George M. Hooe

Lt. Hooe was court-martialed for insubordination after treating superior officers with contempt and ordering the flogging of two men on the USS Vandalia.

The trial took place on 27 May 1839 on the USS Macedonian while docked in Pensacola, Florida, and Hooe was found guilty of "treating with contempt his superior officer in the execution of his duty" and "disobedience of orders."

Hooe objected to their testimony and appealed the decision based on their presence, noting that Florida law forbade negroes from testifying as witnesses against whites.

[3] Rep. John Botts of Virginia, a Whig slaveholder, seized upon this case to criticize President van Buren for not overturning Hooe's sentence based on the involvement of colored witnesses.

Democratic Postmaster General Amos Kendall criticized the affair as exposing how Southern politicians were cowering under the "fell spirit of Abolition".

Matty's perilous situation up Salt River- Democrat Martin van Buren is sinking into Salt River with weighted boxes on his head. Whig candidate William Harrison watches on, 'It's a pity to let the poor fellow drown; I had an idea of making him Inspector of Cabbages of Kinderhook for that's all he's good for; but I think he will sink. Oh what a weight!" [ 1 ]