Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-03-07

the purpose of Iefraying the current ex.
penses of the year, and adjoured al an
early hour.
Remarks of Mr.. Pickeus, on tho case of
Commodore Elliot.
Mr. Crary moved that the papers be re-
fcrred to the Committee on Naval Affairs
Mr.. Naylur now modified his motion,
and submitted il in the following form:
Resolved, That the Report he printed,
and that selec, committee of - be ap-
pninte t. inquire into the official conduct
of CAPTAIN Jesse Elliot of the U. States
Navy, while in command of the squadron
in the Mediterranean. in the year 1887 aud
i re- aHA paFi}fggIEa5y 4!a ,dAe aasSajens
fcers under his command; and that The
said Committee have power to send for
persons and papers, and have leave Of ab-
seuce from the service Of the House while
engaged in the inquiries commiied unto
them by this Resolution.
Mr. P. said he was aware the House
had been detained quite long enough on
this question. He had risen 10 say that
though he belonged TO the Committee on
Naval Affairs, he hoped the subject would
uot be seul 10 them. Their appropriate
duties were confined to thr general im-
provemcni ana prosperity oI The Navy
The motion OF the gentleman from Penn
sylvania, (ilr.Na. .lur) was extraordinary,
aud it was founded on extraordinary cir
curnslanccs. 1t any question could be
important to The naIonal honor. this GER
tainly was such a question. The other
gentleman from Pennsylvania, (Mr. Nc
Clure) had asked, with an air Of triumph.
whether any crime had been charged up
on Com. Elliot! Whal was it no crime.
no nsdelneanuur, for An ohcer, of high
station in our Navy to practice course OF
petty tyranny on the junior officers who
were so unfortunate as TO be subjected to
his command! If this was to be no crime.
MIR. 2. was at loss to conceive what
constituted crime. II one half of The
charge, laid against this arrogant and inso-
lent commander were true, they were
enough To subject him 10 have his sword
cut from his side, aud his epauettes tram,
pied IN The dust. If they were true, or Il
zenith par, of them. he had tarnisled the
hunor of an American officer, and stained
the honor of our flag So d"eply.thal all The
sweet waters oi heaven would never wash
out the blot The charges might MOI be
true hut surely It was due TO hi, honor.
if honor he had, that he should have de-
maudei court Of inquiry. 1t was due
alike 10 him and the Navy that inquiry
should be had 1t was said that the Sec
retary of the Navy had refused to Lieut..
Barton To have a court martial Of the
Commodore, because of The correspon
dence not referred to. But if the head Of
The Navy Department refused court mar
tial. where could our inferior officers look,
where could they appear for redress, but
to this House! Their complaints present
ed The very case in which selec, commit
tee should be appointed. He did MOI know
whether they would justify cour, mar
tiaI, but they certainly deserved a court of
inquiry, or a select committee of this
House. 1t was the duty of the members
of this House, as guardians of our young
and rising officers, 10 guard them against
that odious & contemplible tyranny which
never would be practised on interiors,
hu, by coward at heart.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania had
talked about glory, and had spoken of the
honor which this Naval Commander had
added 10 the sum of national renown, and.
in the exuberance of his co'nmendaton.
had alluded to an event which of all 9th
ers. the Commodore ought never to desire
his friends al any time, to allude to: il
was the medal which had been conferred
upon him for the part he had acted in the
combat OH Lake Erie. If one half was
true Of what was every where said Of his
couducr on that occasion, it ought To cast
The man I'd the earth, once 10 look upon
such medal. lie commanded ship in
that engagement which could not be got