Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1840-07-25

ney General being absent, who decided
that all the specifications on which Lieut..
Hooe had been convinced, were fully
proved without tue testimony 10 which he
objected, and that on great PORTION of
these no testimony whatever had been
given by the Objectionable witnesses. -
! The Secretary Of The Navy accordingly !
conhgme tie decision OF the court, and il
was carried into effect.
Subsequently Lieutenant Hooe memor
allied the President, OF the ground that
improper testimony had been received ct
his trial and The President after review
ing the case, decided moi 10 reverse the
decision, orthc sole ground that the case
vas fully made out, aud the proofs com
Pleie, without the Objectionable testimony.
The question as to Tie Legality Of the
testimony Of these witnesses, did not
come up-it was not necessary TO the
decision. This was the opinion of the
Attorney General. After long delay, aud
near Tho close Of The session, MI. Bots
has brought the subject before Congress
in series Of resolutions not Of inquiry,
but condemnation, and with the object,
which has been fully attained, of dissent,
mating them through the Southern States
for political purposes, either after they
were presented, or after they had been
rejected ~ the House.
Having previously remarked on the
course he has pursued, in terms which
every candid and honorable man will
acknowledge TO he just, we shall leave
INN TO thcJldgment Of the intelligent peo-
pie Of an illusirious Commonwealth, and
constituents he represents. We will only
ask any humane and high minded citizen
OF the South, whether the President would
not have Leen amply justified in dismissiug
Lieutenant Ilooe from service for the
illegal and unwarrantablc infections oil
punishment on class of men TO whom
the country is so deeply indebted for those
honors she enjoys in the estimation Of the
wotll, and to whom she looks for future
acccssions abusing an usurped au-
thority TO the purposes Of cruelty and OPP
preston, and bringing upon the high and
honorable and humane officers Of tho
American Navy, the inpulation, Of all
others, most ahhorrent to The genius Of
our country, and The spirit Of IFS institur
tons Docs there exist Virginian-
with the exception Of Mr. Dolts--who
would have objected TO such just exer
else Of authority, or who would not, if the
case had been fairly presented, have cried
ont against the President, had lie, by
reversal Of the decision Of the court mar
tial, prostiiuted bis prerogative to the pur-
pose Of giving impunity to petty oppres-
sion, under pretence Of repudnling testi.
mony winch both the District Attorney
and the Attorney General had decided 10
be immaterial-nay, more, absolutely Out
OF the issue which he was called upon 10
affirm or reverse?
The President is not the man pursue
such course. He is the representative
of the free and benevolent principles Of
Democracy, whose end and object is to
amelioiaie the condition OF the poor, The
unprotected, and the defenccless. BY
ibis chart has he stcered, and 10 this great
purpose have all his acts been directed.
It is for this he directed the order to be
issued that the laborers and mechanics
employed under the different departments
of Government should not be obliged to
labor al any season more than Ten honrs
a day. II was his ardent desire to shield
The gallant sailors Of The United States,
as far as possible, from The abuse Of a
privilege sanctioned by the laws, that
prompted him 10 authorize the following
general order Of the Secretary ofihe Navy,
of which the conduct of Lieutenant Hooc
was the immediate occasion:
/ CIRCULAR TO COMMANDING
OFFICERS OF sQUADRONs.
Navy DEPARTMENT.,
8;h March, 1889.
Sir: Complaints having been made to
1 the Deparmentofth The inAiction OF punish
ment, by order ofsubordinate officers, upon
the men on board our vessels Of war, in
violation Of the law and regulations Of
1.-The service, the Department deems II
proper 10 call your particular attention 10
this subject, and TO direct thatyo enforce
The said law and regulations in regard To-
! the irfliction punishment, as prescribed
by section LIST. article 3(Jh, Of the act for
The letter government Of the Navy Or The
/ Uoited States, Book Of Laws, Enge 1917
and ia the rules, regulations, and insiruc-
lions Tor tie naval service OF The United
States, pages go and 81.
! am, SIR, very respectfully,
j. X. PAULDlNG.
| u. CHA's WILKES, III, com'nding United
s. Exploring Expedition, Valparaiso.
il was also from the deep and abiding
interests fell he thc President in The