National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-04-11
The " Somers +" Tragedy.


operate on the public mind, it is ANA,
ing that the perpetrator Of that gre,
crime should have been permitted I
escape the severest penalty of the law
The exercise OF authority, and hangn
Of his three victims, were slmrred owe
by the Government, through the in
huence Of Mackenzie's powerful col nee
tions. 1t SO happened that l was mad
acquainted with the particulars of th
affair ut the time, and knew precisel
how the criminal escaped the conse
quence OF his high-handed proceeding
The vengeance OF the Almighty ha
rarely been more signally manifesto
than in the fate Of all concerned in thi
fearful tragedy. The Somers lies a
the bottom Of the Gulf; Mackenzi
died suddenly OF disease OF the heart
the surgeons mate, who sat on tn,
court-martial which condemned tn,
poor fellows t. death, drowned himself
in fit OF delirium tremens; and another
member Of the court persisted in 4
paroxysm Of insanity.
Tho alleged mutiny on the Somers
was made public at Washington under
circumstances 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
Gansevoort, her executive officer, was
dispatched to Washington, bearing .
sealed report to the Secretary OF The
Navy. He reached there on Sunday,
and his awful intelligence was not made
public until the following day. The city
was filled with startling rumors, and
President Tyler without mentioning
the nature Of tho affair intimated that
something terrible would soon be re-
vealed. Gansevoort disclosed no par
ticulars, but his obscure givings out
created general and profound conster.
nation. On Monday the official paper
Of the government published the official
account OF the mutiny, and the execu-
ton OF Midshipman Spencer and two
OF his alleged accomplices. Mr.. Spen-
Ger, the father Of the young man, then
Secretary Of the Treasury, was over
whelmed with grief and horror. The
news came upon him suddenly, without
premonition. He was tender and de-
voted father. His son, apeculiar and
perhaps wayward lad, was his favorite
child. He was full Of genius, not un.
amiable in disposition, fond Of study,
and addicted to curious speculation |
shy, reserved, and given to solitary
musing. The story OF the mutiny and
the nefarious designs charged upon
young Spencer was unsupported by any
evidence that would have carried con-
viction to the mind Of a competent
tribunal. Mackenzie attempted to
palliate his guilt by the declaration that
the execution of the young man was
ordered for the reason that the influence
of his father would have screened him
from punishment if he had been brought
home for trial. In other words, he had
hung Spencer and his associates because
of his apprehension that they would be
acquitted if tried by a court having
authority to take cognizance of the
accusation.
The trial of Mackenzie by court-rnar-
tial was nothing but solemn farce. 1t
having been determined by the Navy
Department, under the influence of
Commodore Perry and his associate
post-captains, that the discipline and
honor of the service required not only
the acquittal of the chief criminal and
his subordinates, but the formal ap-
proval of their cruel and atroc ous con-
duct, itonly remained to shape the court !
and conform its decis ion accordingly.
Tnere was circumstance known to the
officer of the receiving
ship Hudson which, if brought to the '
public knowledge, would have made the
difficult, if not impossible Il
When the Somers arrived at New York v
he was anchored in the lower bay, u
with the shore being P
trictly prohibited. Mackenzie visited q
he Navy yard, reporting his arrival to
he commanding officer. Hethen called
pon Captain Peck, in command Of the
hudson. Peck and himself were of the 4
anne grade in the service, and they were
n terms of familiar intimacy, having
een nessmates on former cruise.
lackenzie gave his friend his version a
( the Somers affair, horrifying him
nth the statement of the mutiny and
he hanging of Midshipman Spencer
nd two confederates in the crime. Peck
inquired how many OF the nj
lutineers were in irons on board the ="
essel, and expressed his surprise that io
ne had not been brought up to the is
ard. Mackenzie replied that the mu- tl
nous crew were none of them under &c
IIest tihtl lie ltl Deeu aUle 10 SuOuue -
he insurrection and after the execu- be
on it had not been found necessary to tn
,nfine any of the men. "What, ex- to
aimed Peck, "a mutiny so extensive tn
Id formidable as to justify hanging -
l officer and two of his associates, and -
,body in irons - Mackenzie returned tn
on board the Somers, and lo'
izing upon the first dozen of the men an
BON whom he could lay his hands, frt
apped them in irons. The fact never i'm
me to the knowledge of the court, mt
i'd it was carefully suppressed in the be
,blished accouts of the transaction. br
President Tyler, warmhearted and th'
mpathetic man, appreciating the feel Zee
gs of Mr.. Spencer and his family, and thu
xious to alleviate their sufferings 30 An
r as lay in his power, commissioned se'
gentleman in his confidence to tender abb
e secretary the place of minister to his
lssia. 1t seemed to Mr.. Tyler the col
)st suitable mode of relieving the be- Gle
aved father and his family to give him int
e opportunity of leaving a position pie
ere every thing tended to keep alive nat
d exasperate their misery. A change ant
scene he thought calculating to blunt sta
; edge of their sufferings, and divert me
sir minds from the contemplating of hin
,el and atrocious crime of which the mo
! of their hopes had been made the to
tim. rul
Mr. Spencer expressed his gratitude gre
the kindness of the President in Il
rm terms, and requested his agent to
Ike his Acknowledgements for the