Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-04-23

DOMESTIC NEWS.

a statement Of the circumstance alleged - have
occurred on board the frigate Consolation, her
recent return from cruise in The Mediterranean, y
IN circulation which seems TO US TO demand he in
reference of Government as - probable, from
the suecct S with which fh'tery Is nov employ II to
screen offenders that cannot be Obtained, the ndig
! ant rehuke Of public opnon-a tribunal probably
rs drendcd 10y the despois Of the Navy, rs Con !
Mauia Of ihrir fallows.--By the way. VIC nre far
from intending 10 level tn term Despot at our naval
commanders generally. WerestrIct It TO a few
10 two especially and thcy, we are happy to say,
both foroigners-John OrIc Creighton aud Geofsr
G. Read We have been reared IN the senIment,
that the mercan Navy differed by The finest
and most gallant body Of gentlemen IN the world
I Il is because we desiro to see them preserve that
highest Of characters that, remote rs VIC are from
Tho Ocean, we exercise oJr right OF public censnre
on an act calculated to destroy bold command
ers and chiyalrous officers are not to be formed by
kicks and cuffs, The ropes end, or Isnominioun
punshmcnis which degrade them IN their own
eyes aeJ those of The ships crew. II was not thus
that the De6aturs and Perrys and Biddles were
trimmed This WIS not the old system of the Navy,
nor would such abuse Of authority and nfraction oil
discipline have been tolerated by former adminls'ra-
lions, had any officer been capable of perperaiins
u-But 10 the narrative.
Iistbc town talk at Norfolk, that when the Con
sellalion was on her passage from the Medlerra.
| noan, in the middle Of the Atlantic, Midshipman
Wilson (son ofthc late Senator from New Jersey
whose mother was lately reformed, Ia mode
Jackson, from Post Office in New JerseyD was
triccd mp, in nautical phrase, to the mast head
Tiled with bowlino and craned up heavy
gale wBs blowing q, the time-lhc fisate pitching
and waowirg, with three reefs in her topsail, and
this shameful outrage was committed on Micshp-
man Wilson at the imminent hazard OF ms brains
bong knocked out by the rolling of the ship. Mr..
Wilson's offence seems to have been in the inverse
ratio Of his punishment. Captain Reed asked him
=" Mr. Wilson, have you ordered the men from
below p a. have sir " You have no, sIr-you
iook insolcnt-go alolt and look out at the mast
head for land" Tin the midst ofthe Allantc.) Mr.
Wilson replied" At such time as this, II can
only be for punishment-J will not go" The
boatswain, by order Of Capt Read, seized Mr. vii
son by the collar and with the assistance OF two
Quarter Masters, forced him up the fore.rigg'ng
In shor, time he came down. Then It was, thai
Rend ordered him to be uiced up. The sailors, no
bic souls they always arc shocked at the out
rage, ran to the gun deck, nor would they lend
hand, untl berg threatened and dragooned, the in
stinct OF discipline ovcrcamc their horror, and they
aided in running up Mr.. Wilson to tho yard arm
Still farther to disgrace this unfortunate youth,
der the scntry's charge for "a hours, IN close con
fncmeni
We understand these facts can be verified by the
officers of the Constellation. They present, un
qucsionably, the gre a,est outrage ever committed
III the American Navy. Why have they not BEEN
reported to the Navy Department For very
sufficient rcason--cJ mpalnts lodged there against
the same officer, remain unnoced. Hhy 2
Ayc--theres the rdb. Because certain officers
Of The Navy, foreetful of its lenown, have learn
ed to play the nliterer and the courtier, and be-
cause Power ever has been, and ever will be, pro
pitated, soohcd and won, by the detestabc arts
which courticrs and nattercrs know how to EN-
ploy.
This is the second outrage that Read has com.
mit,cd Of this nature III FIST was upon descen-
dant OF DR. Franklin. His insulting and domBeer-
ing department his officers is Of the most ntole-
rable character and the more ntolcrabe, that he is
not an American We feel ourselves, at our dis
lance, the gall Of such indgnes inflicted upon the
descendants Of revolutionary patriots, by any man
Sc, of men the more especially by those who are
not Americans.
Aud row, if these arc facts and that they are,
there can be no manner of doub,-wl not the Pres
lcnt order Court Of Enquiry, and the facts being
found dismiss Read from the service So much he
owes to tue Navy, the country and his reputation.
Richmond Wig.