Jenks' Portland gazette., 1804-08-13
POLITICS, ~
Eys4s AeCsrr,ssr.
HUME. VIII.

HAvInG examined the cafe OF the Berccau,
we ihal now ceniidcr the finguiar and different
treatment of the officers Of Ahat vrEed, aad the
commandcr of the Bottom resolved from governs
ricn,. g.
!! Moft modern Sa.esncn fec,n to he conyinc-
ed Of the ab!outr neceEity ofa raval power.
where titli.s:on rcnlers il pracs'ca5,e, TO guard
the honor and pscfcre the rights of their r.;
fpeHive nations. The State, whofe fcets. 1fe
irreE!tible, cannot only command the; 1icaks
Of The world. but are belt fitted TO defiyof yfss
rccoarfes Of other hatcs. America has repeal
edly felt the want of navy. Had fhr been nsis-
trcis oil the ocean neither France nor England
would have dared TO ATTACK her commerce, and
attempt to render her fubferveur to their vicMs-
1t is therefore The dufy of every commetcisi
nation, an ob'igation i.npofed on tsiem By their
tafcty and rreiervation, to increase their vcfTcc
ct war, to encourages rayal fpirit How haye
the prcfcnt adminlitration diicharged Ills dAt;s
In language, their hearts did not feel, liry n ~
have expniawd on the importance Of navy,
becsnfe public opinion was ftrong in favor rs
while many Of Our ihips laid up, arc dccayiRa
others have been fhat,ered by forms !; and lernc
are dellitutc of proyiiions, when in ic,v I, ~it-
out receiving that attention from governments,
which ihccsc dct:rr in them for fuch pow-
er would fureiy indicate. BIZ. what uneduvc-
calty rrcv-s the hoiti!lity OF the administration
to naval rcy.sr is, that il has not only dire.
garded and trcatcd OUT fealncn with neglect,
but combined with our rnoa bitter foe 10 taspifS
their honor. 1t was NOT, it sccms, Esi1sc;cnt to
rc!aofe Tie Berceau With large repairs, aud "a
pay her officers during their captivity, but the
brave and eouras se5us ccmnssnder Of the Bohc,l
NUT be fnb;ccacd at their initi CATION toa court
martial TO wipe away afpcrtions ON hs character
as ;gnoninious, as they were ridiculous and i'll
founded. II government arraign thofc before
national tribunal, for mifcon lu6t, WHO va,i-
Gufh dcprcdators on its commerce, no other tv-
idencc is wanted to infer IT'S determination to
de;troy the mara,imc force of the eounry.
ihs adminiaraton have not permitted this
cxtraofdinars tranfaftion to pkfs without a iuf.
tiiicaton. An examination Of It will. we be-
eve fhew the fame futiliry. which HAS appear
cd In the ratification of many other OF their
proceedings After they had attempted to def
troy the reputation of diitinsuifhed officer
and bcncfatfor of the country, and found their
efforts, inilead Of blaftipg his character, excited
the public indignation, they then gave what they
fay were the rcaions for appointing acourt mar
tial reafons which the very charges exhibited
a5lintt capt Little, prove, never had exit
tanec in the mind Of government. until the court
had hororably Acquired him. They are con-
tained in the letter Of the f-crrtary of the navy
dated september IS. 1901, approving the fen
tencc Of the court martial Mr.. Smith fays,--
In the foregoing cafe, among fereral impor-
g taut allegations there is charge Of pilIagc,
exhibited againR capt Little; and j, was for
the trial Of this charge principally that the
court martial was confiruted. Not only the
honor ofthc nation. butths honor of this officer
was deeply implicated, ,andthercforo called for
6 fuch ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. In this trial twas
the governments, that was the party pref
ecuting. The foreigners were only rnc inform
" ing witneaes in a criminal profecuticn."
| The obfervations of the council for capt. Lit
tie, viii ihow. whether government were re
aliv and .fubftantiAlly the party profecutng.
!" An attentive peruial Of theic charges flews,
that they are all conIprized in one, that Of NAL /.
treatment Of his prifoners. 1t might indeed
teem upon curfory view, as it has been init
mated, that the charges contain fonetlling more
viz. an actual emhczzlcment by capt Little Of
ccrraiE prize goods with an intent TO defraud
government but l mutt Unfit that no iuch
charge is even fpecifisd by the government. In
the preirnt intrance government furbears TO pro.
tecate for any direct injury fuitained by itielf
II lends its authority to profecute . complaint,
exhibited by individuals for injuries done TO
them, and which inplicate the national honor !"
This opinion was given on iuch an inveftiga,ion
of the eaufe, as enabled Mr.. Ons to make a
true and fold defence; defence, founded on
the evidence OF fats;, which induced the court
martial anaaimagiy and bansyahiy TO acquit capt.
Little of the charges, and to pronounce them
naiiesoas and III founded.-It was not then for
dcfranding the United States, that the profeeu-
ton was commenced, but for the pretended
the property of a country, Whole government
was rafaithfu to its intereit, by giving them its
countsnancc and fupport. Though there had
been evidence that capt. Little had taken the lat
ring from the fingers, ard the lait cent from,