Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-05-01
TIE ;. soMERs- 1RAGRDY-

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juaice or parsiality to opcrIl = lie pubs
lie mind. it is amasing thai y pefp<tra-
tor Of that greet crime shou5& ksve been
permitted to escape the ssv <6k penslty
Of the law. The exercise aeihosity.
and hanging Of his three 1inls. pere
slurred over by the Geveruz ttroosis
the ihfuence Of Mackenzie lGI e5u-
neciicns. II % hsppese -
se9ss;nsed wisif'tke psvtic1lzFS d the az
fair at the. time. and tnea precisely how
the criminal escaped the consequences Of
his high-hsnded proceeding. 7Fo'
The vengeanee of the Almighty has
rarely been more signsliy manifested than
in the fate Of all concerned in thi. fearful
tragedy The Somers lies at the bottom
of the Gulf; Mackenzie died suddenly Of
disease of the heart: the Surgeons mate,
who sat on the coart-martial which con-
demned the poor fellows to death. drowned
himself In ct Of delirium tremcns; and
another member of the court perished in a
paroxysm of insanity.
The alleged mnsiny on the Somers was
made public at Washington under circum-
stances tending to increase the natural
horror consequent upon such a transaction.
without precedent in the annals Of the
country On the arrival Of the vessel at
New York Lieutenant Gan<cvoort. her ex-
ecutivc officer. was dispatched to WASH
ington. bearing sealed report to the Sec
re,ary of the Navy lie reached there on
C,,l., ~rI L.. .,.eot ...alt,,S~.~ -.
no. made public until the following day
The city was filed with startling rumors.
and President Tyler without mentioning
the nature Of the affair in,imated that
something terrible would soon be revealed
Gansevoort disclosed no particulars, but
his obscure givings out created general
and Profound CONSERVATION. On Mon
day the official paper Of the government
Published the official account Of the mutt
ty. and The 'xccuiion Of Nlids'ipnan Spen.
Ger and two Of his alleged accomplices -
Mr Spencer. the father ofthe young man
then Secretary Of the Treasury. was over
whemed with grief and horror The new.
came upon him suddenly. without prcno-
milton. He was tender and devoted faith
er. Ills son. q peculiar aud perhaps way
ward lad. was his favoritc child fIe was
tull of genius. not unamiahie in DISPOSE
ton. fond Of study, and addicted to Curl
ons speculation: shy. reserved. and given
to solitary mu>ing The story Of the mu-
tiny and the ncfarious designs charged
upon young Spencer was 'auss frs-,sa BY
any evidence tina. would have a n con-
vic,ion to the mind &c competent trfbu-
nal Mackenzie attempted to pallia,c his
guilt by the declaration that tho execution
of the young man was ordered for the rca-
son that the influence Of his father would
have screened him from punishment it he
had been brought home for trial In 9TH
er words. he had hung Spencer and his
associates because Of his apprehension that
they would be acquitted if tried by court
having authority to take cognizancc ofthe
charge.
The trial of Mackenzie by court-mnr,ial
was nothing hut solemn farce. 1t hav-
ing been determined by the Navy Depart
mcn,. under the Influence Of Commot orc
Perry and his associate post.cap,ains. that
the discipline and honor of the service re-
quircd not only the acquittal If the chief
criminal and his sutordinates. but the for
nal approval Of their cruel and atrocious
conduct. 1t only remained TO shape the
court and conform its decision according.
ly. There was circumstance known t.
the commanding officer o: the receiving
ship Hudsnn which. il brought to the pub.
lie knowledge. would have made the ac.
qui'al difficult. If not impossible. When
the S"mers arrived a, New York she wa.
anchored in the lower bav. comm unicatiou
.ish the shore being strictly prohibited
Mackenzie visited the Navy-yard. report
! ing his arrival 10 the commanding officer
He then called upon Captain Peek. in
crmrand "f the Hudson. Peck and him
self were Of the same grade in the service
and they were On terms of familiar init.
macy. having been messma,es on formcr
cruise Mackenzie gave his fricu'l hi,
version ot the Somers affair. horrifyiu.
him with the statement Of the mntiny an,
the hanging of Miishipman Spencer am
two eonfedera'cs in the crime. Peck nat
urally inquired how many ofthe mutineer
sere in irons on bard the vessel. and CT
pressed his surprise that she had not beef
erough. mp to the yasd Mackenzie re
piled thst The musinou. seew were none n
them under arrest; that he had been abi
:" subdue the insurrcctinn; and after Oh
execution il bad nat been fuuui nscessar,
u conhnc any Of the men, What" cx
claimed Peek. "a mntiny 50 cs,en.tvc IN,
formidable as tn Justify hanging an efiee
and two Of his associates. aud nobody i
irons" Mackenzie returned Immediate
" on board the Somers. and seiziag mo
the 6rs dozefi Of she men upon whom, b
could lay his hands. elapped them /
irons. The fact neser came to the kncul
edge of the court. and IL was CAREFUL
suppressed IN the published accounts {
the transaction. fFl
4 President Tyler. warm hearted al
sympathetic man. apprecia,ing the fee
ings of Mr. Spencer aud his family. an
anxious 10 alleviate their snfserings so IA
rs lay in bis poser. commissioned q ger
tlcnan in his confidence 10 tender the sec
retary The place Of minister 10 Russia.
seemed 70 Mr.. Tyler The most suisabl
. mode Of relieving the bescaved father m
. his family TO give him the opportunity
leaving . position where every thing tes
ded to keep alive and exssperatc fhe
misery. A change Of eceue he fhougI
calculated 60 blunt the edge Of their sa
ferings. and divert their lninds from she eos
scm.'z;ion cf the cruel and atrceivus CRU