Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-07-15

my private life. he has assaulted me, causelessly
and cruelty. He has left me no alternative
but dishon0r or resistance. My resistance h.
has attempted TO coavert into professional
crime, and to crush me by the forms of oficia,
prosecution. If he succeeds /; If n junior off,
Ger may not defend his reputation and his Sci
nGs against an anonymous libel, because that
ibeilcr is his superior officer, what is there left
to us secure from invasion On me has the
experiment fist been made, and / shall hold
myself accessory to the ruin and reproach il
must bring upon the ice, il tamely yield
To the usurpaiiOn.
TO present this principle, If possible, in
sill clearer light, let me imagine stronger
case. The offence of striking, and intention.
ally woundins, even staying superior officer,
is undoubtedly greater than that of shooting
a few paper bullets at him in newspaper. Its
penalty, in aggravated cases, is death. But
imagine that very case. superior, medta,.
my injury 10 his subaltsrn, throws off all the
habilments ofhls rank and office, assumes a
disguise, b-srls his path, and, in the assassin
sarb, anu with an assassin's intent, rusies, at
midnight, upon his innocent and unconscious
victim. In the mortal struggle, some words
escape the assailant. The tones convey to III.
Inferior The dreadful con, iciion that his mid
nglt assassiu is his commanding officer. Tell
me, sirs, n hat shall the inferior do Must he
not resist Must he respect the rank which
his superior had thrown off aud dishonored
Must he yield his lif. ? Would not the entire
world rejoice, that he who had put on the
character Of an assassin received, at the handa
OF his inferior, chaslsement, and, If nsedfui,
death! Guild Il court martial be found to cen
sure 81 punish The subaltrru on the prptext Ut
breach of discipline and subordinati0n?
nave put TINS case strongly, because WISH
me princ'P'r to be strongly felt. In dong so.
d'scla'n all intention To use it as a case par
allei with mine. But, if the principle be true.
captain Porter, having voluntarily come on
the stage In assumed character, ought TO
play out the part If he chose to commence
anonymous libeller, he should be conien, 10 re-
cei,e the treatment ,neriird by one. He mus,
not be allowed, in the middle Df The perforu-
ancc, To drop the mask. and claim the RESPECT
of captain in the navy.
Ii is not To be- concealed, sirs, that already
an opinion too generally prevails among, tn, u.
nlpr officers ofths navy, tina; r, dress Cannot he
obtained for injuries committed on them hy
their superiors. will not say that this opin-
,"n Is warranted by facts, Though no instance
mas yet occurred in which redress has been oh
tnimed, but it is not, IN that account, less true.
nor less unfortunate for the navy, that it does
exist. But u" case like mine has occurred, in
which the oppression complained of had not
some snow III service, some appearance If
~ otess'onai duly tn excuse, perhaps, 10 Justify
II. In mine, none exists, hut in the mere form
"f IA rial by court martial, to punish the
contumacy which would not passively submit
10 injustice altogether foreign to the service.
do not d"ubt the firm impartaity of This
cou. I, aud venture tn anticipate such deci-
sion as will remove this unfound-d opinion.
maintain the true discipline Of the navy, and
convince all grades of service that, though in
will always receive its mrrited
oppression shall find neither
c'Inienance nor impunity.
The harmony the true discipline, the honor
OF The Navy, are in your hands to-day. III
have sinned, as this prosecution charges me,
Strike shall commend The Flaw which drs
stroys me. But, if l am~sinned against, ifI
have heen wronsed and prosecuted. do nor
sfnd me back 10 my companions with IA mere
acIuttai give me hack my honor unsuIled
aud entire, as it was when Captain Porter as
sailed IT. Give 10 The service the conviction
which II wants thai no rank, no influence, is
beyond tho reach of legal control yonr right.
your authority, 10 do so, is undoubted and un
questionable. Ii is mine to show the power.
your province to decide if i, should be- exert
I'd. have prepared the altar, and bound the
victim; 1t Is yours TO make the sacrifice. (
shall add a"thing to this defence, already too
but to cite the authorities ~. the
subject. BEVERLEY KENYON.
The London paper contain a long account
of the death of Mr.. Harris who went up in a
balloon with Slias Stocks, from the Eagle
Tavern, City Road. 1t had assembled a COZ,
siderable height, when Mr.. Harris told his
cuinpaal0n That az spot presented itself
which appeared favorable for his purpose. he
Intended to make a descent. In consequence
OF some improper management 10 letting out
Inc gas, the balloon descended with so much "a
pidity that it became entangled in a tree.
Hhen both The aronauls were precipitated to
HE ground with great violence-Alr. Harris
was found lying doubled up, aud on being lift.
"a from the ground, he instantly breathed his
last his sides were crushed in, and his skull
fractured, At short distance from him was
ylng the young woman in stale of insrnsi-
h'lliy with one thigh Broken, and otherwise
injured IN shocking manner. Two carrier
pigeons, which the deceased had taken will,
hIm with an intention TO despatch them to
London to announce TO his anxious friends
his safe descent were found in the place in
which they were deposited under one Of the
seats; they had suffered considerable injury
10 the descenf-they soon reyived-NIss
Stocks mad recovered, and notwithstanding
her narrow escape, had agreed to make ano-
tner ascent with Mr.. Graham. She is stat
ed 10 be the daughter Of poor woman, and
was total stranger TO Mr.. Harris. She paid
Is. I'D. for admission, and, whilst rendering The
money, Mr.. Fl. was observing he was afraid
ne should ascend by himself, upon which
Miss Stocks replied, IN go, Sir, If you will.
permit me - to which he INSTANTLY assen,.J
she appeared quite undaunted, but rather
pale; she Is about is years Of age. and rather