Septuagint, and Vulgate, the ten words or sayings which God delivered to the Jews through Moses. They contain the fundamental precepts of religion and morality, and are almost universally regarded as the golden rules for every society, age, and people. The division of the commandments has elicited a manifold difference of opinion. Of the various modes of dividing them which have found both numerous and weighty defenders, the following may be regarded as historically the most important: the Origenian or Philonic, the common Jewish or Talmudic, and the two Masoretic. According to the 1st, which is supported by the Jewish testimony of Philo and Josephus, and the authority of Origen, Gregory Nazianzen, and Jerome, the 1st precept consists mainly in the words: "Thou shalt have no other gods but me;" the 2d forbids images of God; the 3d forbids taking the name of God in vain; the 4th commands the sanctification of the sabbath day; the 5th,

to honor one's father and mother; the 6th forbids murder; the 7th, adultery; the 8th, theft; the 9th, bearing false witness; and the 10th, concupiscence. This division has been adopted by the Helvetian and Anglican churches, by the Lutherans of the school of Bucer, and by the Socinians. The Talmudic division, which is also that of the modern Jews, being supported among other authorities by Maimonides's "Book of the Commandments," and Aben Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, differs from the preceding only in making the words, "I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage," the 1st commandment, and in considering the prohibition of the worship of other gods and of images as the 2d. This division is proved by a quotation from Julian in Cyril of Jerusalem to have been generally known in the early centuries of the Christian era, and has through the authority of Pseudo-Athanasius also been adopted by the Greek churches, including the Russian, which has sanctioned it in its catechism. The Masoretic division, in both forms, so called on account of its being based on the Hebrew text as revised according to the rule of the Masora, unites the passage on the exclusive worship of God with the prohibition of images to make the 1st commandment, and restores the number 10, which is distinctly specified in the Scriptures, by dividing the last into 2; the text of Exodus separating by the mark of division () the prohibited coveting of a neighbor's house, as the 9th commandment, from the prohibited coveting of all other objects as the 10th, while the text of Deuteronomy separates and gives first the commandment against coveting another's wife. The division according to Exodus has been adopted by the Lutheran church, and also by the council of Trent; the other Masoretic form, which is supported by the Septuagint, by St. Augustine, Bede, and Peter Lombard. The question, how many of the ten commandments were engraved on each of the stone tables of Moses, has been agitated, mostly on philosophical grounds. Philo, and after him Irenæus, are for 2 pentads; others believe the commandments on worship alone to have been engraved on the 1st table, which is regarded by some as the more divine of the two.

DECAMPS, ALEXANDRE GABRIEL, a French painter, born in Paris in 1803. In early life he visited Turkey, and afterward executed a great number of pictures of oriental scenery and characteristics. He has gained a high reputation by these works, as well as by his pictures of animals. Among the latter are many representations of apes; one of them, the "Monkey Connoisseurs," is intended as a satire on the jury of the Paris academy of painting, on account of the severe criticisms passed upon his works. One of his best historical paintings represents the "Defeat of the Cimbri." About 60 of his works figured at the great exhibition of 1855. His style of painting is bold and original, his coloring brilliant, and he is especially happy in pre

senting strong contrasts in a humorous and picturesque manner, but has often been censured for his want of correctness.

DE CANDOLLE. See CANDOLLE. DECAPOLIS (Gr. deka, ten, πoλis, city,) a confederacy of eastern Palestine, which contained the following 10 cities: Damascus, Philadelphia, Raphana, Scythopolis, Gadara, Hippol, Dion, Pella, Galasa, and Canatha, and was formed by the heathen inhabitants for mutual protection against the Asmonean princes of Judæa. These cities appear to have possessed similar political institutions and privileges.

DECATUR, the name of counties in several of the United States. I. A S. W. co. of Ga., bordering on Fla., intersected by Flint river, and bounded W. by the Chattahoochee; area, about 1,062 sq. m.; pop. in 1850, 8,820, of whom 3,949 were slaves. The surface is irregular, and the soil productive. In 1850 the harvest amounted to 5,308 bales of cotton, 275,497 bushels of corn, 105,889 of sweet potatoes, and 65 hogsheads of sugar. Value of real estate in 1856, $1,379,470. The county was named in honor of Com. Stephen Decatur, jr. Capital, Bainbridge. II. A W. central co. of Tenn.; area, 325 sq. m.; pop. in 1850, 6,003, of whom 723 were slaves. The Tennessee river flows along its entire E. boundary, and Beech river intersects it. The surface is nearly level, and almost all the land is fertile. The productions in 1850 were 261,790 bushels of corn, 43,555 of oats, 66,180 lbs. of tobacco, and 52,211 of butter. There were 15 churches, and 1,058 pupils at tending public schools. This county was formed in 1846 by the division of Perry county. Capital, Decaturville. III. AS. E. co. of Ind.; area, 372 sq. m.; pop. in 1850, 15,107. It is drained by several small streams. It has a level or gently undulating surface, and the soil is a rich loam, resting on a basis of limestone. Wheat and live stock are the chief articles of export. In 1850 the productions were 1,050,217 bushels of corn, 88,493 of wheat, 47,778 of oats, and 5,537 tons of hay. There were 46 churches, and 3,721 pupils attending public schools. The county was organized in 1821. Capital, Greensburg. IV. AS. co. of Iowa, bordering on Mo.; area, 528 sq. m.; pop. in 1856, 6,229. It has a rolling surface, and a good soil. A great part of the land is occupied by prairies, interspersed with numerous clusters of hard timber, scattered along the Weldon river and other streams, which intersect the county. In 1856 the productions were 13,693 bushels of wheat, 32,332 of oats, 283,249 of corn, 18,715 of potatoes, 266 tons of hay, and 63,260 lbs. of butter.

