The North-Carolina standard., 1842-12-28
From tIIe Gobc.
MUTINY ON BOARD THE sOMERs.

vi ~ IN O'N bO'AND L IL SOhEEo-
Execution Of going Spencer, son Of Tie Sec
re!ary Of IYar.
The following statement of the fatal aflir on
board the Some.s is derived from the officer who
came express to Washington with account of
the transaction. The summary punishment IN
fcted for a crime not consHmmated but medtated
requires the most absolute proof of its aecessiy to
Justify it. The circumstances adIuced make out
a strong case; but thorough scrutiny can alone
satisfy the public mind in this first instance in
annals of an official execution without a full
trial, and for an offence in contemplation.
We deeply sympathiZe with the distressed father
and mother of the prominent actor and sufferer in
the tragedy on board the Somers Their hearts
will never believe that the young stripping whom
they nurtured in their bosoms could have BEEN ca
pable of carrying through the dreadful and bloody
work which he conceived they will consider it
wild dream Of an iniulged disease in the magma
tion, from which the senses would have revohed
when aroused to enter upon action. Whatever
public opinion may decree, the heart-stricken
parents will carry to their graves the conviction
that their child has perished for his thoughts, and
not his deeds and that his deeds would never
have deserved the horrid fate he met The pre-
vailing sentiment in the city, however, justi6es
the conduct of the captain of the Somers.
On Saturday last, an officer arrived (cxpress)
from the United States brig Somers, commander
Slidell Mackenzie, lying at New York, with
dispatches relating to Il most awful occurrence
which has taken place on board that vessel The
Somers it will be recollected, was manned chiefly
with apprentice boys, ami sailed abont three
months ago for the coast of Africa. When on
her return to the United States, it became known
to the commander that there was Il conspiracy on
foot among the crew, headed by officer, to rise
on the ship, murder the captain and principal Of
fcers, except the surgeon, and turn pirates.
The most energetic measures became necessary
Mdshipman Spencer and two of the petty officers
were Immediately arrested, and inquiries set on
foot to ascertain the extent of the mutny. Inves-
hgation proved it to be to a most alarming extent.
The captain called upon the officers to express
their opinion as to what measures the exigences
of the case required After formal investigation,
they gave it as their unanimous opinion that the
safety of the ship and crew required that the ring
leaders should be put to death and after giving
them shott time for preparation, they were
swung up at the yardarm. Confessions Of guilt
were made by Spencer and one of the men, and
the justice Of their sentence Acknowledged with
their dying breath In Spcncer's neckcioth was
found paper, written in cipher, detailing the
whole plan
The crew were to rise at night in his (Spen-
cer's) watch, and the mutiny to commence by a |
sham-fght on the forecastle; he was to conduct
them aft, if to report them to the officer of the
deck Ihey, IN turn, were to appear greatly ex-
cited; and, as if eager each one to tell his own
story, to crowd round the officer, and, clap
ping their hands on his mouth, throw him over
board. In the mean time, others were to go down.
as if for the purpose of calling the captain and
first lieutenant and stab them in their sleep. The
quarter deck guns, loaded with grape were then
to be pointed down the matches, and those who
had not joined, shot down, or brought to Terms
They were then TO cruise off New York for pack
et-ships, supply themselves with wives from the
passengers, murder the rest and rob and sink the
prizes that no traces might be left 1t is impossi-
BILE to- conceive more trying and awfully respon-
sible situation than that in which the officers of
this ship were placed. Alone uponthe wide O.
cean, with no Marines and but one lieutenant to
support the captain; with a crew of only fifteen
petty officers and searnen among seventy-odd boys,
and two of the most Influential ofthese fifteen
leaders ofthe nlutiny, and others giving it their
with reason to believe that MAORI. I
ty of the youths were implicated; and not know
ing how far the plot had extended among the off
GERS themselves the case was one which called for