Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-15

ers with which God and nature has entrusted
them
Such was the emphatic language Of the
Mediterranean Memurialists, under the ranl
of captain" to the Senate Of the U. States il
1917, when series If abuses were at las
contaminated by the indignity Of blows from
Their superIOrs. Ii is true that the stand taker
ny Inc young officers on that occasion made
some +" noise in Congress, raised them ur
some friends who fit sensibly alive to IN.
wrongs they had suffered, and to the stall
which had been inflicted upon the honor oil
the. Navy. then rich with the yerdure of hpr
wresths, which she had acquired in the war
But with few speeches and some eulogies
upon those hearts of chivalrous gallautry
winch could not be predetermined in the recol-
lection Of the memorialists, the subject was
dropped--their prayers ceased To be heard
and they were lett TO bear the cankering re-
membranes nf their wrongs without any in
demni,y for the past or security for the future
What the fatal consequence of this apathy
has been ON the part of The constitutional
guardians of the memoriaIis,s, let but few
selected wrongs which have occurred since
serveto shew. Let II he observed, that the Sc
like their unfortunate eXemp!ars, have been
the acts of officers who held the proudest
Mich" ia our naval temple, whose mutual ex-
under their command, and who for every at
tribute, save a modest estimate oftheir autho-
rity, could have secured our love for their
very errors.
Whenever subordinate officer has appealed
TO the Navy Department for satisfaction a.
galnst his SUPERIOR he has been answered
" we do not Interfere with personal auarrels'
or the case will be taken under copside-
ration and i'll find any steps necessary IA
"galnst the accused, you shall be informed OF
"h"-or, he is bo.nd on important service,
and II would be incon, euient at this time to
attend Ia your request"
And yet, after such answers, any ATTEMPT
at personal explanation is viewed as a crying
offence on our part, and a signal for arrest, tri-
al and punishment instanter
lfsCe or hear of culpable conduct on The
part OF = superior, against the integrity or in
terest OF the service, and from "A sense of duty
inform The Department of it, we have been
arrested by another superior, and brought To
trial at has instance, for making false accuse
Mons, anu usisg unworthy means Ia injure
the characters Ut our superior officer I" Thus
shilling all enquiry against the accused, and
wrestling from SuGordinaffS even the right of
complaint and information.
1--we are insulted and abused in the pnblic
newspapers by superior, and seek To disco
yer the author by plain and manly vindica-
tion oil ourselves, we are arrested upon the
charge Of using base means tn injure his cha
racI+r, and brought 10 trial for it, Our arrest.
requires not The ceremonial appeal 10 the De-
parlment, and in every case is confirmed by
it-and when we boldly sustain our innocence
and receive an honorable acqni,tal, il has ne
YER offered lis protecting arm to satisfy us
against The attempts of him, who aimed a VI
TAI niow al our honor and reputation Our
dischHTge has always been considered 1aRish-
mem enough tor our accuser
we nave been sent on expeditions under
the command of AN officer, of whose habitual
incompetence and other gross behaviour we
"aue complaint, on our return, in formal
charges, To our superior. They were disre
garded- mere separation from his future
command was deemed ample repara.on for
our ipJnred fcellngs-and an order for him TO
return 10 the u. .. "A sufficient atonement for
the abused confidence of the service
III we have hum5iy demonstrated against
promotions made over US by our commanders.
we have been deemed guilty of dsrespect and
threatened with arrest--and for choosing TO
hint at complaint 10 the Department, we
have been ordered TO our rooms and menac-
ed with irons
A mIdshipman has been kept under arrest
on ioreIg0 station, iico gears after trial by
court martial, and all the time ignorant of its
sentence. In vain, he earnestly pressed the
hardshlps of his case implored to come home
and learn his fate, that he might bear its pc.
nalties ifconyicted, and return to duty. He
was deprived of this advantage, and when on
ms return to the country, he came to Wash
inston to see the proceedings against him, he
found by the record Of the court that he had
been honord6Ly acquitted No reason was AS.
signed tor this conduct, and no notice taken
oil u by the Secretary of the Navy.
Another was sent ashore, on a sick ticket
by the Doctor, and declared unfit fur further
service on that statlon-yet his application to
come home 10 receive the rniDisteripg aid of
his friends and attend an examination Of mid
shipmen of his class soon 10 come on, was no.
sltlvely refused, and he was detained until the
snip returned some six months or more af-
forwards.
We have been sent from foreign stations TO
the " STATES uSder arrest, upon charges by
our super0rs, and, after being kept for more
than twelve months in that state oG suspen-
sion to wait their return, no prosecution has
been instituted, and we have been restored To
duty without an opportunity Of indicating
ourselves or confronting our accusers.
There IS Il lieutenant now in the country.
who was sent year ago from remote station
under arrest, tho there were officers enough
on the spot TO constitute court for his trial.
Yet he remains arrested
Another has been arrested and tried on the
complaint of foreign gopernor, aod after
wards let by his commander ignorant of the
sentence Of ihe court. He had TO hazard his
life against the imputatiOns which were cast
upon him in consequence of il, though on his
arrival in the u. States, he found by the pro.
ceedlngs al the Department, he had been no.
uorabiy acquitted
A distinguished officer, then, whom the Ma
Wy owns, 30 one more worthy the appella-
ton, went ont by order &c the Secretary as
passenger in a COmmodore's ship. for the
hnnnGt IL L. L.-.IlL - ~.