THE COURT-MARTIAL.—The acquittal of Captain DICKINSON was to be anticipated.
We indeed stated last week, that the whole of the 'charges except the Oh and ninth were of such a nature that it made but little either for or against the prisoner whether they were proved or not ; and that although, as mere matters of fact, the Court could not avoid finding them proved, the fifth and ninth were susceptible of a very easy explanation, and could not call for more than an admonition at the utmost. The acquittal is, however, general, and honourable on these as on the other counts. One of the counts is declared "frivolous and 7oundless," and another " vexatious." An attempt has been made to fabricate out of those findings a charge against Admiral CODRINGTON. The Journal is anxious for the trial of that officer, for the purpose of exposing the Duke of CLARENCE, to whom it is politically opposed. Such is the consistency of a public writer !—at one moment invoking heaven and earth because he is him- self threatened with a trial for political offences not yet two months old, and at another calling down a similar infliction on political offences over which two long years have already passed ! It is but common justice to Admiral CODRINGTON tO observe, that he was not the framer of the charges against. Captain DICKINSON; and therefore, if from his letter of Complaint against that officer matter was drawn aS, subject. for .a prosecution, so utterly frivolous as to be unworthy of the notice of the Court, the blame rests not on him. That the framer of the counts was a very unskilful hand, is obvious. Hardly any of them is writ- ten in common English ; and the fifth, which is the chief, is not com- mon sense,—its construction being, that Captain BATHURST had a chance of an additional honour in consequence of their regular report of his death ! Nothing, therefore, can be more ridiculous than to incul- pate Admiral CODRINGTON, or to call for an investigation into the circumstances of the battle of Navarino, because of any censure that the Court-martial may have properly passed on charges with the drawing up of which the Admiral had no concern. On the conduct of the Admiral as a witness, the Court have passed no censure. An in- quiry into the battle of Navarino and the GODEPICH Administration might elicit something curious, perhaps ; but we hardly think it would be useful. In fact, the Court-martial has for a good many days be- come a bore. We hope we have now finally done with it.
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