The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-06
"FLoGGlNG in THE NAVY

We feel an interest which we cannot very well
express, in the success and glory Of our navy. We
remember with what enthusiasm we received the
intelligence of the first victory which it achieved
during the las, glorious war of 1919. 1t made the
name of Hull immortal, and surrounded the name
of the Constitution itself with thrilling SER
timent than the noble theory of our institutions
had previously produced. We shall not be wanting
in any proper effort to strengthen this arm of the
public service, and especially in its steam depart
ment, to which Great Britain is devoting so much
of her energies and her resources Where France
sean,s, she oui-stenms her. We shall never be want
ing we trust in doing honor to naval champions.
We shall in like do every thing in our pow
defend the just rights of the seaman; for he is
the bone and sinew of the service. What is the
spangled banner itself, without stout hearts and
stalwart hands to uphold il Whilst, therefore, we
ought rcligiously TO defend the order Of the navy
("order Heavens first aw''-as is written over the
door of one of our public schools)-we must take
care TO repress any wanton violence, which would
run into excess
With these impressions, we brought with us to
this city paragraph which we cut out Of the
"Portsmouth Old Dominion" of our own State.
1t arraigns Capt. voorhees,, of the frigate econ
gress of shameful cruelty" to his crew. 1t charges
him with assembling them, on leaving the capes of
Virginia, at the commencement Of HIS cruise, and
making the following proclamation:
az wish every man to understand, that if he is
reported, l will punish him whether right Drong;
for believe that can place confidence in my Off
GERS that they will not report man without
ut is asserted that under this brutal policy, as
developed in the order above set forth, punishment
,cas perpetual and the charge is boldly made that
more than one sailor inferior person ,chipped
10 death" #
We must believe that this statement is wholly
untrue, or much exaggerated. We agree with the
United States Gazette of Philadelphia, that if the
charge be false, it outrage upon Captain Voor-
hees's feelings, which ought to be corrected.
"Men will circulate the above story without the
expression Of sceptcism, without the suggestion of
a single meorating doubt; it goes to the world,
and, If FALSE it goes to sleep in time, to be Weakened
up when the Captain is not armed against It's infu-
ence, or when it will assist to give damnatory eff
feet to some other unkind SUGGESTION perhaps, to
some inferior charge justly made"
Butthe statement is now running the rounds of the
papers in all directions We have already seen it
in more than thirty newspapers; and it is flying on
all the winds of heaven. The editor of the Ga
zette says, that he does "not know Captain Voor-
bees, but is told that he is kind-hearted, good Off
Ger, that neither infcts nor allows cruelty in his
ship He, of course keeps up the discipline of his
ship, exacts from every man the discharge of pre-
scribed and well-understood duty, and follows will
full neglect, or gross impertnence, by emigration to
the gangway' And it ascrbes to this circumstance,
and to the clamorous tongues of some vindictve
seamcp, the tale which is in circulation.
IT, on the other hand, there be any serious
cause of complaint against the Captain, he owes it
to his own character well to the reputation Of
the navy, to contradict the charge, in the
ner as he has done another rumor, in the following
late letter to the Secretary of the Navy:
"NoaYoLK, 23d March, ls45.
srR Since my arrival in the United States been
informed that the hbeous statement in the pa
per Ayres relative to the death OF the late Com
bas been repnbhed by number Of journals in this coun
try and that the department and the public may
lbellous statement unequivocay untrue in all its bear
ings the friendly relations and the most unin
Newman and myself He to me in great agony Of
feeling in consequence of having been fired into unPro
endesvored to oothe him to the utter
most On the morning the evening Of his death
now be in possession OF his widow.
1.-THE death the late Commander Newman certainly
brought his having been fired into by cruiser OFF
Ayres and II is my humble opinion that he would
be the land with the living but for that outrage
~ have the honor request sir that the foregoing may
be made public through department in order that this
beous dial upon the service may be widely contra
dicted may be deemed proper and necessary
VERY respectfully, sir, your obedent servant
stSigned1 r. f. VOORHEES,,
Captain U. 8. Navy.
Hon GEo BANCROFT,
Secretary Of the Navy, Washington
We have thought il our duty to submit the above
accusation to the official authorities in Washington,
and the reply lie; "Not the slightest complaint has
been made by any one to the department, of cruelty
In any way by Capt. Voorhees,, whilst in command
OF the ffigate Congress-"
We lay these statements before the public tribu-
nal, to give Capt Voorhees, another opportunity 10
see them and explain them; with the frank as