Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1840-07-09
NEGRO TrsrInonY--Ga.s 90 EI..,
RGOOff.

The principle established in the case Of
Lieut. Haoe. and approved by the Seefe.
iary OF the Navy anG tie Precedent. or AZ
milling DegtoeS 20 testify against oGicen
OF tue Navy, has excited much ieeiipg m
ihis State. tits Que vi those questions on
which people ieel more than they reason,
AID II IS one which warrants Tie strongest
indignation which can iun lme the bo.o,ps
OF igee people. IL Is measure. more
deeply lu'busd with the spit,t OF aboll.
ho1is'n, than any which has come 20 our
knoHledge. aad IN ITS practical effects. il
goes farther TO pa, the negre upon foot.
lng OF equality With The White mantle
great object OF the AbolhioEiss-ihana any
thing ever achieved by Tappan or Cam.
sou The social equality between the
white and black races. preached ana
pTsctIsed by few fanatic yomcn, such
as Miss Gnmko, Miss Abby Kelley, Sc,
aad lew de'gnlns bypocTi,ical men
has produced. aud can produce NJ bad Ell
ieeIs. Examples Sc; ~ such characters
carry no weight aud inLOence they only
serve TO bring their auiheTs into odium
and contempt. But the affair assuu e.
very different aspect. when the Fret OH
ceT OF the Government. and The Minister
OF the Marine, sanction principle which
reduces every gentleman IN the Amen.
can Navy 10 quasi level Nth free blaeks.
Here the elevated stations OF those who
sci the example. and the high authority
With which they are invested. cosspite
10 attach an poriance 10 their precepts and
praciIces. No man 10 the public service
can disregard the one or dispute tie other,
Nth IMMUNITY. Their ipse dird is law 20
the Army and the Navy. and whatever
regulations they may adopt, are impen-
tive upon all connected with either OF
| those imporiant branches OF the public
service.
II Is in this lish: in which W regard
/ the pT'ncipls established IA the case Of
Lieutenant Hooe, aud @hich invest, that
decision With pefvading and enduring
! Importance. II is direct insult ciTeied
by the President and bis Naval Minister
TO the feelings ri a large portion Of the
Amencan people. and in sutjccing the
conduct Of Naval officers 10 Tie suIve'l
lance Of the black serrsn's OF tie com.
mander reduces them 20 a stale Of dcsra.
| daiisn TO which neither Northern MOI
| Southern gentlemen can submit. Thu.
cannot fail IL exert most bsneful influ.
ence upon that iavori'e ara Of the IA
! lional defence. Gentlemen Of honour
and scnSibilly will, rs degrees. be ban.
Ished from The service. and they viii be
succeeded by a mean spirited genPrs,ica;
willing aud at instruments 10 do The bid
| ding uf master.
But there Is another consequence re.
suliiog iron lie principle here csiALli.h.
| ed, OF not les consequence. II Negro
testimony is admissible in The Navy. y II
not also admissible in the Army. and
even in the Federal courts We can.
not conceive Of reason for a Distinction
and we presume there is noGe. An OBJ
Ger of the Army may be cashiercd upon
the strength Of negro testimony. since
Lieut.. in the Navy has been repgimandec
and dismissed upoa he testimony Of tvs
servants OF Captain T'Tio5 p. L,ryl Ar,
30 the Federal Court. any individual. !
this Principle be recogaized may be pro
secuted by the Government fof bteaci
ofthe Revenue or any other laws, and b,
the testimony OF lis own ScTS aGt, be a
meTced. Suppose, far example, the Go
vetnment should arraign a CITIZEN o
Richmond upon Tue charge Of smuggln
English cheese, or any other article pay
ing duiy-Tke case comes teGoTe Jods
Peter Y. DlBiel-SpIposc the accused &
be az incofugibIe Wing bis servant 70
; that Of some other man Is summoned q
give tesiin ouy-- ,nyiction. ensues, as
. matter OF c0une--and hts Honor a.
Judge has the supreme felicity Of rs,sin
sentence upon The political rcprobste
This is rot on impossibilHy ii, j. th
legitimate sequence Of the principle 81
lablished in thccase of Lieut. Hooc--i
that negroes ave competent WITNESSES
cases in which the United States or ar
Of IS officers are interested.
Since tho facts 80 this extfaorlinsr
case have heen brought 90 lish;. sever.
efforts have been made by 'he undeBIa,
iper. % the Party 20 relieve 'hc Admini
: iraiion 81 the otium The Cl1hc has II
forth suntry sriirlcr. jstiugVi.hed uuc
more for their violence than resrtet Z
truth The ENG ircr too. "a, lent hGl
ing haud Ttr worthy, ,a tis ofsy "
as Editor Il he "Crisr has Tjocored
letter fram Mr raeifirs 4. ck.asl4'c ~
Van Buren, iJom tlI biaue 90 'he premise
The design IS IN the case q Nf roins.
and the Aiaucln4 Afny is DECIDED,
: good but here, 81 thcrr Tic czccu'i0u
decidedly bad TIE Hoo Secretary Oil
vide 81 The marx asJ docs noi touch a.
true matter ip is.uc. 81 cher words. D
2 admits The ofrncc cbafgcd and Goes ri
: even Offer matter iu mitigation OF dana
ger lle adni't that negroes. aul hf
= The servants ~ Carfain Uuih Levy vc
.intr7ducrd st uitoeHcs against Lice
Hooe Tins cannot BE- pillated by 90
= cor blnufien OF CIRCUMSTANCES 81 tc ne.
p paia'ahle 81 ntis reanemsn crhef ner
2 or south. H.s sfdagir a., qrpyoriaV n.
ceedugs go novel aoe revtiung csc lsl
= 1.-THE sdnnsion q the description % r.
4 iimony objected 20 hy Mr Hoe issua
vrral practice on board ~ auf shipi
y var" So much ibe wo-tr N ii be e
% and ibe greater iiq ntceuiy Got afrefi,
y such prsciicc Bot ran another instant
p ~ ne kiad 81 sfd4csi We nevef hsa