Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-07-09
LIEUTENANT KENNON'S TRIAL.
lConIinHsd.l
LIEUT.. KENNON's DEFENCE.


IE LIEUT.. KENNON's DEFENCE.
| Mr.. President aud Gentlemen orthe Csuri
l stand before you to-day in "A situation
which | have never before occupied, AM
which had never contemplated as possible
am here prisoner, under repr0aeh an,
ignOminy. 49,
Before this tribunal, on which see what
ever can inspire awe by its dignity, reverence
by its worth, admiration by its prowess /; If
this presence of veteran service, approvet
Salor, and lofty chiyalry, do come to-dA,
To- sustain my disputed claims to the characte
OF an officer and gentleman. For the charges
| am to answer, put no less in issue. If ths
tythe Of them BE- true, the sentence emanatini
from such court should and must doom ms
to eternal infamy.
These char ges, toe, derive imposing credit
from the character Of my accuser. His high
rank, his long and meritorious service the
important agency he has had in regulating the
Concerns ofthe navy, justly give to accusations
sanctioned by his authority the probability al
guilt. But he has yet higher claims 10 conf
dence from a country whose literature his
pen has extended and adorned, while he has
Illustrated its naval merit by his arms. | can
not but own that you have every probability
Of my guilt which these considerations can
afford.
Before such court, on such charges SO
vouched and SD supported, am l, an humble
Lieutenant, come to speak to-day. Patronage
aud rank, and high proofs of public trust and
naval prowess, or literary renown, have
none To sustain me aud, if | had, though I
have experienced how much they add to ihe
power Of oppression, would disdain to use
them. In this trying hour, present myself
before you, awed, not terrified, apprized of all
the obstacles have to surmount, but appalled,
neither by their number nor their magnitude
aware that on your sentence hangs whatever
hold valuable 10 life-ny occupation, my
personal honor, and all the aspirings 10 pro-
iessional elevation and renOwn which, humble
as am, have dared from my boyhood To
cherish-yet willing to hazard all: Tor AIN
sustained by conscious reCtitude, and up
borne by that honest Indignation which sense
OF unprOvoked, multiplied, and varied perse-
culIon will always inspire. Creatures the most
AFFECT and ,imid become brave from necessity.
The vilest worm turns ON the fuOt " which
crushes him. In his last extremity, the iimid
deer stands at bay, bids defiance To The hunts
N an, and sometimes iends him. | should be
more tImid than the deer, ,er than the worm,
il the wrongs shall pourtray 10 you TO day
had not afforded me their couragc.
IL, at any moment, the unbdden thought has
come, that the rank, renuwn, and influence Of
my accuser, which have enabled him thus Far
10 pursue me, might follow me even here, aud
crush me, have repealed the doubt as mol
less dishonOIable to me than disrespectful tn
you, aud disgraceful To my country. No!
cannot, will not, believe that here, have any
Thing to fear but from nay own dement's. Ia
this august tribunal, arnied with whate, er law
can confer Of authority, and graced with all OF
imparIiaiity that honor can bestow before
AZ In nsuh leu l. l. A a
naval pre- eminence stands subdued; under
whose iutelary guardianship sepose the in
terest of the navy, the character of lis officers
and the glory Of our country, connected with
them: before such tribunal will never be-
! lleve that the humolest individual in the service
can, Innocent, be borne down by any in
huence under Heaven. Here, at least. no dis
tinctiUn will be Recognized, between me aud
my accuser, but such as justice creates, and
conscience sanctions. Whatever NAV be the
event ofthis prosecution, it cannot be imputed
TO me that have employed any technicalitie:
in my defence, or even claimed the benefit Of
known and acknowledged restrictions, imposed
by justice and laws TO limit the range Of thu
accusations or the proof.
BY the seth article of the Regulations of th.
Navy intended to enforce the principle o.
justice just alluded to, it is provided, "'Tha
the person desiring the Court MARTIAL snail
take care that the person accused shall be
furnished with a true copy of the charges
with the specifications, at the time he is pui
under arrest, nor shall any other charge, or
charges, than those so exhibited, be urged
against the person TO be tried" &c.
This provision If this law was entirely DIS
regarded ON my arrest. Had ] claimed liz
benefit, or even confined the prosecutor TO the
first charges with which he furnished me after
my arrest, this court would never have met
or its inquiries would have been limited Il
one and the weakest of the accusasions, on
which am now tried. But though fully ap
priced of the security it afforded me, 10 n,
letter TO Captain Porter, two days after m,
arrest, 1 distinctly waived its provision
courted The most free and rigorous investiga
ton Of my conduct (; gave him unlimited
license to ampify his charges, at his own
pleasure, on the sole condition that he SHOULD
grant me a speedy trial, and not withhold
from me, by departing on his cruixe, the benef
has oion tertimony to repeI his opn ACCUSE
tons. Recently indeed, aud only few dsy
before the trial commenced, Captain Porter
ia his letter 10 me, stated, as you have seen
{" that The result Of this trial, is a matter of per
feet indifference TO him." and he has attempts,
TO support this appearance OF indifference b,
I Withdrawing his presence from the Court
The motives and policy Of that declaration i
shall be my care to detect, aud trust to frus
irate, when come 10 exhibit the chaneio,
phases Of this prosecution; and l will the,
prove, so that increduIily itself shall not doubt
that, to the active hostility and proud COO
tumely with which this prosecution com
messed, this fit Of cool Indifference" did no
Immediately succeed. That, in the io,erme
date stages, many schemes. employed TO en-
trap, or to intimidate me, had utterly failed
that the prosecution, instead of carving Ger