Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-08-29
VAN BUREN, MEN-LOOK HERE.

The letter Of Mr. DAVIS, which has been commu-
nicated to us for publication, and will be found in
our columns to-day, cannot fail, as well from its
contents as from the position of the writer to at
tract the attention of our readers. DR.. DAVIS was
. member of the Baltimore Convention of May last
has been we'll known as one Of the Union party OF
South Carolina, has for ten years in succession
represented one of the most populous and lntell'-
gent districts of South Carolina in its Legislature
and was the political and confidential friend OF
General JACKSON during the political contest of his
day. and since. 1t is certainly no ordinary case OF
secession from great party when an individual
thus situated feels himself bound to break off from
Them We commend to our Southern readers es-
pecially the general diffusion of the letter which
explains his reasons for so doing Nat. Int
To The Voters of the Thirteenth Congressional Dis
trict Of Tennessee
Having been sent by portion of you as Dele.
gate to the National Democratic Convention, held
in the city of Baltimore, on the 9th of May, con-
ceve it my duty, however painful, to communicate
to you the state of things here.
After the adjournment of the Convention, came
TO this city to await the publication of the address
Of the Convention, in order that might be enabled
TO send you copies.
In addition to this, l transmitted to you such
documents and speeches as | supposed would pro-
mote the Democratic cause in Tennessee. Things
appeared to go on very well until the l4th june
when Mr. Boris, of Virginia, presented to Congress
the memorial of Lieut.. HooE, of the Navy, protest
ng against the testimony of two negroes, who had
been introduced as evidence against him on his
trial before court martial held at Pensacola. Al
ter had examined the case most carefully, IN when
il seems the Secretary of the Navy, the Attorney
al, Of no ITnitp6 SIOtnS.
all concurred in opinion, it struck me that the Pres
ident had perhaps, been misrepresented This
decision involves at once the great principle Tor
which the South is contendlng, and on which the
Presidents popularity is founded |, therefore, de-
termined to call on him. and, after few remarks
i'll relation to the trial Of Lieutenant HooE, IN
uured of him whether he knew at the time he ap'
proved the sentence of the court that two negroes
had given testimony in the case +! To which
he replied in the affirmative. | observed to the
President that without some explanation other thar
that which had seen it would have a bad effect or
the South. He then observed that full eXPlana
ton would be published by the House of Repre-
sentatiyes to-day. | went to the CAPITOL and Oh
entering the Representative Hall found the HonsC
engaged in the discussion of the question, which
resulted in the postpOnement of the printing
of the documents. The day following, hoWev
er. the Globe gave what the President deem
a "full explanation" Of the matter. After reading
the explanation OF the GLOBE could not ma
satisfactory explanation but, on the contrary, |
onneored 10 me that the President had assumed tn
ground of justification by cOnlending that it ha'
been the usage of the Navy to admit negro evidences
on courts martial.
am aware that under the common law there i
no distinction known as to persons yet do coh'en
that the President, in approving the proceedings o
the court martial, ought to have expressed his dis
appreciation of the negro evidence
With this qualification his political friends n
least would have been satisfied.
1t will not do to tell us that the President had n
control of the matter-that it would not have bee
proper for him to have nterlcred. The case /
within the recollection o! many of us where, atte
the court martial had decided, the General in CON
mand reversed the decision, and ordered Il nc'
trial.
Now, if it be competent that substantial ca
reverse the decision of a court, | presume no on
will deny that the Commander in chief has author