The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-01-08

JAN DAVIS, Jf. and Samuel Miller
Not IN The last Directory,
Commodore Porter.--It is one of the unfol tu-
nate traits of the human character that it is so
easily pulled up with vanity and selEconeeit, and
when il is thus pulled up, that its possessor fan
cies himself to be the hero OF every mans
thoughts and conversation and the shining mark
at which the shafts of envy and malcvoence are
Invariably aimed. II is true, there are some bril-
liant exceptions TO this remark but we believe
they are not numerous enough 10 affect its claim
to general correctness. We regret that Com
Porter is not one OF these exceptions. The en-
thusiastic zeal with which he cspoused the
cause OF his country in lSl2--the means which
he adopted to cheer his companions in their tolls
and to inspire them with anticipations of vcto-
ry--the chivalrc ardour with which he pursued
his foe, and the fearless inhepidity with which
he met him---but, above all the glorious fight of
his ship Essex in the Pacific which gave to his
defeat all the honors of splendid triumph-had
placed Com Porter high in the affections of his
countrymen, and rendered them more than usu.
ally sensitive when they ghtthcy saw an at
tempt on the part of the National Executive to
Cypress and degrade him. 1t is not worth while
to say that such design was never for "A mo
ment entertained by the Executive 1t is not
believed by men ofany reelection, who are at the
same time free from the violent preiudices which
party rancor invariably infuses into the human
mind and as to those who do put confidence in
SO pleposterouS a tale, it would be entirely use
less to attempt TO argue them out of il for
d" Those convinced against their WILL
Are ofthe same opinion still.'
II is this yanity--this selfconceit (pardonablc
enough perhaps, in its origin, but not in the az
bitrary and continued sway which it cxerts over
all Com Porter's actions, } which has given rise
to all the heartburnings between Mr.. Adams and
himself, and which led to their mutual GOODNESS
at the launch of the Brandywine 1T is this pas
sion which has driven the Commodore from the
service of his country, and from beneath the
flag to whose glory he SO eminenty contributed
which has banished him from the brotherhood
of his old companions in arms, to seek new
honors in strange land-under an equyocal
flag-among unknown men, less emulous of
their countrys fame than enyious of the stranger
chief who has been brought from a distant coun-
try to be placed over their heads. The conduct
OF Com. Porter has sprung alone from this pas
sion, which. however harmless il may he gener-
allyregarded is frequently productive of the
most unjustifable acts. The Commodore'S case.
illustrates the aphorism of Rousseau, that a
man is much more frequently made miserable
thea nappy by his vanity, unless he is fool
IT is not our purpose to lessen the value of the
Commodore's great services to his country in her
" hour of utmost need, nor to deprecate the
character of those services. We believe that
they were signalIy beneficial, both in their im-
mediate and romoter consequences, and that the
measure of our gratitude cannot be too unmi.
ted. But this gratitude ought not 10 make us
blind to errors ola fatal tcndency-Such errors
Com. Porter was guilty OF, and the punishment
he was sentsnced to, was necessary we will
not say j1tsD Precipitation for thcn.-We
will not say that the punishment was Just be-
cause if the acts alleged against him were actual
ly committed, and were concIusiyely proved up
on him, as the Court Martial averred, then was
the punishment to which he was sentenced a
mere mockery Of justice. TO cxemplfy this
position, and at the same time TO prove that
Com. Porter has not the slightest claim on the
sympathy of his countrymen, we viii cite a tri-
al which occurred almost Simultaneously with
that of Com. Porter, and then ask if he ought
not to be satisfied with the sentence which his
associates in arms pronounced against him .
Lieut.. Stewart of the Navy, was charged with
" neglect ofdtty' having been caught ryieep at
his post, while the commander of the deck
watch-and for this " neglect was sentenced
TO tico gears suspension from the service a.
though the very Witnesses who testified TO the
fact of mis- being found asleep, also admitted tina
the services in which the Lieutenant had been
engaged during the several preceding nights
successfully were OF an extremely arduous and
tatisuing chatactcr--lhat he had, in truth, been
deprived otthe repose necessary to sustain ma
board which he was stationed, having been more
than ordinarily diminished by frequent draughis,
to man the boats sent in pursuit OF the pirates
For this offence, comparatively slight in itself
and, under the circumstances, in our opini on
perfectly excusable, the Lieutenant was sentenc-
ed to hro years suspension from the service !;
while Com. Porter, who was charged with hav-
ing iBrnded neutral tcrit0ry unauthorizedy-
{ an act involving a violation Of the Constitution
in one Of its most essential features Land with
having disobeyed The posiiire orders oCthe Secre-
tary ofMe Nary was only sentenced to undergo
tine slight penalty of SIR mouths suspension
Such was the difference between a Commodore
and Lieutenant Such is the effect of popu-
lar sympathy inuudins itself in a Court ofjus-
tce, and interpreting between law and those who
have incurred its penalties. We would not de-