Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-03-01


armed officer-while the rest of the officers
might remain on deck with the crew. Anv
one on whom suspicion rested could imme-
didtely be pu, in irons for no one, not even
the sring-leaders," Gas Mckenzie calls
them,) lifted a finger in resistance when
confined. There were 100 hand and 100
feet irons on board, and any number of the
crew might, with the greatest ease, have
been confined and guarded.
Capt. Sands says, Had the deck been
in possession Of the crew and the officers
belolD, one man at each end Of the trunk.
with tillet of wood in hand, could pre-
vent the officers from coming on deck"
Now suppose we reverse the order of
thingsa little. and place the prisoners, lin
stead Of the oficers) below; aud the officers
and crew, on deck. Then place an officer
at each end Of the trunk, with "a cutlass
and two pistols" in hand, instead of ga
billet Of WOOD" and see if they could not
prevent the prisoners from coming on deck,
and the crew from going below. What
nonsense is 1t 10 imagine the prisoners
could not be confined and kept in safety.
Having thus, as we think, impartially
reviewed all the evidence 10 the case, We
seriously ask, what becomes Of McKenzie's
5oasted reasons for the execution2 Has
even one of them been sustained by the
witnesses? Where was "the contingency
Of storm" in clear day, with fair
breeze2 Where, too, was the "contingen-
cy of going into battle with the enemy"
when we were at peace with all the world
Pretty evidence this TO be admitted by the
Court Of Enquiry, or any other court And
such contingencies as these, are the reas-
ons graveIy put forth for the execution Of
! three men, without trial!
What is there in the "size of the vessels
TO prevent the prisoners from being safely
| kepl2 Where is the uncertainty as TO the
ertent Of the mutinyo2 when not shad-
ow of suspicion rests only on 20, and moth
ing but suspicion, without evidence, on
them. And, above all, where is the wit.
| ness 10 prove single act Of +" insubordina-
tion,' or a single order dsooeyed? Nc
WHERE Such witness can not be found
for such fact does not exist. Hays is the
only one who intimdteS such thing, and
he does not know whether they heard OIL
understood the order. What too, has be-
|, come of the evidence Of all attempt TO res
cue the prisoners and take the vessel? Pu
your finger, if you can, on single act done
or qpord said tending, in the least degree
to prove that such attempt was even tho
of by any one of the crew not in con6ne
: ment.
i l hereby, solemnly, in the face of III,
5 whole world, challenge Charles Stewart
2 Jacob Jones, Alex. J. Dallas and Ogder
I Hoffman. to point out the testimony estab
fishing the fact that any Of the crew, no
: in irons, were guilty of mutiny = or woul
have attempted TO rescue the prisoners an
d take the vessel. ] challenge them to Civ
!, 10 the world the facts proved, and thei
/ reasons for the following opinion whic
they gravely sent up to the Navy Depar
d ment, with their names affixed as Coul
. Of Enquiry.
q "Tbat had not the execution taken plac,
an attempt would have taken place to r,
n lease The prisoners, murder the officer
L and take command Of The brig"
| will have nothing to do with the "ul
: tempered MORTAR with whicnthat "wri
e ten opinion " endeavors TO danb and plast
lie over the outrageous conduct Of McKenzi
II 1t is entirely ectrdjudicidl, and uncall,
=" ~ for-they being required 10 report the e,
he dence merely, and not TO pass Judgment
the guilt or innocence of the parties co
~ cerned. Ii was probably intended to inf
"a. ence the Secretary of the Navy, and indu
: him not 10 order a Court Martial, but
IS this they were sadly disappointed. If The
no be one man who believes that such
an "opinion is credita5le TO the head or
he heart of those who gave il, do not en-
to and will not seek TO disturb such belief.
! The interests of the Navy require that
I'd Board of Naval Officers should pallia
! 8 plaster over, excuse and justify, and Ina
her praise such lawless and murderous dee
led of one of their own number, who acI
as. without necessity or law-Ihen is the Ma
, 3 or its officers at least more corrupt
led blood thirsty than ! had supposed any bran
50 of the public service, in republican 9
I'M eminent, could be. A Caligula, Nero,
tile a Domitian might well feel proud Of 81
the allies out mol the secretary OF 'ne Ns
eek OF the President, trust.
J TO The safety of the Navy and the disco
agement Of muliny require nothing but C
ris- 6nement Of the prisoners, and the certdi
! ~ IL L.. e. if