Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-04-10

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with the most complete obedience. But
1.-The calculations OF man are vain, and the
pridenf his hope is everywhere perishable
/ have no right to expect an exemption
from the common lot of human dlsappoint-
ment, and I therefore proceed at once to
put myself on trial under the second speci.
ification of sdisobedience of order thewords
following
! Cd. For disobedieacr O the order Of the
president Of the United States communal
Ecated to him (the Colonel) through the re-
gnlar constitutional Channel by thcinspec-
or of the army, on the 9Th ofAPsil, 25Gh
May, and s@h Iune, 1862, as will appear
from the letters Of the Colonel addressed
to the secretary Of war, May 1s.h (insan-
ing the 19th} andtoth~ commanding gene
raj the 9TH and 10Th August, 1902, ala By
other testimony
On the manner in which this specifcati~
on is made, it might Justly be remarked,
gentlemen, that tits in fact specificatlon
al all-that it merely charges in general
terms disobet!ience OF order comnunl-
Gated in certain letters referred TO, to be
nroved by other letters also referred to,
when in truth ali those letters together com
tain a great multiplicity and variety OF
noints, rot one OF winch is particularly de-
signated; and that therefore The specihca-
ton wants all the preclseness which could
Be the only use Of SPECIFICATION III Inform
ing me 10 what my defence is 10 be appi!-
ed, and III enabling the court 10 make their
Judgment. But shall not shelter myself
behind any evasion, and shall therefore
let it be understood, that it is meant to
charge me with disobedience in notorganls-
ing the troops under my direction agreed
by to certain orders, and III ,~oceedngto
visit my family in Pennsylvania without
sufficient leave On charge like the first
Con which the second also will be found en-
tirely to depend) it would surely rot beun.
reasonable gentlemen, that the burden OF
proof as IN ali other cases should rest on
the accusing party--and it will surely be
considered both fortunate and favorable,
that there is not only an absolute want OF a.
ny serious proof whatever on that side a.
gainst ne, but that should be able on my
part TO aaduce ample testimony shat my
/ conduct has oeen perfectly correct and
blameless. This ability deen no small
share good fortune; for you must all be
sensible gentlemen, from the nature OF ma-
litary service IN general, from the peculiar
nature of that service WAS ordered to per-
form from the length OF time 1t necessaFl-
L. 4~ol, fror,, +bs r gpra yt movements th.,
various correspondence, and Che hurried
| communications it occasioned, as we'll as
| from nameless variety OK circumstances
attending the execution OF every new ana
difficult system, that any honest man in ny
situation might be innocent, and Vet under
so broad charge might not have preserved
every evidence TO prove himselE SO liberal
in his intercourse he relies on being trca--
ed with reciprocal fairness. just in his
own dealings, he prepares not for injustice
--Guileless himself he suspects NOT design
in others. and thus good easy rnaa, !.
while regardless Of EliaseA he may be de-
voting his whole yiine and attention TO his
public duty, t may turn out that he has
thussbeen negecting d dePrivlng hunsess
Of the very means 70 repel subsequent ac-
cusa.ion for breach Of daty ana been put
ting into the hands Of his adversary, the
very weapons which are afterwards used 70
destroy him. This happily, however, lssnot
exactly my fate. Happily i has been n my
power TO produce on this occasion every
paper and every document which it could
bethought incumbent Oil me to produce Tor
my Justification. They have been read to
You and iiled, gentlemcn, FROM 10. I 70 50
inclusive, besides other writings, the maI,
an,l roIl. nor marked, Taken together