The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-05-11
|.rRL1xoroN WEEKLYHAwK.EYE


.uRLYNGTON WEEKLYHAWK-EYl
O-~se~s-~
rsIgxs before shc Court Martia
~ Newport.
Court Martial, presided over by Gen. JcsuE
.nd numbering among ito members Genls. Woo
p.r.;fer r. Smith, and many other distinguishe
..,,;er.. recently assembled At Newport. Ky,
!. ,,v the veteran Gen. Twiegs upon q charg
= contempt brought by the War Department
~ toI.oviag is a statement of the affair 70
-. Tho Secretary Of War called Gen. Twigg
!. ..;L. A Lieut.. Wood some time since, VA
.shv . Court Martial in Texas, on charg,
= .ondaet dsrogatory to the service, the exist
:, xhich reports against Wood was made
\, r.ptain Bradfute. Wood was ac
cd and then Capt. Bradfute, who had, pre-.
o,. 10 the trial, said that such charges did e1.
]. ,.;n., W ood, demanded an investigation to
.,s him from suspicion Of having mali.
.iou,ly made the report. Gen. Twigg'' As he
-. coupeed to do. granted the Court, and
uooa x,s summoned a. witness, but dld not
-, This second Court exonersted captain
r..a,n,e and in doing so. was compelled to End
,h., the charges, Of which Wood had been Ac-
united. did exis. against him. Now the war
n,,.r,meut took exceptions to the calling OF
..;s second Court, and in an order which was
directed to be read 70 Gen. Twiggs command
'seyerely censured that officer. Gen. Tw'gss'
~bsn the order was read, also had read his ex-
Dl.na,ion, setting forth the facts, and denying
tbat be was at fault. Al this the sens'uSeness
&ef the War Department is offended, and ofi'eers
from Maine 10 Texas are brought, at feaerai
5xpense, to Kentucky, to try the offender. ihe
court Martial was in session only two days, and
~ finding has gone on to Washington. We
ave no doubt the Court acquitted Gen. Twisgs.
l The Cincinnati papers, of Saturday, contain
he concluding scenes OF the court martial. The
Commercial says:
When Mr. Brewster finished reading, General
Fwggs rose and SAID:
"Bv permission OF the court will conclude /
Nv defence BY reading the letter Of the Secre-
k.ry of War which condemned me-" and read |
|syder No. 4 as above, and commented upon il |
n follows:
II ask the court" said he, earnestly, "did il
i've before see such an order to an officer? !
rfen published that order considered lad
k1seuted myself. If used language in endeav- !
H. to justify myself, capable OF misconstruc- |
ion, cannot helpit. am not responsible for
b misconsructions of others. fused language
common use, which had no other meaning
han What it Immediately expressed. l may
have been unfortunate in the use of terms, but
Z, trror was Of the head not Of the heart As
y, being disrespectful to the President, or as
tCrirg 10 revise his decisions, aonsder the
rAa,ce TOO ridiculous to notice. l conceive
Shis court martial TO have grown out Of an en-
lire msapprehenson Of fact by the Secretary OF
War. Had they been correctly understood, l
Aad no, been prisoner to-day before the court.
! have no more TO say |
POPULAR IMPRESSIONS. ,
A buzz OF APPRECIATION was heard among the
|pectators, and vehement applause was only re-
|tfained by tie impressive dignity Of the court.
fbe eiec. et the defence upon all, however, was
blsetiitfirs The demeancr of the old war.
MN stttr9a b the delivery OF his brief, sim
" ba Z .ins ueroration, was inspiring. lie
Isspd bis Tail form 10 full height, and repeiled
|he accusations against him with thrilling ener-
ky ana aobe dignity. lie manifested how deep /
b1. hs sttse Of iac reflections intended 10 be
|as gp0A his iair fame, and maintained it with
b. lpits spirit aud unyielding courage Of q sol.
bier .ho deserves we'll at the hands Of his coun.
VI. The spectacle Was exceedingly imprcssing
Etlch an one ~ few men witness in protract.
Naietime.
1t is superfuous to say that popular sympathy
bas warmly enlisted in favor of the noble old |
suefal from the reading Of the charges until
ke close of the triad. Civilians regard him as
Ne Intended victim Of petty tyranny, and of the
|hsurd punctilio of a newly fedged military
dressed in the "iittle brief authori.
N Of Secretary Of War.
sI:
"The concise and respectful paper put in by
Nc general as his defence, was an admirable
indication of his whole course in this matter,
Nc bad visible effect upon all who heard it.
9saally in bis favor was his letter to the Secre-
hAr Of War, in which all intentional dsrespect =,
rd rda.abordnation we're disavowed, solemnly ' "
~ on his honor. Though the able judge ad- d
sc4te, Major Lee, did all that the case admit al
% 10 sustain the ch rges made, it was palpa- n
4 failure, most lame and impotent conclu-
|on, irum the utter want OF any foundation for o.
be ease.
Il viii not be easy for the blundering Mr..
|
Ignities be has heaped upon this gallant gener-
L Is intimated, with what justice we know 7
nf, that an old grudge Of the President has
lnaehins TO do with this foolish attempt to
eths odlum on Gen. Twiggs. We dislike to
btle,s i. The general himself has evidently v
POI had such a suspicion, against either nc n
President or Secretary. But il the iormer were
ce iAsiigator, it affords no excuse for the lat
b.
Whatever the result Of the finding, we are
'erIsa that the substantial triumph will remain
p the side OF Gen. Twiggs. Here, there is no
ainsrence OF opinion as to the case, and no lack
d indignation against the unlucky secretary
mo, whether ignorantly or otherwise, has thus
seel the instrument of "gross" wrong to q
y iiai general, and OF disgrace to the execu-
I've branch Of the government.
ihe hhdng Of the court must first be sent to
sshington for approval, and will be made
IGehe thereafter by the President. We trust
shsi s-ficent light will be gained by the secre-
arr meanwhile, to show him the propriety of
leeA aeqnieseeace, should his discontinue
i'ose 70 be az complete as we anticipate it will