The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-08-16
iyycnGuRG, AUGUST 10, ia2s.
x,nslMnn0RE POTTER


made declaration Of ihrir intention, ION -
par,c testimony t. examine into The pafi he
,nok in the late arrest and trial 81 Lieut. III.
bait aud 10 hold him up Ia Tuplie indignation
:. from snrh testimony. they should hunk he
as4rfvcd it. Nv some, Gotl r cendHci, on
ihis occasion. has been auenaii1ed a a doeag
4fle,api 10 ,nttridoic ht pres, whilst Others
uphold II, a. a procedure Dictated by tlose
feelings Of scnsibility naturally feltby an ell
Ger who had fought pelianily for his country,
md maintained 'be honor Of her flag against
fearful o1dse--rharaed wth having "inkfd
II crime, and with having orpressNoly nj
trmptcd 10 deprive amf liturious ohccr ot Tie
confidence If his runfry, and procure h,s
slsp,nsion from T. service, for ondcnvofihg
~ bring to lirhi nc'' II pcculatinn and fraud
IN the property Of the government
We do not intend, At pres.nt, TO eHfres.
M further opfrion On the cnsc--we shall wall
far i" the law and the testimony" In tho
r,enn time. we viii giTr orr .reaacTS Il bfiei
history di the AFFAIR
In the course Of the Inst Y inter, Lieut.. ab.
holt made charges Of gross pecglation heninsf
cbp, Isase Hull, commanding olhecr on thu
charlestoWn, Mass station, aud Mr. Amos
Biancy, 5. navy agent at the sumo place
which led IN nm enquiry ~ orler OF the sc
erstEryof the NAVY, A. H. tbeif correctness
Com Porter, and Mr. Gcolge Blink, "sre
denuted To conduct the enquiry, which result
cd in the arrest Of Lieut.. Abbott by Com /.
On the ground ,hst his charge had not been,
MIR oonla.,,e, sub,ianlated II. \. w1s tried
on the charge preferred by Com. I aud sen
fenced, BY y hare ma riiy Of The court, to be
suspended from service Tor two years, with
deprivation OF pay anu cmolnments. This
conduct on tde part Of Com T. together with
the decision OF the court martial, have been
Tor som, time matters OF nsw spfper DISCUSSION,
some blaming the commodore far. being too
TASTY, in not allowing Ii Abbott tHc TO pro-
rnre the evidence upon which he re led aud
: the cour, for dcprivng an officer of9i' rank,
Nc. Tor doing that which he vas prompted 10
do by his strong sense VI duty II hs' been
contended, too thut'he court tell could not
have considered the charges TO havo proceed.
ed from any other motive II the punishment
melted out 10 1t A. b. a proper criterion On
which ~ iound All opinion Eos il is argued
with much ilauSbili'yiii the se.r1 bad sup
posed them to,hnvc heen dictated by mTiioe,
the puni,hrnent vas hyiar TOO light for an Of
fence 50 aggravated Writers, pro md con,
,iied the newspapers, particularly in Boston,
with their lncubru,ions some harpng good
ae,; On TINT convenient word, prosecution, and
others. ,frriing that cscn-handrd justice" had
b1, returned he tie lipa.of Lieut. abbott, he
:. noison'd ofalcu Wtici, he hat prepared
for Capt, Hull In The Ytogres5 OF things
circumstances ttanspned which led 10 the eon-
e,o,inn that Con Porter, attuated by feelings
ri ,rnity towards Lieut. Abbott, or Of fof-
1ia6ty toward, those whom he accused, had
stiaed caqa.sy. and thus prevented The atom
rnent oi esidencr which would have tuh.
stantiatc6 1t As cHlrs The editor Of thr
Federal Republican 0hr t,gh priest Of celuln-
n.y. taking the lead aPdo hir, after grdtns
some OF The e. i@te circumstances which led
him to the adoption Of this course, nyoveA
his intcnlonuf tas'as Lin, together vita MIR
Blake, ia hand, aud thou u he should be
able to show that 1'cy Eud laid both l,,t and
justice PROSTATE In lids state of thing
Com Porter addressed a letter 10 thc editor
OF that paper, telling him that his opinion asl
been formed without full knowledge of all
the circumstances, and that If he took upon
himself to publicly discuss ;be matter, on ,r
parte te timony, he mof' be prepared to meet
The uonse guenccs--sta,ing, al the same lime
that the oflieial trial of It. Abbott would he
Forthcoming in about q week, when all the do.
cuiaents had in the examination would be be.
fore the rablie, and he would then have no
objection 10 just criticism eft lis rgency in
The matter. Ihe editors OF several PAPER.
Few into violent rage, as though Com Tor.
ter had The PowuUr,evo II he had the inoli-
nation, to.musalo them. talked namingly of the
liberty of the press (but not a word of its Il
ceniiousaeS,,) quoted constitutional provision.
touching lis inyiolahiity, and contended with
much senrnestness tor the right OF the pcopl,
10 bang thtu seroGHis, as the Chinese do thti
gods. Many, however, 50 far from looAin.
anon it as " a daring attempt to intmidate ia,
press" viewed i, onlyssa "triendly vurning
The ieyere remarks which the commodore
note elected, produced from, him secon,
note, in which he denrs the irtteation impu,
ed 10 him u cndeavoring to RESTRAIN Che free
dom OF discussion, and declared tiat he nten
led only TO esk a Suspension Of opisioa unit
of6ciQl information was laid befoui the public
Such, we believe, is correct statement lie
the people decide.
The official account Of Lieut. abbetts trip
has been published II remains 10 be see,
1 =. d L. L n