The Port-Gibson correspondent., 1843-01-21

Tpe SomERs MuTINY.-This subject.
which is now undergoing an inves'iga-
non. continues 10 attract a large portion
,,f attention from the public press. With
. few solitary, and not important eyceP-
CONS the conduct OF Commander Mac
Lan7ie ~ anplauded By the press OF all
,,r,ies. The New York Herald, and
Tho Aurora, il is true, are STRIVING to
create an uniavorabIe impression against
him. but thus far they have not made
much hesdway. Had young Spencer
been the son of sorle obscure mechanic.
instead Of the Secretary ol War, his
presen, sympathisers, we imagine, would
have wasted but few words upon him
For ourselves, we regard il rs fortunate
circumstance that the chief culprlt was
,be son of the Secretary. His crime
required prompt punishment, and the
prominence OF tho object will give
strength to the example. The same men
Who now conda mn Commander Macken-
z;e would, if Spencer and his comrades
had been successful, have filled the air
with cries Of sympathy for their victims.
As il is, they are equally Sympathetic.
We think an ounce Of prevention worth
pound of cure, any time, and we leei
quite sure that Mackenzie acted IN every
particular, with promP:ness and cour-
age worthy Of an American officer. The
suggestion Of the Washington Cores
pondent Of the herald, that if acquitted,
Commander Mackenzie will have to fgA
some friend Of Spencer's, is contempti
BILE piece OF bravado, unworthy Of notice.
A man who has performed his duty as
promptly as he has, will not be likely TO
shrink from any personal responsibility
While on this subject, We beg leave
10 make the following extract from a
communication in the Mobile Advertiser.
1t contains some facts not generally
known, perhaps, and shows that the
conduct Of Commander Mackenzie is not
without some high precedents on the
land. The writer says:
In similar cases, or in this particular
case, what would court martial have
done The sufferers could not have
selected court that would not have
sentenced them TO the most ignominious
death Perhaps the President Of the
United States might, from feelings Of
friendship to the father Of the principal. .
have exercised the pardoning power
vested in him by the Constitution. What
says precedent How many similar
murders" have been committed in this
country, ia the land service, for offences
not to be compsred with the ono in ques
ton, for enormity ofintention Z With
out the advice of any one, Gen. Wash
ington ordered the heads of two desert
ers to be cut of, while his army quarters
ed at Valley Forge. General Wayne,
in his campaign against the confederate
tribes Of Northern Indians, had Enuti-
neers and deserters hung without the
form Of 4 trial. Major John Passgrove
M'Intosh, while stationed in Georgia
after the peace of 1888, during a.seasor
Of profound tranquility ordered three de
serters to BE- shot on parade, withou
trial, which proceeding was inyesIl gatee
by select committee of Confederate
Congress, and reported /" jusllflaole,'
which report was confirmed by resoIu
tionsol that body. fSes journals ct ina
Congress, Of 1885 OF 1850 II i8ls
Genefat Jackson caused Arbuthnot ant
AmbrIster 10 be shot, pursuant TO thl
opinion OF bis officers, for stirring nI
the Indians to murders and suppl yinl
them With The Material 70 psrpetF e 5