DECATUR, a prosperous village of Ga., and capital of De Kalb co.; pop. in 1850, 744. It is a handsome little town, noted for its beautiful situation and healthy climate. It is the seat of 2 seminaries. About 6 m. E. of the village is Stone mountain, an isolated granite rock, nearly 2,200 feet high, which is annually visited by thousands of persons.

DECATUR. 1. STEPHEN, a commodore in

VOL. VI.-21

the U. S. navy, born in Newport, R. I., in 1751, died in 1808, obtained the command of a vessel in the merchant service at a very early age. During the war of the revolution he commanded several privateers, and acquired some reputation by the capture of English ships. At the commencement of hostilities with France in 1798, he received the commission of captain in the navy, and was appointed to the command of the Delaware of 20 guns, in which ship he cruised during the years 1798-'99 on the American coast, and in the West Indies, capturing at different times the French privateers Le Croyable of 14, and Marsuin of 10 guns. In 1800 he commanded a squadron of 13 sail on the Guade loupe station, the Philadelphia frigate of 38 guns being his flag ship. He was discharged from the service under the peace establishment in Oct. 1801, and engaged in commercial pursuits in Philadelphia. II. STEPHEN, jr., a commodore in the U. S. navy, son of the preceding, born at Sinnepuxent, Md., Jan. 5, 1779, killed in a duel, March 22, 1820. He entered the navy as midshipman, July, 1798, was promoted to a lieutenancy in July, 1799, and served in both grades in the frigate United States, on the West India station, under the command of Com. John Barry, during the quasi war with France. In May, 1801, he joined the frigate Essex, Capt. William Bainbridge, one of a squadron of 3 frigates and a brig, sent to the Mediterranean, under the command of Com. Richard Dale, in consequence of hostile demonstrations against the United States by Tripoli. War had been actually declared by Tripoli before the arrival of Com. Dale upon the station, but the orders under which he acted were prepared in ignorance of that fact, and nothing, therefore, beyond blockading Tripolitan cruisers, and the consequent protection of our commerce, was effected by this squadron, except an action which took place off Malta between the Enterprise of 12 guns, under Lieut. Sterrett, and a Tripolitan cruiser of 14 guns, which resulted in the capture of the latter. Com. Dale returned to the United States in Dec. 1801, and early in the spring of 1802 another squadron of 3 frigates, 2 sloops of war, and a brig was ordered to the same station, under Com. Valentine Morris, in which Decatur was actively employed as first lieutenant of the frigate New York, Capt. James Barron. At Malta he acted as second in a duel between Midshipman Joseph Bainbridge and an English officer, which terminated fatally to the latter. The surrender of the parties concerned to the civil authorities was demanded by the governor, Sir Alexander Ball, and it was therefore deemed prudent for Decatur to leave the squadron, and return to the United States. Com. Morris was recalled from his command in Nov. 1803, and the squadron, having been materially strengthened, was placed under the command of Com. Edward Preble, Decatur serving in it at first in command of the brig Argus of 16 guns, and subsequently of the Enterprise, 12, having been superseded in the Argus by Lieut.

