Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-04-22

sion to mutiny should under all cir
lcumstances, be kept secret; or it might
have been owing to hope grasped at
by Mr.. Spencer that Cromwell, IT set
at liberty by his means, would rouse
his associates and rescue him even at
the last moment. What makes Utmost
probable that this declaration was caused
by the motive. last mentioned, is the re-
markable fact that during the half hour
preceding his death, when all hope OF
escape had vanished, Mr.. Spencer ceas-
ed to say any thing of Cromwell's inno-
cence. He was collected and tranquil,
seemingly earnest to make his peace
with God, and with such. Of his ship
mates as. he had chiefly wronged..
I OfSmalI,' whom he had seduced from.
duty, he pathetically implored pardon,
saying that he could not die composed
without if, for Mr.. .Wales he anxiously
Inquired, aud, when ne came, begged
to be forgiven by him for tampering
with his fidelity. But to Cromwell,
his bosom associate, who, upon the sup
position Of his innocence, was the indi-
vidual Of all others most injured-who
had been involved by his. treacherous
friend in unfounded suspicious and fall
lacieus proofs, just about TO consign
him to the gallows-whose blood at
the dreadful tribunal above would call
loudest for vengeance against his de-
stroyer-whose forgiveness was to be-
INSTANTLY and eagerly sought by tears
and prayers as the only expiation that
could be made-to him Mr.. Spencer
opened not bis lips. He asked not
I forgiveness from Cromwell, though
they calmly met face to face, and paus-
ed as they met, almost touching each
other in their way to The execution, be-
cause he we'll knew that Cromwell, in
stead of being his victim, had been his
prompter in guilt. To his willing as
sociate in crime, he had no apology to
make: from him, mo- pardon to suppli-
cate.
1t is, then, fully proved, not only
that mutinous conspiracy existed, but
also that Mr.. Spencer, Cromwell and
Small, were the prime conspirators,-
1t follows that they had forfeited their
lives to the laws Of their injured eoun-
try. For it is enacted by the thirteenth
article of the first section of the Act Of
Congress of 1900, ahat if "any person
in the navy shall make, or attempt to
make any mutinGus, assembly, he shall
on conviction thereof, by a Court Mar
tial, suffer DEATH" BY the Actof 1906,
statutory punishment Of mutiny on
land is 10 be measured by Court Mar
tial. The court may exact life or it
may impose lesser OF even slight
punishment. The wisdom of the leg
islature has thus strikingiy discrimina-
ted between the guilt Of the. same act
done on land or sea. The descrimina-
ton is just;sa mutiny on the ocean is
a more dangerous offence than one on
land and needs the check of severe
penalty. The Commander ola ship at
sea cannot like a commander on shore,
invoke the aid of some neighboring
troops, or appeal to the patriotism of
the sturdy militia. From an overpow-:
ering land mutiny the faithful may re-
treat as from burning edifce. But
from a mutiny at sea there is no re-
treat beyond the narrow limits of the
ship. A mutiny on land does not all
ways vitality 'endanger the interests or
the fame of the country. But the very
object of mutiny at sea, in the naval
service, is the conversion of NATIONAL
ship to some evil use, and the conse-
quent wounding Of the national honor.
Hence the law, with an unwavering
hand. has engraved ON the list of capital
offences, all naval mutipies, whether
great or small, whether matared or yet
in their early Development. Nor
need the. evil intent be Bodied forth in
action to complete the legal crime.
[Conelusion nert 'ceek