The North-Carolina standard., 1843-05-17
CoMMANDER MACKENZIE,

A.4Sez- =
Ihe following letter, signed byabout threehun
.dred New York merchants. firms and insurance
companies, has been. sent to commander Macken
zle' whose reply is also given below:
New York, April 1871, Is43.
10 CommGnder A. s. M0ckenzie:
SIR Your commercial and mercantile coun
trymen have duty to perform to you, in relation
10 your suppresSing the mutiny on board the u
>. brig Somers Your conduct has been submit
teo TO your superiors In the naval service and has
been approved. You have been tried by your
equals, and acquitted with honor. That acquittal
through its high functionaries, has been approved
by your country >.-,s
1t IS now becoming in your countrymen to unite
their voice with these public decisions; and to as
sure you of their sympathy and approval
A mutlny in a national ship is, itself, heavy
public calamity, full of danger, Immediately and
remote, to the best interests Of your country The
turning OF your ship into sea-roVer would have
MADE the entire ocean scene of outrage, rapine,
and murder. The land, also, would have rung
with cries of distress
That such mutiny should have been organ
lied by an officer, who had every advantage OF
connections education, and talents to seduce the
common sailor, and to carry into effect his further
purposes, was giving. to the danger form the
most urgent and appalling
age and subdued, youthful, reckless passions oil
your crew; the certainty that to punish the ring
leader would expose you to the utmost hostilityot
his friends, every way powerful, and that the In
consderate pity Of many might embody formid-
able opposition against you rendered the necessa-
ry discipline and punishment full of peril to your
SELF But last, and chefest, the horror of an Off
Ger being obliged to execute, without the ordinary
forms of the justice of his country, brother off
Ger and two of his crew, made your position pain
tRi and difficult without parallel.
Under such circumstances, you carried into eff
feet the authority of your ship, restored its disci
pline, saved the honor of your navy, the com
merce of your country, and the lives of your as
sociates and rescued countless numbers from eve
ry form of outrage and death. BY decision, en-
ergy, and lofty courage, putting at risk your
fame, your honor and life, you met such dangers
You have thus entitled yourself to the warmest
thanks and highest praises. The fearful exam
pie will not be without its effects. Lawless ruff
fans will not dare to seek in the naval service
the meansof consummating their crimes. Your
brother officers Will not hesitate to discharge their
duty in enforcing discipline. Well disposed seamen
will not fear the taint of service where mutiny
and murder may go unpunished; and although
we cannot withhold our sympathy from the rela
tives of the mutineers, yet regret is that the
crimes were conceived which rendered punish
ment necessary, and not that punishment had been
inflicted.
As for US, we present our thanks to you. We
offer you congratulations your honorable
acquital We present you our b. s. Wishes thai
your country may reward, and the world may ac
knowledge your decision, courage and patriotism
We remain, with great respect"