The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-09-06 00:00:00

IV D 1 A.

GENERAL ORDERS, H tAo-QUARTERS OF THL

Ait)lY.

Calmliry Plain, 7.oth March. 1810.

G. 0. BY "MAJOR-GLNLR.II, SOWDIE.

Further extracts from the proceedings of the
General Court.AlJrtial which assembled at ilatsga.
lore, on the Ist day of November, 1809, awl of
sthich M ijur.Geiteral IVAarn as President, are
poldishod to the Army.
I;eutenant.Col.mt-1 Johto Doveton, of the Bth
:re..l tient N. C. and late comsnanitiog the detach.
silent of troops verviog at the frontier station of
JAultilli, ordered in arrest bv the Officer command.
ill; the Army, on the following charges :

Ulf An c;t: I.—For conduct subversive of good order and
militia) Aiscipline, and in breach of the rules and articles of
war, for the better government of the Comploy's fortes, by
having, in violation of his duty, and the great trust reposed in
hint, as commanding a most important and ci itically situated
frontier gallon, shamefully abandOned the post cominifted to
his char.te, by moving his detachment from the station of
on the 14th 14 August last, and with a motinous and
seditious design agailut the existing Government of Fort St.
George.
2.—Fur having, previously to his March, endeavoured to stir
up mid excite the troops, ender his command, to join in a
udoy rind sedition against theexisting Goverment of Fort St.
George.

9.—Fer having affixed his name to a motifs-ma and seditious
plier,styled the Declaration, expresi,ive of the intention. with
sitioe.l the force had corumeneeri their march.

By order .4 Major-GeneralOmedie. commanding the Army.
•Fort St. Grow, (sign del) T. Ff. S. CON IV Ay,
9th Oct. ISu9. Adjutant-General of the Army.
SENTENCE AS PASSED ON TM 55TH realtudaY, 1810.
The Court are of opinion that • the Prisoher,
Licutenant.Colonel John Doveton, is not guilty of
the charges preferred against him, and do in the
most full and most honourable manner acquit him
of all and every part iheroof.
(signe4 W. ORMSBY, (Signed) HENRY WARDE,
Deputy Judge-Advocate. idaj. Goa. and President.
REVISED SENTENCE AS PASSED THE 13TH FEB. 1810.

Tee Court, in obedience to the orders of the
Officer commanding the Army, having reconsi.
dered the whole of the evidence before them, du
not find any reason to alter their former opinion.
(Signed) W. 0 R BY, (Signed) HENRY WA ROE,
Deputy Judge-Advocate. Major-Gem and President.

The Officer commanding the Army has deeply to
lament that he cannot subscribe his approbation to
the above sentence; the Prisoner has rested his de.
fence on the pretext of having joined io the mutiny
for the purpose of preventing the excesses of his
men. But the articles of war having expressly
excluded such plea, it is impossible to warrant an
acquittal in opposition of the very letter of the, law
itself.
A second ground of the Prisoner's. defence sp.
pears to be a private and •confidential letter from
Captain Sydcoliam, the Resident at ifydrabad, re.
commending to Lieut.-Col. Dovetnn to &opt the
above conduct. Advice contrary to law can nem
coustitute an authority for criminal acts, let it come
from wh'at quarter it may. Bnt the letter in ques.
tion was altogether unofficial, being marked " con-
fidential," and not only not reported to Govern-
ment, bet seemingly carefully concealed by both
parties from its knowledge until the moment it was
produced in Court by Lieut.. Col. Duvetua as a du.
clement of his defence.

A Court-Martial may indeed discharge a• Prisuner
from legal penalty, but how far the party shall bel
again employed is a separate question. Au Officer
who could conceive himself justified in potting him-1
self at the head of mutiny on the mere targge&tions
of another,. or on any protein whatever, can never,
in the opinion of Major.Gmt. Gowdie, be thought
fit to be again entrusted wjth.any important cos►.
nand. He feels himself therefore imperiously called
on to recommend to Government, that
DAreton be removed front the exercise of all mili-
tary functions until the pleasure of the Court uf,
Directors shAll be taken on his case, -attuning hint
in the weal' time to draw his proper allowances.
Lieuteuzut-Col. Julio Doreton is release 4 from
arrest.

Tito above order to be read at the head of every
ltP•giment and Battalion on the establi‘hroest.

GENERAL ORDERS, HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE
AIOIY.

• Cimaititry Plain, 21st March, 1810.
The Right Ilonour.itilu the Governor-General in
Council having addressed the subjoined- Orders of
Major-General Gowdie, commanding the army, to
be published to the army, they are accordingly..pub-
!Med in military orders.
Fort St. George, 21st March, 1810.
G. 0. BY CUTER:OII4NT.

The Officer commanding the army haring laid be.
fore the Governor-General in Council, the proceed..
imp of a General Court Martial on the trial of
Lientestaist.Colenel D.,vetois, and having reCOM•
mended that Lieuten.int.Colonel Donttoso stall be
suspended from the exercise of. kis military.fancti!mo
receiving the pay and, allowance of his rank, un.:
til the Honourable *the . Court of Pirectars•
shad signify their pleasure upon a cage se tnspnrts.
ant and extraordinary; his lArdvisip id CoUncil
hAs taken the provedings of the said Court.Martill
Into the must serious consideration, and as nen in.
deference to the recommendation of the Officer
commanding the army, as from entire concurrence
%%jib his sentiments, has reiolved to transmit the
proceeding, to the Honourable the Court. of Direc-
tors by the earliest opportunity. Ili. Lisr.iship in
Council is further pleased to order, that Lieutenant.
Colonel Doveton be suspended from the cxer.
cisc of his military functions, receiving the pay and
allowances of his rank, until the pleasure of the Ho.
nourable Court shall be known.

The Governor-Gcneral in Council cannot, with.
ant extreme regret, publish to the army a formal
dissent from the judgment of a tribunal .so much
entitled, from the ends and nature of its institution,,
to respect, as a General Court Martial ; bat no
alsiabliahmeut, devised and adosiiii-tercel by men, can
be exempt from human 131111)44j, and the conic.
quences which mast plait from a tacit sanction of
the principles on which this erroneous judgment
Ina sit have beau founded, appear to the Governor.
General in Council so futidamentally subversive of
wry siAority which the law has wisely and prove.
dotty supplied against the greatest danger with
which society can be menaced, that all the subor.
dilate considerations of delicacy towards public

.