New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-31

having brought me to this We shall soon be be-
fore God and shall there know all absut IT. SPen-
Ger said gu must forgive e-l cannot die WITH
out it." | wen, 10 Small and asked him not 10
cherish any resentments al such time, ana askea
hin, TO forgive him. He relented-held out his
hand to Spencer and said. ~ dc forgive you-ano
NAV God forgive you also.
Small then asked my forgiveness. took ms
hand and expressed my forgiveness in the strongest
terms asked him what | had done that ne
should seek nv life F; if had been harsh either In
deed or word to him. He exclaimed, g W hat have
YOU done, Capt. Msckenzie7 What have you done
70 me Nothing-but treated me like man.
told him OF the high responsibilities under which
acted; of the duty owed my Government and
the ship with which it had entrusted me; OF his
offence toward his Commander and the boys he
intended to put 10 death, and OF the high duty
owed 10 the flag of my country. RIGHT ne
exclaimed /" God bless that flag and prosper 1t
I" Now" said he, give g quick and easy
death. Spencer said to Lieut.. Gansevoort that
his courage had been doubted but he wished him
10 bear witness that he died like brave man. de
asked what would be the signal for his execution.
told him that was desirous OF hosting colors at
the instant TO show that the flag OF the Somers
was fixed to the masthead; and that L intended to
beat the call hoist colors and then roll on ana
at the third roll gun weud be fired as the signal.
| He asked leave to give the signal. at oace &C
ceded He asked if it the gun under him.
told him it was but one removed. He asked 1t 1t
wou Id be fred by lock and wafer. was told
that preparations had been made TO FIRE 1t with
match; and Immediately ordered supply of live
Goals and fresh Goals to be passed constantly; and
then assured him that there should be no delay
| The time was now wearing away. Small re-
| quested leave to address the crew. Spencer hav-
ing had leave to give the signal, was asked II ne
would give Small the leave he asked. He said
yes. Small then said
"Ship-mates and top-matss: Take warning
by my example. never killed a man but only
said that | would do it, and for that | am about
| to die. Going in Guineaman brought me to this
Take warning and never go in Guineanan."
Turning to Spencer, he ssid, am ready to die !;
| are you 7"
Cro,nwell's last words were, I" tell my wife that
[ die innocent; | die an innocent man." From
the appearance of this man in assuming to be In
nocent it would aeem that Spencer took all the
risk of the affair." and Cromwell intended to preht
| by it.
| l placed myself where I could take in the whole
deck with my eye No word was given by Spen-
cer He finally said he could not give the word
and wished me to do it. Tbs word was accord
/ ingly given and the execution took place.
| The crew was orderedi aft when | addressed
them. called their attention to the fate OF the
young men who had just been hung in their pre-
sence l spoke of the distinguished social posi-
| ton Spencer had held at home, and held up be-
fore them the career of usefulness and professional
| honor to which course of faithful duty weuid
| have raised him. After having been but tew
months at sea, he had crir1inally aspired to sup
| plant me in command [ had earned by thirty
years of faithful service. Their own future tor
tunes, l told them, were within their own control !;
| I opened to them the stations OF respectabty and
of future honor to which they might rise but told
them it could only be step by step, in a regular
cnurse.I called their attention nlse to CromwePs s
| course He had received handsome education,
| and his handwriting was even elegant; but he had
| also failed through his love of gold. The frs,
SIS he had received from Spencer had bought
| him, and the hope of great plunder had secured
| the purchase. An anecdote had been told to me
by Collins of Cromwell, which carried its
moral with it9and which desired Collins to re-
peat. He did so he told them that he once went
70 India with Cromwell, and that they took on
board there keg Of deubluons for MIR. Thorndlke.
Collins alone knew of its being aboard, and kept
| it secret till they went ashore. He then told
| Cromwell of it, who laughed at him, and said that
| if /" he had known about it, he would have run
away with the keg." told the they had
only to choose between the two-Colns and
Cromwell Small also had been brought up to
better things but had not been able TO resist temp
tation, and had died invokin. blessings on the flag
of his country
| All hands were then called to cheer ship and
gaze three hearty chesrs. Three heartter cheers
never went up from the deck of an American ship
In that electric moment verify believe the purest
and lotiest patriotism burst forth from the breasts
even of the worst conspirators. From that mo.
ment felt that asas again completely master
of my vessel, and that could do acih her aohat-
eUer the honor Of my country required.
! Dinner was piped and | noticed with feelings Of
pain that some of tho boys, as they passed the
bodies, laughed and sneered at them. ] still de.
sired that Spencer shosd be buried in a cofhn and
gave orders to have one built But Lieut.. Ganse-
yoors offered to renquish mess chest he had for
thar purpose, which was soon converted into q
| substantial coffin. The watch was set, and the
bodies were lowered. They were received by their
| mes smatss TO be decenty laid out for burial. The
| Midshipmen assisted in the duty. Spencer was
| laid out clothed in his complete uniform, except
his sword which he had forfeited the right TO
noticed that upon the hands Of one Of the others
a seaman had tied ribbon, with the name upon
| it of thar Semers who distinguished himself by
his gaElanry, patriotism and skill On Cromwell's
| face sabre-cut was visible, and on removing his
| hair four or FIVE more were discovered which
showed that he had been where wounds were
given He was said to have been in SLAYER, and
| in Moro Castle in Havana; and it was the general
impression that he had been pirate.
| A squall of rain soon sprang up, which rendered
it necessary TO cover the bodies with tarpaulins.
They arranged according to their rank, and ali
hands were called TO bury the dead. The Ameri.
can Ensign was lowered to half-mast. Night had