The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-08-15

| Il
! MATHEW JAMES, Chairman.
AL1sTER GARDEN, Secretary.
RARE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
IN A FEDERAL .WHIG EDITOR
THE HOOE CASE.
The Editor Of the Lexington (Virginia)
Gazette, c G. Baldwin,, Esq. a decided
Wing Of the modern school, treats the
case Of Lieutenant Hooe like an honest
man. He maintains that it would have
been as absurd in the President, to set
aside the finding of the court convicting
the accused upou charges and specifica-
| .ions to which the negro testimony was
not applicable, as it would be in al, ordi~i
nary court of criminal jurisdiction TO set
aside a conviction Of murder on one indict.
ment, because improper evidence was ad.
mitlcd upon another. Having illustrated
this point, lie proceeds TO another, as fol-
! lows, viz:
"2l. BY the common law aud the uni.
form practice in the navy under it, negroes
are competent witnesses against white
| men in Virginia. because that is very pro-
perly forbidden by an express law of the
State. They are good witnesses, howe
yer, in many of the free States. They
were, then, competent legal witnesses in
the case. The question then arises, what
righ, has the Federal Executive to repeal
the laws of the land, merely because he
may deem them inexpedient7 Are our
Whig friends-are the freemen of this
land-preparedt to surrender this monstrous
and despolic authority into the hands OF
the Federal Executive! Yet this is the
very principle involved in the case. for
the President is universally censured by
the Whig press, because he would not
repeal the law of the land, authorizing
negroes to give evidence against white
men. As Wing, as a Republican. in
tensely jealous of Federal encroachments,
nav more, as an American freeman, we.
for one, enter our protest against such
monslrous usurpation Of power by the
Federal Executive.
"Let us not be misunderstood. We
are no advocates for negro evidence
against white men. On the contrary, we
are strongly opi osed to, it. But let the
loathsome, the disgraceful, the degrading
Law be repealed by Congress-by the Re-
presenta,ives of the people--not by the
Federal Executive. What freeman can
t6lcrate the bare idea of Executive legis-
lation, Give this power to your Executive,
and he is despot, and you are his slave"
Thus saith Whig Editor in Virginia!
Come from what quarter it may, il is true
Democratic doctrine.
Well, wha. is the point Of attack against
the President in this case! 1t is that he
has no, ALTERED TIE LAW! Itis that
he has not USURPED THE RIGHT
Full POWER OF CONGRESS! Bolts
and Co. call on the South 10 oppose the
President because he has not in this case
become IN USURPER! Yes, the very
men who daily and recklessly charge him
with usurpation, complain Of him also
because he does not usurp the laao.makiag
poper!
1t is not at all remark able that the Whig
Editor Of the Gazette should think it ne
cessary 10 give reasons for venturing to
be honest in any thing which relates to
the Administration. Honesty and candor
are so rare in the newspapers of that par.
Is, that we never expect TO meet with
them without an apology. lear what
Mr.. Baldwin says:
1--WE have been told BY some OF our
friends that it was very imprudent in us
to express this opinion; that it might be
used to injure the Whig cause. TO this
we have two brief replies. First: we shall
always do justice, we trust, even to our
worst enemies, "tho' the heavens fall"
We scorn that pusilanimous, criminal
prudence, which, fer party purposes,
would countenance injustice even TO foe.
We were taught by maternal piety that
honesty was the best policy, that tho right
was always the most prudent; and may the
lishtnings of Heaven blast US if we ever
forget the lesson. We owe higher
legiance to truth than 10 party.
sour second reply is, that we can't
help blabbing right out whatever we think.
We athor all concealment and scorn all
trickery. A manly frankness, lofty in
dependence, an ingenious candor, we es.
innate above all price, as one Of the no.
blest traits of the human character. In a
word, such unfortunately is our moral
constitution, that
.Jrr can't be silent and ue ,piH not He.'
! ave hope our friends are satisfied.
We need not say that the columns Of our
/ paper are open 10 the (reesl discussion OF
the whole subject"