Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1840-07-02
rnE CASE OF rae NEGRO WITNESSES.


trial of Lieut. Hooe. Nor can they denT hal
he has thus acknowledged the night of negroes to
snesar rs Witnesses in all eases against the wh;'
uaaH, whether has eharSeies or his LIE oe IA one
ed IN the issue Tor. II thsy have the.V Is a SIN
case, they have II ia every case. United States,
gle Aci OF President ot.Sh nov. when the
which, al any other uziliar with outrage. aud
people have bre9Ssed scarcely al any thing,
no longer srsn deemed suficieni. in the esii-
would h almost every true yirEinian or high
mard man With 4 sense Of right and justice,
|feadeT the President totally nworihy hts high
station in the Executive chair Of this Union.
once filled by a Washington, a Madison, ani a
Jefferson-an act diSgraeeiui TO the nation
and to all Who participated in IL aud one which
will do nav:e Tor she cause OF the Abotitionisis
than any thing which has occurred since they
first came into existence. But now we see the
act boldly defended BY the Presidents friends,
by some too who cali themselves virginisnsi and
who know no, but themselves. their fathers,
their sons. their brothers, some ef Iheir friends
may be the next TO pass through the ordeal Of
negro testimony. We have U S. Courts IN VIZ.
g,niA-and what wouh be the effect upon our
negro slave population to see their sht admitted
10 appear in Court and gave testimony against
'he whites What scene could be more crafty
ing TO The Abo!iilonisl' Let i, no, be said. this
will never happen here. Il has happened. bot
few months ago. within the territory of tie L.
States, and may ncsi take place in Virginia -
Nor let II not be SAID II Is too PaPably uneonsi-
tuuonal CT unlawful 10 meet with success here
if 50 here, It was not less in Floriia. The
national principle has been fully admitted 10 the
case Of Lieut.. Il0oe and there can be no limit
within the territory q the United States. Nor
Is there any material difference IN Naval
Court, and the common " s. Courts. The pro-
eeedineS OfbOth Rfe 50, miiied in certain cases 10
be BY the President approved" or d,sapproyed.
We invite particular attention TO the follow
ing remarks of the editors Of he National ln,el.
iisenesr upon this subject. The wing press &C.
morally have spoken OF this rial in indignant
and meFtcd terms, and We are astonished 10
find the Van Buren, press and a. friends as &C.
nerally defending the introduction of negroes IN
this case as Witnesses in our Courts, while they
affect great horror for the schemes and designs
OF the Abolitionists.
1.-The extraordinary and dcIoeaiory iniroduc-
ton OF the testimony OF Negroes IN the recent
trial Of Lieutenant GEoEGE Mason Hoor, Of the
Navy" says the Intelliseneer, "hAS very pro-
perry been brough, before the Public, With feel.
ings Of stern indignation against the Couu for
admitting such testimony, and the still mote
extraordinary conduct Of the President OF the
United States, in giving his sanction to ii.
IL the admission Of Negro testimony, fr or
against officers Of the Navy and Army is. under
this precedent and The sanction Of the Executive
10 become the seilled rule 10 proceedings OF
courts martial. We believe that a more fatal blow
TO the honor and safety OF these branches Of The
public service could not be inflicted It's tenden-
cy will be 10 degrade the officer to the level Of
the Negro. and place all that most dear TO
him IN the reach Of n class Of Witnesses whose
social condition, as we'll as the cl aracier and
habits impaired 70 Them by that condition, have
hitherto excluded lhem as witnesses IN proceed
ings affecting the rights of person or property 81
the white man. And will It be ecniended thatihe
honor and reputation OF an officer are to he
held !ess sscr-d than the eiyil nights Of other
einzrns sa6 ha, hey are 70 lie deaieG ,hesa safe
guards which wise Legislation has thrown arouad
mere property Il is distinction 50 revolving
20 public sentiment and justice, that the country
will never tolerate H. Let US look a moment
ct the effects likely 10 flow from HE introduction
OF 70 aOn"tIrht pfachces
ALLOW Negroes 10 be witnesses against Officers.
sad the inevitable .endeney will be 10 weaken the
tenure by which they hold ;hsir commissions :;
seeing that they may be At any moment, sworn
away BIZ flexible perjury. ohieers will feel ihs,
Iheir characters, and their dear-boughi honor are
placed at the mercy OF their slaves or servants
the sport Of malice eapreiOas resentment.
They will sink under the humiliation that sur
rouEds them with a corps OF domestic spies that
takes froua them their commanding superiority
over class Of beings which the regulausss Of
society and laws q the country have placed be-
low them-which The instincts Of nature render
seParats--a class whom ignorance, position and
degradation place so easily within ,be reach 81
corrupt influences as ever 10 make them unsafe
and dangerous witnesses againsi their superiors
Therefore for the honor o. cur country and Tor
the safety aud honor OF our gaIlan, Officers,
We proes, against the act Of the court IN the trial
81 Lieut. HOOK, which permitted he .esiimoay Of
such witnesses to Be heard against brother OH
GER We proies, against il as fraughi with humil-
alton, danger ard disgrace
The argument which y brought forward 10 e.
eulpais lbe Presiden, Of the Uni,ed Stale. from
his share 10 the black Transaction IS wholly iade-
fsnsi5ls lie. forsonth, Is TO Re excused because
Lieut. Hoog vas found guilty upoo charges and
rF-c sranrnE 20 vhich neither Of the Negroes
Iefuhed-i bcas M oriailB Of he AH-Farv
General and Of the District Attorney thai The
President Should NOT set aside he sentence Of he
eouu, fof objections made 70 the admission Of
Nrgross' testimony when The charges aud speei-
hcafons were Sustained upon other ADD unjis.
puief evidence
The aimsy plea 10 an evasion Of he question.
and eannot excuse he Presidents refusal "a
fsdress The grievance q which Lisut Hoor 90
Justly complained Although Lieut. fIoor NAV
not have been found guilty upon he testmopv
o. he Negroes, ~, their admission a. eompe-
tsoi staeuei against him rs57es th1t be vas
suggested 20 ~ the possible eouseqaence. Of
theif tsriimong. ani might have been fond
guilty 81 vel upon hat - upon the srsienc-
which % .l taid sustained the prosecution More.
over, although the President m ghi uB8ersts 90
iudgs Ter hinse.f 81 ne bearing q ihe Negro
testimony "a The questions 81 issae. yrt he couid
NOS snief nio he mindt 81 tbe Court. aad decide
vhai pon.ohs Of he egidsats did, and shat Ola
not iuauence their judgment aealasf tbs drrer-