Hull, his senior in rank. At the commencement of Preble's command, and in fact before he had time to appear off Tripoli himself, the frigate Philadelphia unfortunately fell into the enemy's hands; and as she added much to the defences of the port, and would doubtless be eventually sent out to cruise, it was deemed very important to recapture or destroy her. Capt. Bainbridge, then a prisoner in Tripoli, and in secret correspondence with Preble, suggested, in a letter of Dec. 5, 1803, the practicability of destroying her by fire, although she was in a harbor filled with cruisers, and surrounded by batteries. Preble was then lying at Syracuse, the rendezvous of the squadron, with the Enterprise, Lieut. Comdt. Decatur, in company. The plan was mentioned to Decatur, who at once entered upon it with great zeal and spirit. A Tripolitan mastico, bound to Constantinople with a present of female slaves for the Porte, which had been captured by the Enterprise a few days before, afforded ready means for carrying it into execution, and she was taken into the service for the purpose, and named the Intrepid. About this time Lieut. Comdt. (now Commodore) Stewart, of the brig Siren, of 16 guns, which had just arrived from a cruise, volunteered to cut out the Philadelphia; but Preble adhered to the plan already formed, and on Feb. 3, 1804, issued the order for carrying it into effect. That evening the Intrepid, convoyed by the Siren, sailed from Syracuse to execute this important service. The officers were Lieut. Comdt. Decatur, Lieuts. Lawrence, Joseph Bainbridge, and Thorn, Midshipman Thomas McDonough, and Surgeon Heerman, all of the Enterprise, and Midshipmen Izard, Morris, Laws, Davis, and Rowe, who volunteered from the Constitution, Com. Preble's flag ship, and Salvadore Catalano, a Greek, acting as pilot and interpreter. The entire crew of the Enterprise volunteered for the expedition, but only 62 of the most athletic and active were selected, making, with the officers, 74 souls. On Feb. 9 Tripoli was discovered, but bad weather prevented the attempt until the night of the 15th, when the party in the Intrepid was reenforced by Midn. Anderson and 8 men from the Siren. About 10 o'clock in the evening the Intrepid reached the mouth of the harbor. The weather was beautiful, and the sea and bay were as smooth as in summer. She entered the hostile port slowly, the breeze being very light. Decatur stood at the helm, with the interpreter beside him, the men lying on deck out of sight; a few officers only remained standing. As the frigate was neared, Decatur discovered a few of her crew looking over the hammock rail, and the Intrepid was hailed and ordered to keep off. The pilot answered, according to previous instructions, that they were from Malta, on a trading voyage, had lost their anchors in a late gale, and desired to ride by the frigate until others could be procured. The Tripolitan then asked some questions about the brig in the offing, and was told that it was the Transfer, a former Brit

ish vessel of war, which had been purchased for the Tripolitans, and was daily expected to arrive. During this conversation warps were carried to the frigate, where they were received and made fast, and the crew of the Intrepid, still lying down, began to warp her gently alongside. Distrust was awakened among the Tripolitans by the discovery of the anchors of the Intrepid, and the cry of Americanos was raised. A vigorous pull brought the vessels in contact, the order to board was given, and Midshipman Charles Morris stood first on the quarter deck of the Philadelphia, followed immediately by Decatur. So perfect was the surprise, and so rapid and vehement the assault, that the resistance was very slight, and in less than 10 minutes Decatur was in undisturbed possession of the ship. Her foremast was wanting, and not a sail was bent, or yard crossed. To move her, therefore, was impossible, and her destruction was instantly resolved upon. The men immediately distributed themselves, according to previous instructions, with combustibles, which consisted principally of canvas sacks of dry pine and shavings, well covered with soft turpentine. All were emptied and spread in the cock pit and store rooms, and demijohns of spirits of turpentine poured down upon them from the gun deck. The ship was in a very dry state, and the conflagration so extremely rapid that the assailants escaped with difficulty. When all were on board the Intrepid, she was cast off, and for an instant was in great danger, in consequence of the fouling of a fast. It was cut, and the little vessel dropped clear just as the flames burst forth from the ports of the frigate over her deck, upon which a large mass of ammunition was lying covered with tarpaulins. The sweeps were now manned, and the Intrepid was very soon at a safe distance from the burning frigate. When a few lengths from her the men ceased to row for an instant, and gave 3 hearty cheers. A light land breeze sprung up at this critical moment, which wafted the little vessel rapidly out of the harbor. The spectacle as she left the port was described by the officers as sublime and beautiful. The bay was completely illuminated by the conflagration, and the town, castles, minarets, and mosques were all brought by it into distinct view. By the light thus afforded, a heavy fire was opened upon the Intrepid by the batteries and cruisers, though without effect, one shot only passing through a sail. The guns of the frigate, as they became heated, began to go off, and singularly enough, her broadsides bore upon the city and one of the principal batteries. The Siren was soon fallen in with in the offing, and Decatur went on board to report his success. The arrangements for this expedition were perfect. No firearms were used, but all was carried by the cutlass. Nothing was wanting, nothing defeated, and on the part of the Americans but a single casualty occurred, one man being slightly wounded. The loss sustained by the enemy could never of course be correctly ascertained. Many swam on shore,

