The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-03-10

OAsk'-lt VIII be seen from our report OF the pro-
ceedngs In the Circuit Court yesterday, that very
elaborate arguments will be offered this day relative
10 the jurisdiction OF the Grand Jury in the case OF
Commander Mckenzie. Messrs. Butler and O'Con-
nor will appear on the part of the applicants Tor a
bill OF indictment, and Messrs. Griffin and Dner tor
| the other party. The high character and dlstln-
| guished attainments OF these gentlemen. warrant
the anticipation that the very important questions
which have now risen in the progress of this case
and invested il with new and keenly exciting in.
terest, will be discussed with the greatest legal
ability.
The importance of this remarkable case grows
greater every day. From the very first we pre-.
diced that it would attain this magnitude, as well
from the very nature of the melancholy transaction
itself, and the character and position in our com
munlty OF the parties immediately concerned, as
from the very important interests and principles in
VOWED. In the first place. the case was one alto.
gether unprecedented. Never in the whole history
OF our naval service, had such charge been heard
OF, as that two-hirds of the crew of an American
ship OF war, had, in time of peace, too deliberately
formed a conspiracy to disgrace their flag and the
name OF their country, violate the persons of their
countrywomen, plumber our merchant ships, and
murder their own flesh and blood Then there was
the execution Of an officer of the navy and two
seamen, manfestly, as Is indeed now admitted on
all hands, contrary TO strict legal requirements
and sought to be justified only on the grounds Of
an urgent necessity, of whose existence exceed
ingly slender proofs have as yet been discovered.
AS soon as the vessel touched the shore, new ele-
ments of difficulty and excited controversy enter into
the case. On the one side, we have the Spencer
an1IIv ,nf,, al
extensive connexionsst hreughout the State of New
York, and in every department of the General and
State Government. On the other side, we have the
Slidell and Mckenzie families, influential also, and
numbering amongst their connexions many of our
most respected citizens. The controversy has thus
become invested with all that spirit of bitterness
and factious feeling which characterized the feuds
between the noble families of the Venetian republic
And not only are the reputation of our naval
service-the honorsef the natlon-and family pride,
deeply involved and mixed up with this case, but it
has also become a subject of grave discussion in
Europe, and promises to occupy the universal atten-
ton of the naval and military men of France and
England.
All these circumstances combined, give to the
future proceedings in this case vast additional in
terest and Importance and as our object continues
to be, the maintenance Of perfect impartialty and
the award of even handed justice to all parties con-
cerned, we have deemed it proper and equitable
to annex the defence of Commander Mckenzie and
his officers, urged with great zeal by two of the
Wall street papers, who have very conspicuously
appeared amongst his friends. In this defence, it
will be seen there lis great variety of matter
introduced; and amongst the rest, some very
hard thrusts at this journal, on account of
the course il has adopted in this case. 1t is even
that it has been through agency that
the British press has condemned the conduct of
Commander Mckenzie. This sagacious charge can
hardly be deemed worthy Of contradiction by people
who give themselves the trouble of exercising the
reflective faculties with which the Creator has
beautifully endowed the human species. This in.
slnuaion Is very much like the imputation cast upon
us, that directly under the influence of
Victoria herself, and that we never utter a word
take any view Of the leading questions of the day.
from the street contract TO the right of visit without
the express orders of her little Majesty, under her
sign manual, and dated at Buckingham Palace and
received by us per the last steamship.
Again and again we have stated that we have no
feelings either way the other with respect to
Commander Mckenzie himself. All we desire is,
the maintenance of the reputation of the naval SER
vice, the national honor, and the award OF impartial
justice to all parties concerned.
In the annexed defence, 1t Will be perceived that
the Courier exhibits its characteristic bravado and
buster, and perfect contempt of vulgar argument and
reason The defence set I'D bv the A,n,,1con is
- - ,:-:e = i
latnef HioIe uishiileo anu CAIN, ana appears 10 be
of much more effe ctive character With these re.
49, 20 . ;, The ill. a. = III
hlaiAs VIC give uie diicies u our readers, VINO VIII
of course take them for what they are worth:--
From the Conrie, and Enor,sr1
r. g.. ~ - - I
iHE Couhr nlAhrIAL AnD The ATRocIous ATTEMPTS
I'M ~ WITH II .Lgny reprehensipie as II un-
~, io OF ior ne PUBIC press 10 dis.
ne oouny tor t1e iaIoi hose charged WIZ onences,
= que e or ~ presses aa an persons claiming re-
70 SPEAK OUT anu 70 speak ouoiy IN the case oil
Domnlapaer Nehenhe ana ms gaiant comrades IN the
VI IN, ne uuny oh ooao .he Somers lher re,