Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-09-10

primitive simplicity of a 'hard money Gov
ernment.' Nothing that have read, among
all the superstitions of the world, transcends
its monstrous audaciiy."
ANOTHER NEGRO WITNESS CASE.
1t is probably well known every where
that the testimony of negroes is not admitted
in the courts of the slave States i'm prosecu-
tons against white persons. The consequent
res Of making such testimony competent in
such cases, land where the institution ofsIavery
exists, can be easily imagined by any person
OF common sense. If the Hooe case was a
strong one for the South against Mr.. Van Blu
rem, we have now topresent one which seems
to have been attended with other circumstan-
ces not at al creditable to Mr.. Van Buren's
abstract sense of Justice. The letter below,
detailing the circumstances of the case, was
transmitted to us by gentleman well known
In the councils of the nation, whose name, if
published, we are sure would be sufficient
warrant for reposing in the statement entire
credit.-lMadisonan.
NEWCASTLE Co., (Del.) Aug 3, 1910.
Dear Sir: That the South may be inform
ed correctly in regard to Mr.. Van Buren,,
send YOU for publication certain facts i'm rela-
ton to his approval of negro testimony. in
the trial of an officer in the revenue service.
before the collector Of this district, in June,
1899.
AT that time charges and specifications of
them Were preferred by certain Henry ID.
Nones, a captain in the revenue cutter ser
vice, against Josiah Murch, then first lieuten-
ant in the same service. The collector OF
the district, Henry Whitley, Esq. was Or
dered by the Secretary of the Treasury to
conduct the examination. MIR. Murch was
defended by counsel, and the prosecution in
behalf of the Captain was carried on by
counsel employed by himself. The charac-
ter OF the testimony, on the part of the COM
plainant generally, was such that the coun-
sci for Mr.. Murch deemed it unnecessary to
enter upon any dctence-itwasc composed en-
tirely of the crew and officers under the i'm
mediate command ofthe complainant, Nones,
and Of negroes, his own servants, employed
in the ward-room. Five negroes, if l am
correctly informed, were brought forward to
testify; the moment the first was called to the
stand MIR. Murch and his counsel (protesting
against such evidence, it not being competent
in the courts of this State for negroes to tes-
tify against white PERSONS left the room.-
The collector proceeded, however, to take
the testimony. and after closing the same,
forwarded it to Washington-the whole of
which presume you can find in the office of
the Secretary of the Treasury. A copy of
one Of the negro dispositions, now have be-
fore me. Mr.. Murch had his commission Ia
ken from him, the testimony having been laid
before the President sand approved by him.
So unexpected was this decision to Mr..
Murch, and indeed to every one who knew
the character of the testimony adduced against
him, that Mr.. Murch thought it proper to APP
peal directly to the President for reinstate-
ment: he did so both personally and by let
ter. TO impress more fully upon the minds
of the powers that be at Washington the in
justice done to him, Mr.. Murch forwarded to
the Secretary of the Treasury deposition
OF one OF the negroes, taken at the negro's
own request, after his discharge from the cut
ter, by magistrate Of the town of Newcas-
tie, In which he states that what he testified
to before Col. Whitley, the Collector. was
false; that he was compelled by threats
made by Captain Nones to give such testi-
mony, &c. Upon the receipt Of this depo-
sition by Mr.. Woodbury., the Secretary of
the Treasury informed Mr.. Murch, by letter,
''that this testimony of the negro could not
go to rebut his first deposition, but might be
made the groundwork of new proceedings a.
gainst Captain Nones." | have not the let
ter before me, and therefore merely give the
substance.] To which Mr.. Murch, under
date of Sept. 10, 1929. made the following
reply. After acknowledging the receipt of
Mr.. Noodbury's letter of the 9th inst, he
says 81 have to say the affidavit of VIM.
kork [negrol was sent to the Department,
not for the purpose of commencing new pro-
ceedings against Capt. Nones, or any other
person, but with the object of showing to the
Department the character of the evidence on
which my dismissal has been founded. -
Several letters were written to the Depart
ment and to the President by the friends of
Mr.. Murch. and think, a formal remonstrance
sent by his counsel to the Treasury DEPART
nent. On the 18th Of January, 1910, the
Secretary of the Treasury, wrote 10 me, (who
had addressed a letter directly to the Presi-
dent in regard TO Mr.. Murch) as follows -
''Sir, in reply to your letter OF the 9th ult
to the Department, l would inform you that
Lieut.. Murch was dismissed from the reve-
nue. service, by the President, on satisfactory
eridcnce of improper conduct, which, though
the charges and proof have been once or
twice re-examined, has never been satisfacto-
rily rebutted or explained.''
These proceedings are now matter Of re-
cord, or ought to be, in the Treasury Depart
ment, copies of most of which took the pre-.
caution at the time to retain. Ii you think
any good can be had By publishing it, please
do so, and make whatever remarks you NAV
think proper. | will only add, that no Off
Ger, however high or honest, is safe for a mo-
ment, ifthe Government is to tolerate negroes.
under the immediate control of an officer, TO
give testimony against another whom he has
| thought proper to prefer charges against.
l.. >. 1ou will perceive that Woodbury.
was willing for Murch to make the deposi.
ton Of the negro kork sufficient ground &c
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