Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-11-06
GEORGE

GEORGE BLAKE, acting as Judge
Advocate on the location.
NAVY DEPARTMENT, Sep. rs, 1901.
The Act of Congrefs for the better 60
vernment of the Navy of the U. States,
declares, that no perion of the navy ihal
pillage prifoners on board prize, ON pain
of iuch punifhment as Court Martial
fhall adjudge. In the aforegoing cafe,
among feveral unimportant informal allega-
tons, there is charge of pillage exhibit
cd again!t Capt. Little, and it was for
the trial of this charge, principally, that
the Court Martial was conRituted. No,
only the honor of the Nation, bur the he
nor of this officer, was deeply implicated,
and therefore, called for fuch folemn in
vefigation. In this trial, it was the 60
vernment that was the party proiecuting.
he priioners were only as the informing
witnehes in criminal profecution. The
priioners, in legal contemplation, are not,
neither were they, in the contemplation of
government, conGdered parties. They
could not have been in any degree bene-
flied by fentcnce againit Capt. Little
becaufe Court Martial is not competent
to decree relforation of any property al
lodged to have been pillaged. 1t is only
competent in fuch trial, to pats ientence
of acquittal or puniihment.
The evidence adduced in this trial clear
ly proves, that the prifoners on board the
prize have been pillaged. 1t is apparent,
that watches, rings and buckles, conRitu,-
ing part Of the drefs of the prifoners, have
been piIlaged from them by fome perfons
belonging to the Bottom frigate; that
theie articles, at the time Of taking them,
were not deemed, even by the perfons who
took them, lawful prize; that they were
not reported TO the officers of the admiral
ty court as prize to be adjudicated and
condemned; that they have not at any
time fince, been produced; and that no
kind of satisfactory information has yet
been given rs1Peeting them. But from
the face OF the proceedings of the Court
Martial,it does appear, that the orders iG-
fued by capt. Little were perfectly correct
and legal; that he was not, in any degree,
aparty in this mean and dilgracefu1 pill
lage, and that the charge againa him has
no evidence, poGtive, or preiumptive, to
fupport it. l, therefore, do approve, of the
fsntence of acquittal pronounced by the
Cour, Martial on his trial. RI. SMITH.
Secretary of"tbe Macy.
The aforegoing are true copies from
the originals on file in the Navy Depart.
ment.
Gu. w. GOLDSBOROUGH.
Accounts from New Jerfey, fate, tina,
Jofeph Bloomfield, Efq. of Burlington, is
chofen Governor of that fate.
The SUM-" paper printed at Pitts
field, (MaG. contains the following para.
graph -
So AS neither PRECEDENT Adams, nor hi.
political friends or enemies probably ex-
peet that he will ever again be candidate
for the Proficiency, there ought to be a ge-
neral content to let him repofe in quiet
1t is unmanly to attack him in his retire
meaf. His hone9y and patyiotj/m are ad-
mitted by the candid of all parties"
g The Sum-" has hitherto been loud II
rs flanders againf the old administration
AID has frequently, fince Mr.. Jeferfon'
lection, INDUCED in the mott virulent ane
.crimonious ratings againR Mr.. Adams
What then ihall we think of the abov
paragraph When reduced to plain Ame
rc4s language, it fands thus :--My
4dsn.i, zObilr be qoas m oace, or eoas
candidate for ohlce, 1vas a far marx for a.