Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-06-29
TIE NEGRO TESTIMONY.

LIE NEbRO IFS (lhON1.
Surely did an Administration commit
greater biuade,s than the present, and never were
more pdfu efforts made to exiricate President
from all responsibility for those bunders. A new ex
qualification Of this remark is furnished by the off
c'ssinclon given The introduction ofnegro tesiimo-
ny against an officer Of the Navy aud tho rdcu lous
semi official attempt 10 shield the President from
the consequences Of his direct approval Of that shame
iul procedure. We saysemisp official altempt-for,
as yet, tue Secretary of the Navy has made
Spouse 10 the call OF Congress, though find
Of his pirate letters published in the Crisis and En-
quirer and extracts fron letters of the Attorney
General and the L. S. District Attorney copied into
the Globe-headed, in the latter paper by this ap.
propfiale caption: "More deception praclised By
partial statements of The Official Record IN anIcpa-
ION Of its transmission TO Congress" Why has
Mr. Secretary Pauldng sent n lhatrecordl Could
he no have done promptly as he has furnished
the Globe with these "paral statements" to be
sent 'in anticipation Of its transmission to Con
gtess 7"
But how is This gross outrage attempted TO be de.
Tended! FIRST we told that the admission ofihis
species Of testimony is universal practice board
ships Of II this be true, ii is high time
that the practice should be arrested; though we
must be permitted to doubt, until furnished
with the precedents. whether such a case has ever
occurred before. The Richmond Wing argues very
loreihy that If This practice is admissible in the Navy
there is reason why it shall not be extended TO
the Army and TO civil cases in the Federal courts
The next ground is that the officers who tired
Lieut. Hooe principally from slaveholdng
H., IL, III
President set aside theryerdct for nfornality
Ii they acted Improperly, they respons bic to pub.
lie opinion for their misconduct. The President is
alike responsible FOR the sanction he gave to thai
misconduct.
In the thitd place. we are told that Lieut. Hooe
condemned other testimony than that of the
negroes, his guilt be ing established even though
that testimony be excluded. How do the defenders Of
Ethe President know that fact How did then ascer-
tain the exact Influence Of the testimony Of each
witness upon the minds oil the members of The court
marital! II il be true, why were the neg gro witness.
es uuoduced at all aud why, being introduced
was their testimony taken in despite Of the earnest
prolesalions Of Lieut.. Hooe against this lndignty
10 hmseIf-this outrage upon Southern feelings
or Irtjndiees if you please--ths contempt for
/ southern customs and laws
But the fourth ground assumed by MI Secretary
/ Pauldng IS the slraugest Of ALL He declares that
'the President had nodmg TO do with the Court
It's proceedings" Here We have a cain broached
as in the case of Mr.. Ponsetl's army scheme. the
doctrine of Presidential iuesponsib,lity. The Pre-.
sidcnt strongly recommended" Mr.. Poinsett's
"Plan;' and YET Mr.. Poinsett tells that the Pre-
sident ''neyer saw ii or lis details" Lieut.. Hooe
called the especial attention of the President TO the
fact THAI negro testimony had been Introduce against
him; and demanded that The verdict should be sci
aside on that account; and the President endorsed
on the back the Record, these words:
THE PRESIDENT FINDS NOTHING IN
THE PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF
LIEUT.; HOOE, WHICH REQUIRES HIS
INTERFERENCE. NJ V. B."
And YET 10 the teeth Of this emphatic approval Of
the proceedings OF the court Mr. PauIdinp de.
clares that "the Presiden, had nothing to do with
the Court or,ts ProceedingS" We should like TO
know where Is the remedy Of the people for any
wrong, however fagrant, if the Presidents suba-
terms whom the people cannot reach and whom Of
course the President will not punish are on all oc-
cAs'ons to assume The responsibility of the bad
acls of'he Administration ! Tell us, ye expoufders
OF Modern Democracy
Twist and turn this subject as the friends of he
Administration may, and il resolves itself INTO this
al last-tha The President, having refused TO inter.
lere, after having been specially notified ofhe miro
duction fnegro testimony, has, to all ntents and
purposes, sanctioned the principle, that negro test
mony is admissible against white men. From this
conclusion there is no "loop-hoe of retreat" And
# this be an illustration of his Southern FEELINGS HEY
are precisely what he had always aroteed from The
time that he voted to break down the Stare Poser
und he stood in need of Stare uOtes "I.etno such
man be trusted"
IL The Globe Of the 18th asserts land the En-
quirer copies it) that Mr.. Bots had hurried off at