Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-01-24
ALEXANDRIA:
S.?TURD.iJ, J.9.SU3RT "a, 1873.
FROM ouR CORRESPONDENT AT WASH
INGTON.
Friday, Japacry es, 1918.

naval affairs to enquire into the expe.
diency of so amending an act passed in
1900, entitled an act for the better go
vernment Of the navy Of the L. States;
which imposed the penalty of death on
any officer or private in the navy who
should disobey the lawful orders Of his
superior officer, or strike him, or draw or
offer t. draw, or raise any weapon a.
painst him while in the execution Of the
duties of his office, as 10 make the pun.
Iishmeut, in the case Of an officer, Tor
FIXTURE of his commission and dismissiou
from the service. and in case OF private
dismissisn fren the service and so to
amesd said act, as to subject the supe-
rior officers, who shall strike, or draw, or
offer TO draw, or raise any weapon against
his infsrior GGicer, forfeiture OF lis COM
mission anG diSmission from the service
and further TO provide that no officer di,-
missed from the service for either Of the
cau-es above enumerated should be rein
stated by the President" This PROPOSE
ton was, not only in fact, but was a'ow-
ed by Mr.. Johnson to be occasiOned By
certain recent transactions in the Medi-
terraDean between a celebrated naval
commander Of ours and captain Of ma
rines undsr his command. With respect
10 the law. Mr.. Johnson censured it in
very warm terms, as creating distinctions
in the navy hostile to the spirit OF our
constitution and government--adverse
to the genius of our people, and so bad
that nothing worse could be found in the
most de,pOtic government'-whlch dis
tinctious il was the object OF his resViu-
ton tn do AVA. He advertld to the
pamphlet published by captain Heath.
which accused commodore Perry Of as
sailing him with vulgar abuse, ard viola
ting his person by blows. which alIesa-
tons had never been denied. He bad
no personal knowledge, he said, Of any
of the parties implicated-neither com.
Perry, nor captain Heath, nsr commodore
Chauncey, expressing at the same time
the highest respect aud admiration of the
conduct of commodore Perry. The bril-
lance of whose lame, he said with re-
gret, must be sul.ied by this Transaction,
if il had been truly represented. If such
things were aut&cIised by this law, Con-
gress must iuterpose and repeal that part
of it, OF the glory Of the navy would Be
shorn of It's beams.
General Harrison said that he made il
rule never to oppose enquiry. Bat he
was free TO say that the resolution now
offered contained principles to which he
could never assent Mr.. Forsyth said
that, as the resolution stood, It struck at
the root of the naval service-and he pro-
posed an amendment, which he alter
wards withdrew. Mr.. Peasants said
that the subject demanded the attention
of congress-but he thought that the COM
mittee ought not to be limited in its pow
ers, but enabled to find out where abuses
were, and to apply remedy to them -
he therefore moved to amend the resolu-
ton so as to direct the committee " to en-
qairs ,ohetker any. Gsd i any, iohat ate
rutions ,cers necessary to be made IN the
lac for the government Of The nary'-
which, Mr.. Johnson having accepted It
as modification, passed. On motion OF
Mr.. johnson, it was then ordered "thdt
the secretary Of the nary should BE- called
upon TO report 70 the house the proceedings
of the t,co court martials on commodore
Perry and captain H.ath."
Gen. Harrison then renewed his pro-
| position respecting General Kosciusko,
which, after some oPpositi"n from Gen.
Reed, Mr.. Desha, and Mr.. Forsyth, he
withdrew, Alter which, the commute.
ton bill being brought up, Mr.. Garnctt.
of Virginia, moved an indefinite post
ponemeut-wh;ch was nega.ived.-The
question on it being taken by ayes and
noes, there we're of each when the