Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-28

tleinan, that such were the instructions under
which Com. Porter was acting. No one ever
question cd his right tn carry specie. The only
question was. whether he had so conducted himself
IN this respect TO interfere with 1.-The perfor-
maEce of his other duties. .H
Mr.. II. did not believe that Com. Porter him
self entertained the opinion which hsd been ex-
pressed by the gentleman from New Jersey, that
the best way to suppress piracy was to employ the
squadron in carrying specie. II he had enter
tanned such opinion, and had acted il, the
suit would have been equally unfortunate for him
self and the country.
The gentleman had thought proper to compare
the case OF Com. Porter with that Of General Jack
son. MIR. II. said, that this was not the case of
Jackson. which differed & ON il in all its character
istics. In that Gen. Jackson had been brough,
into the Senate, had merely defended himself. But
it would appear from what the gentleman hmselfha
stated that the Senate had treated Porter they had
done Jackson. What did the Senate DO with the
memorial of Jackson /? The gentleman had.told
them that II had been received, it lad been read,
and that it was ordered 10 he printed similar
course had been pursued in the of Com. Por
ter, and the House, he believed, satisfied
that neither of the cases were of nature TO be
brought properly before them. 1t was unfortunate
they had even taken cognizance of the one. and it
would be equally so were they TO take cosnzance
of the other.
Mr.. II. said he conceded with him, that it was
proper not to try the merits of the here Then
certainly II was not proper to instruct the commit
tee TO try the II would have occupied their
time during the whole session, and would have
cost this nation rs much money as the court which
had all eady tried il and if i, was not proper TO
subject 1t To an investigation, it certainly not
proper TO decide 1t without an investigation. They
must either take the decisions Of the Court Martial
nr inv In {ttl " md ri
Sidly. We must send for persons and papers, and
90 into The merits of The case, which the gentleman
had admitted it was not proper for US to do.
The gentleman has asked for qualification Of
the terms OF the report, which Mr.. II. said he
would read, and perhaps he should be able to show
twas not necessary To make. any modification.
Mr.. II. then read the report, and proceeded II
appeared TO him there but sentence in il TO
which the gentleman objected. which was in the
following words 80 The Committee consider il
due alike 10 the ervaton Of proper discipline,
and to the reputation OF our officers, that appeals
should not be encourage! from the decisions Of the
military courts" These words were perhaps not
very material, and it not important that the
Senate should do more than concur in tho recon-
'nendation of the Committee in getting clear OF
the whole subject. But Mr.. H. said, this sentence
contains the opinion OF the committee, which was
very clearly expressed, and therefore required no
explanation. The Committee, however ONLY ,e
quested this House to discharge them from the fur
ther consideration Of the subject TWAS the onin-
ion OF the committee, that measures of this kind
might be injurious TO the discipline Of the service
and that, alter the decisions had been made by the
competent tribunals, the matter ought to be nut az
rest, and, entertaining that opinion il would have
been fasidIous delicacy not TO have expres. ell !,
Mr. H. was glad tina, the gentleman had done him
The justice TO state, that he had never manifested
disposition to say do thing that might be
injurious 10 the reputation Of our Naval Officers
The conduct he had, on all occasions, observed.
he though, would shield him from an y such impu,a.
ton and ne hoped that nothing had fallen from
nm, even on the present occasion, that could be
construed into the expression of an opinion unfa-
voraoe to the character Of Com. Porter, or anv of
his officers. He was merely anxious to explain the
views OF the Committee OF which he was the oryan
and to shew that this did not properly beIsny
to Congress-
Mr.. Dickerson said, the honorable Chairman Of
the Naval Committee allows that an appe,l j.; e.,
the purpose ofreve sing decision This no, heinz
the case, is not an appeal. But the gentleman s,vs
1t IS In the nature OF an appeal This is pushing the
point to an extreme. But he saws the verv,nnIi
cation is Objectionable in every shane III
The manner of his application is perfec,Iv resnec,
iui, and the most humble individual has riobt Ia
approach this Body when he thinks himself aepr;ev
ed by any act OF ours, and TO lay his complaint be-
lore US; and, although we may not think proper to
grant the request, we treat the application with
spect. Commodore Porter has forfeited none Of
his rights a citizen
ne gentleman saws, the instance OF Cen Jack
son ~ peculiarly unfortunate that we have don.
Tor Com. Porter all we did for Gen. Jackson W.
received his application, rend it, and ordered il 70
nc prlnted-that we did no more for Gen. Jarlso,
Let II be remembered that Com. Porter does mn,
answer the arguments urged against him i, The
Senate last winter. let him answer yh,, u,.s
objected TO him in this body in memorial, Ia, :,
be read, printed, and placed among our document.
as ten. Jackson's memorial was; and Com Jo,,a.
VIII ask no more. The honorable gentleman thini-s
that IL was Of no importance 10 cournunico,a a.
orders OF the I'D December, IS23-thioks that nc
all knew the provisions II those orders tba, ,,e
acfed upon this knowledge; that he possessed i,
hatever knowledge that gentleman mieh, b,r.
POSSESSED upon that suheoi, the observ,,;o,s -
senators, when this subject was discussed woe
clearly that they did not possess this kno,vIedco
NAT communication contains this letter before il
was submitted TO the Court Of Inonirv, 7, or,
document is it to be foundl II wac No, o..-.',u.
known to the Senate; il was not known 20 e.
pubic, and IT certainly was not kno,un ,o NJ
Randall and Mr.. Mountain. w WIZ
AS The honorable Chairman does not tb;nL G, e.
agree to any modification of his report Il IL ro'.a1
10 Te-commit this report 10 The Cornu;t,.. -
p,. "' WIN INSTRUCTIONS 10 amend the same nv
s OUT 'na' part OF the report thar intervenes
between the words 4" interference of tbis JIorsa ;,
and The resolution TO be discharged.
MT Holmes then rose and said, tina, in Jscuss;,,
the oil which came before them during Tho I.a.
session Tor the suppression of piracy in the We,
Indies we had evidence before us which c,s.,od
strong feeling in the Senate, that all was No,
'igh' WIN The squadron. We had the communics-
n ,tm winch had been forwarded by Messrs. Ran
ha. ana mountain. and the instructions which had
geen hrst read to-day by the gentleman from Mo-,
Jersey; and that was all which The s..a," i'e"