New-York tribune., 1868-12-19

Informed Mr. spencer that bis iifs war sf tae Navy
10 ms country he had aSr word to seDd ~ orfeilA
nss sSoaS O. bs spsn,sd r.S
Knees IN tears, aud said he was not At o A., BIZ
also TO Cromwell and Small Crolawell ,sn ,e' spots
seoe prOtesteu MS innocence, and invoked IN. oh he
iswe Ireturned TO Mr, Spencer and ssssd It name
had any message TO send 20 his friends Hs s,a hhs
to hear. When further urged he sais .ncy vosa
that die wishing them every blessing evetv el then
deserve oea.h toT TINS and many other crimes St s
pets tSo ana n %y only fear = that my repentsnes
subject with him. that he had once concelye3 sA
oftakng possession OF the John Adams when project
her and atterysrd ead thought Of making s%i,,c
the shortness VI time before execution bsS 10
allowed him an hour beyond the ten minutes graSiaS
THIS request was eheerfully granted s,e,, 'e.fd
elapsed and Wales was brought up TO him Wien ans
lesrnestly hope that you viii forgive me fr 5 wss
with your hdeity Wales replied do forgive n
oSnSsf S as X s %nS G9Ps Sr that Sd
and said TO him, Small, forgive me for lesdinS
ns yo !ISsss %S. te S ey SSd M Spencer rass
mnd ne SAID ills hard thing for yon to ask ma N., M
iS1siys yHS Spencer then asked my tSveness wa,.l
mates, said no 10 those who held the vhIn g 6p
quick aud easy death, He vas placed tLe Ssnnasss
and Cromwell also on tho other ado sroncs, ss,.u
give the signsl but after waiting long whiio he sesi
wa "a.
and the three were launched into eternity H'~
Immediately after hts arrival ~ New.York G..
ma9der Mackenzie dispatched an officer 70 the brig sS
tary OF the Navy. board OF naval oficers xss ~
pointed TO investigate the Spencer case. and after ,s
OF COmmandes hackehzie's conduct TLis Hoard ~ ~
auiry was composed OF Commodores Stewart Jso.A
Subsequently. portion OF the press of the cou,pv
having assaed HIM bittsiy and tho rlepds and rsl
tiyes OF Midsnpman Spencer having taken steps io Al.
mn pdsrN ~
lie demanded OF the Secretary OF the Navy trial !,
Court Martial riye chsrses wore preferred by the Be-
APRIL 1872, 70 the lst Of February ls43 one OF IA
charges proved and the Commander was honoras,
vice. The Court WAS composed OF Capt Downes, Pres
dent. Capts. Bolton. Turner, Read. McKceYer Psx,
SOr6r, SiOat, Wyman. and GwYnn and Cunlna d.
den and shubrick VIM IL Norris ESQ., Of Baitimsrs
acted aJ dgeAdyocse: Charles OConor and Benia,p,r
f. Butler OF this city were engaged by the relatives
young Spencer TO appear for she proseeuO but thar
admission was not allowed and the trial oondsnted
exclusively by members OF the United States Navy, VITA
the assistance Of but member OF the legal professor
The Court held Oh board e old u. ship OF ths Ina
North Carolina then the receiving shp OF the Brooklyn
Navy Yard and the proceedings were watched With tns
closest attention and the most interest through
out. .. . fr...- g. - i ... -. .. u. .. .- u. -
American novelist James Feniinore Cooper whe had
been spectator during the long session OF the
Court wrote exhaustive revicw of the proceedinss
winch no held that tho decision OF the G0nrt was neither
wise nor lust and that could not be bOrne out either
BY common sense the evidence aiduced on tbe tss
His argument Was not that OF logicisn, but bore
throughout evidences OF having been prompted by no.
tlves OF humanity and In great measure by his feeling
personal regard for tho family OF the unfortunate ing.
leader In the mutiny Several other prominent mon
out in print for and against the decision Of tho Naval
Court but the discussion OF tho subject served only
c0narm the general paelo in the opinion that the
Judgment righteous one, and 10 convince the Gov.
ernnent that 10 relax the rigor or the laws governing s
Navy would be the first step toward toe destruction Il
all discipline aboard ship. -.-.. =. ....,
Commander Alexander sdell Mackenzie was Dor, II
this city ls3 and died at Tarrytown 10 lSS His naps
all
ternal uncle the OF his mothers family was added
entered the Navy at the early age OF H. and nas bis
first cruise in the Java, under Captain Oliver H. Perry
father OF the young Ferry mentioned above he passed
through than 30 years OF active service, and vu
ALWAYS regarded as most vauable officer. Commander
Mackenzie was the author OF several works 0f lner.
among which was his interesting 4" Year IN spain" HA
biographies OF Commodore Perry. Commodore Decatu
and Capt John Paul Jones valuable additions 10 the
historical literature OF our country.