and to the nearest cruisers, and 20 were report ed to have been killed. The effect of this gal lant exploit was at once to place the name of Decatur high upon the list of the most distinguished of our naval officers. Com. Preble recommended him for promotion, and a captain's commission was conferred upon him, dated on the day of the destruction of the Philadelphia; a sword was also presented him by congress, and 2 months' pay was voted to each of his officers and crew. In the subsequent attacks upon Tripoli by Com. Preble's squadron, Decatur bore a distinguished part, and especially in the one of Aug. 3, 1804. In this service a number of gun-boats and bomb vessels, borrowed from the Neapolitan government (which was at that time at war with Tripoli) were used, and in the attack referred to, Decatur commanded a division, consisting of 3 of these vessels. The special object of the attack was a flotilla of gun-boats, protected by batteries on shore, and a 10-gun brig, and there is hardly a record in naval history of an attack made with such a disparity of force and crowned with entire success. Each of the boats of Decatur's division, singling out an opponent, boarded and carried her, after a desperate hand-to-hand conflict with cutlass and pistol. Decatur, on taking possession of the boat which he first assailed, took her in tow, and bore up for the next one to leeward, which he boarded, with most of his officers and men, attacking himself the Tripolitan commanding officer the moment he attained his deck. The Tripolitan was a powerful man, of large stature, and a desperate personal struggle took place, in which Decatur fell with his antagonist upon him. With one hand Decatur grasped firmly that of his foe, who was endeavoring to reach his yatagan, while with the other he drew a pistol from his vest pocket, passed the arm around the body of the Tripolitan, and pointing the muzzle in, fired. The ball passed through the body of his foe, and killed him. In the first part of this contest between the two commanders, Decatur's life was doubtless saved by a young American sailor named Reuben James, who intercepted a blow aimed at the head of his commander, by interposing his own arm, receiving thereby a very severe wound. The desperate nature of the fighting which distinguished this remarkable assault may be inferred from the foregoing details, and the amount of loss. The 2 boats captured by Decatur had but 80 men in them, of whom 52 are known to have been killed or wounded. In another Tripolitan gunboat, captured by Lieut. Triple, there were found living and dead 36 people, of whom 21 were killed or wounded. Three gun-boats were sunk in the harbor, in addition to the 3 which were taken; a large number of shells were thrown into the city, and the batteries were much injured. The moral effect upon the enemy of this and subsequent attacks of the same nature was very great. The superiority of the Americans in gunnery had been already admitted, and they had now overcome the Tripolitans with inferior

numbers hand to hand, a species of combat in which the latter particularly excelled. In the attack of the 3d the American loss was but 14 killed and wounded. Among the killed was Lieut. James Decatur, a younger brother of Stephen, and an officer of high promise. On Aug. 7, just at the conclusion of another attack, in which Decatur participated, his commission as captain arrived from the United States in the John Adams, 28, Capt. Isaac Chauncey, and he subsequently served at one time in the Constitution as flag captain, and at another in the frigate Congress of 38 guns. On June 3, 1805, peace was proclaimed. In 1806 Decatur stood 9th on the list of captains, and between the close of the Tripolitan war and the declaration of war with England in 1812, he was variously employed, at one time superintending the construction of gun-boats. After the affair of the Chesapeake our ships of war were for the most part kept upon our own coast, in anticipation of hostilities with England, and Decatur was then in command of a squadron, the United States, 44, bearing his flag. On June 18, 1812, war with England was declared, and on Oct. 25 Decatur, still in command of the frigate United States, fell in with and captured, after an action of an hour and a half, the British frigate Macedonian, 49, commanded by Capt. John S. Carden, an officer of high reputation. She was smaller, of lighter armament, and had fewer men than the United States. She mounted long 18s upon her gun deck, and 32 lb. carronades upon her quarter deck and forecastle; while the main battery of the United States consisted of long 24s, with 32 lb. carronades upon the upper deck. But though it is admitted that the American ship was the heaviest, her superiority was certainly not in proportion to the execution done in this combat. The Macedonian being to windward could choose her distance, and the action was fought for the most part at long shot. She was very severely cut up, her mizzen mast, fore and main topmasts, and main yard being shot away, a hundred round shot in her hull, while of her 300 men 36 were killed and 68 wounded. The United States suffered but little. She lost a topgallant mast and was otherwise somewhat cut up aloft, but her hull was very slightly injured; 7 men were killed and 5 rounded. The Macedonian was taken into New York. For this capture congress voted a gold medal to Decatur, and silver ones to each commissioned officer under his command. On May 24, 1813, Decatur sailed from New York in command of a squadron, consisting of the United States (flag ship), the Macedonian, now an American frigate, and the Hornet sloop of war. The Sandy Hook channel being blockaded by the enemy, he passed through Long Island sound, and on June 1 attempted to go to sea by running out past Montauk point. He was intercepted, however, by a British squadron of much superior force, and compelled to enter the harbor of New London, where he remained closely blockaded until the summer of 1814, when he was transferred to the