107
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1827
the spirit of his instructions. What was the language of the Judge Advocate to that Court of American officers? He intimated to them, that if they did not inflict some punishment, upon him, that it was within the competency of the Prc:sident, in the exer- cise of his prerogative, to reach his case by a dismissal from the service. He was found guilty, and accordingly suspended from his command. The President approved the sentence. Nor was ihis deemed sufficient. The President, in addition to this, treated him with personal insult and indignity; and this, too, in the pres- ence of the generous and warm-hearted Lafayette who had ten- dered his mediation to obtain for the gallant Porter the Testora- tion of his sword. Porter had been successful in destroying the pirates in the Gulf of Mexico. His serviccS there had been arduous and important. When ordered home for his arrest, he was succeeded in command by Captain Warrington. The Presi- dent in his Message to Congress, adverting to this subject does not deign to mention the name of Porter, and ascribes all the credit of the enterprise to Captain Warrington.· He, too, is a gallant officer; but think you he will esteem the act as a comp!iment to . him, that does injustice to a fellow officer? What is the effect of this? The heroic Porter is exiled from his country. He has been driven to seek refuge in a foreign service. If he falls, no American tears will bedew his tomb; he will die in a land of strangers. What was the conduct of the Executive, in relation to Colonel Chambers, of the Army, a son of P€nnsylvania? He was dragged before a Court Martial, consisting of five members, all subordinate to himself in rank, and in an illegal and informal manner, found guilty and sentenced to be cashiered. Before the sentence was approved by the President about sixty members of Congress, including, I believe, the United Delegation from good old Pennsylvania, petitioned the President in behalf of Col. Chambers, that he might have a legal Court consisting of thirteen members, and thereby experience that justice which every officer has a right to demand. The prayer of the petition was refused. The proceedings of an incompetent and illegal Court were ap- proved; and what was the consequence? A brave and intrepid officer, who had faithfully served his country for eightee1i years- who had sought every habardous enterprise-- who had never received a furlough- who had often met th~ enemies of his country, and as often borne himself gallantly in the conflict; whose conduct was always a passport to the notice of his superiors; disabled by wounds, is now turned !oose to seek his
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