Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-09-27


The late Courts Martial at Washington have ex-
ceeded In number aud in interest any which occur
to ous recollection. Ii seemed TO he season for
purgins OIL the sins OF the Navy, lift stood in eed
ot IT. There is, al course, limit either way to
the Ecility oftrying complaints against our naval
officers. IL deaf ear should be turned to them,
real abuses would multiply and the character of The
Navy would suffer from neglect. Ii too ready a
ear be lent to complaints the sensiblties OF officers
would be assaed, and disaffeciion spreads through
the Navy. We do not very well see, how any Of
the late trials could have been avoidedor how the
Secretary OF the Navy deserves for holding
them. Com. Porter supposed to have trans
crossed ms duties, and perhaps his order. Com.
Stewart had been for time arraigned in the
papers, for acts of cupidity or OF tyranny which
would have disgraced the Navy aswelI as himself
The other trials were of less note but they could
scarcely have been put aside. These, however,
were almost los, sight Of in the interest which fol-
lowed The trials of two of the most distinguished
oificers-oi Stewart and Of Porter.
Stewart has escaped with honor; and we glory
at the verdict. Ii the charges against him had been
established, not only would most iusirious Off
Ger have been sacrificed. but the Navy itself would
have been furnished, He has passed the ordeal,
however, with infinite credit: and his name is only
DETER FURNISHED by the Investigation which he has
dehed Yet this moral is left for the Secretary of
the Navy; 10 be cautious how even ladies' of the
highest accomplishments and nobest feelings are
permitted 10 enter the, decks of ship of war;
Unframed as they to all the duties of suborina
ton and unacquainted with the laws of nations
their very virtues may betray them into error
About Commodore Porter, the nation is still
very much divided. Some persons think that he
has committed no crime: others, that his brilliant
services and his generous motives should have
redeemed his errors: A third party condemn his acts
and approve his sentence. We do no, hesitate to
in ono hal bal
with. The moment he objected to Mr.. Cox, the
Secretary ought to have displaced him, if his own
delicacy did not prompt him TO Withdraw. A Judge
Advocate stands in a situation rather to assist the
accused, than TO persecute: and rs soon as Commo-
dore Porter had protested against Mr. Cox, his OBJ
jections should have awaited, and new Judge Adj
vocate appointed But that Commodore Porter
should have been tried and found guilty by The court
we cannot permit ourselves to doubt. His defence
does not touch the first point ISSUE He did not visit
Fox;rdo In search OF pirates; but to avenge an in
suit committed upon one OF his officers. For thus
und'r liking 10 assume power whch belongs 10 aao-
Their department of the government he should have
been called TO account: and not even the indignant
and virtuous feeling, which pressed him to act i'm
this way, should have excused him.--I}ut how Mr.
Adams will reconcile to his own sense of consis-
tency, this accusation against Com. Porter it'll his
own defence oil Gen. jackson in the case OF Pensa-
cola--how he could condemn the act and jnsti-
~ the other, when they marked by similar fea-
lures OF abused power:--how too he could repel in
the one case the loud complaints of Spain, and in
the other almost to her to make out her COM
plants against Com. Porter;~ these are points which
II Is for MIR. Adams solve and not for oursey es
1t Is time indeed for our highest officers TO feel
their suborGinaton 10 the laws. The trial of Com
L. was, called for by his conduct; and we hope his
sentence VIII not be thrown ava, upon the officers
OF The nation. We entertain the highest gratitude
Tor his services, the highest respect for his accom-
piishmen,s; but we cannot object to his punish
ment. Whether areprimand, or a suspension would
have been best called for by the circumstances of
the case or, whether a remission OF the sentence
should follow the conviction OF his misa axes we
shall not at this time undertake to say.--But we
trust, that he will remain where he is and that no
oilers, however brilliant, from the governments of
Mexico or Colombia, will tempt him TO abandon
the flag of his own country.
Mr. Clay (Secreary of State) addressed let
ter on 10Th April, to MIR. Salmon the Spanish Min
lister, calling upon him for g any evidence peril
nent to the case, which you may think proper 10
adduce before that Court" assuring him that it
viii be respectfully received and considered -
On receiving some documents from Mr. Salmon (of
very little importance) Mr.. Clay incloses them to
MIR. Southland, and rather adroilly tells him: Tn.
proprety OF laying these papers before The Court of
Inquiry into the conduct of tina, officer {, ON. p J
III regardto these transactions, is submitted TO the
consideration Of the Secretary Of the .Nauy''
| The ceremony OF the foundation of Ararat is too
amusing an article to be omitted. Who appointed
Major Noah Editor of the N. Y National Advo-
cate) the Chief Governor of the Jews ?-Who has
given him the power of procauing TO the most dis
| tant tribes The laws by which they to be gov
erned! commanding them stay or TO remove TO
! be taxed, &c &C.! Or has he assumed this power
upon himself? IL seeias 10 u.s. at Tie first blush of
the subject, as one OF the most oatre, self auori-
tative, and ridiculous papers we have perused.
We wonder how any man of sense, much less OF
MIR. Noahs talents, should have suffered himself 10
be betrayed into such effuson. 1t is more extra
ordinary even than Fry's scheme for evangelizine
the Jews.
All the Jews in the u States, put together, con-
stitute very small proportion of the race in the
world. Perhaps their whole number does not ex-
coed 5O,OOO-and on the whole Earth, there may be
6 millions. How would it look even for San
hedrim OF all the Jews in the United States TO put
| forth such decree hive before us, But, for
few OF them--at most, perhaps, not thousand
1t may be less than l00to undertake to constitute
one man the &c Governor and Judge of Israel'' in
| the mimic style of King "by the Grace of God''
too that this should undertake to issue for
NAL proclamation, calling for of the nation
imposing capiaon tax OF one dollar upon each
Jew throughout the world, assuming the authority
OF appointing the presiding officers of the nation in
all the Kingdoms and Republics of the earth
why it beggars all commentary.
| We open our arms to welcome the Jews. Come
from'what quarter they may, they are tcelcome.
Let them bring hither their virtues, their genius,
their wealth, they will find here an asylum, and
under the wing of free constitution, full and free
protection They may sit here under their own fig
tree and none to make them afraid. The general
federation OF their religion-no oppressive taxes
no unjust exactions--Come and they are welcome