Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-02-06

The unfortunate circumstance of the
death of Nh. JOHN MCREDIE, which
took place at the barracks of the public
guard, ON last "Wednesday evening, can ne
yer be too much ,anented. The deplora-
BILE situation ofhis affectionate consort, thus
unexpectedly deprived of the partner Of her
life; and the irrcparable loss sustained by
his children, who, in one short moment,
have become orphans, must excite the conf
miseration of every feeling heart. His ac-
quaintances also have much cause of regret
At the prem aturc death of gentleman, es-
seemed and respected by them all.
On such an occasion it is natural that
the public mind sh9rd be considerably a.
Sitated. The circumstances, which attend
cd this catastrophe, ought therefore TO be
correctly known -
A FIRE having broken out in the house of
Mr.. Shields, in the ncjghborhood of the
barracks, the alarm bell was rung, and Mr..
MsCredie, among other citizens, was run
ming hastily towards the place, for the pur-
pose OF assisting in eXtinguishing the flames.
He was passing the blrracks, and was three
times hailed by the centinel on guard but
Tin consequences Of his eagcrness to get to
the scene OF the fire, his being out ofbreath,
or some other cause which cannot now be
ascertained,) did not answer; and was
in his way to MIR. Shic!ds's, with his buck
cts in his hands when the centinel fired
his nusket, and shot him dead on the spot
1t is reported that az the moment the piece
was presented, 4 gentleman accompanying
Mr.. M.Credie ca ed cut, "don't shoot il
Is Mr.. M'Credie :" but the words were
pronounced too late the trigger, unluckilv,
having been drawn, nearly at the same in
slant. The centincl, whose name is Will
am Nash, is now IN custody, and the coro-
ncr's iGGucst have found it wilful murder
Altbn' VIC are not disposed by any means
TO injure the orisD ner, Nv forestaling the
public opinion before his trial -vr think it
proper TO -ncl.ion the ncorm7tion we have
received from the best authority, that the
conduct oe the centineI was in direct opposi-
ton to the rlers given by the governor TO
the offic rs and soldiers ofthe public guard.
Those orders have always been not to fire
At any iniiyi iu1l, except in cases of great
necessity rs vi App ar BY an extract from
letter of Governor Monroe to Captain
Quarricr. dated Nav 5th, 1902; in which,
on the subject OF the !uty of the centinels,
he expressed himself as follows: &C In ge-
&c neral, they should DE cautioned not to tli-
/" rect their piece with view TO strike the
&c obiect; but, in cases where they are of
"opinion the person is bent on some evil de-
5lH4l, StCn 10 u ltNC Og surprise tile Cell
Htinel, or get into the capitol to take the
"arms or other public property Some
sstimes persons intoxicated may pass near
ssthc ccntinel, or even insult him. In such
<cases, il would be much to be regretted
ssif such persons should be killed. Ifthsy
"be kept at a distance by the point of the
"bayonet, it will be sufficient"
The orders contained in that letter have
been confirmed and repeated by governors
Page and Cabell.
IN considering the resolution proposed
b. the House of Delegates of Virginia, re-
lativc to convention, and its rejection by
the Senate, the mos, superficial observer
must be struck with astonishment, that
proposition so evidently reasonable coult
have been opposed by any who believed II
"the sovereignty of the people," and the
other republican doctrines contained in ouI
bill of rights. The preamble to the reso
luton, stated with truth, Shat great dis
"content exists in many parts of the state
prospecting the constitution or form of gD
"vernment Of this commonwealth that i
sshas been doubted whether the legislature
"has power to call convention to revise
Sand amend it ; and therefore, that it isex,
"pedicnt to ascertain the sense of MAORI
s'ty of the frecholders of the state on the
"SuDIeCt. L he resolutions, in pursuance
of these premises, which were in iisDutab c
provided a method of taking the opinions
of the freeholders, at the next election o
delegates to the General Assembly; di
recting thai the officer conducting each e
lection should open poll to take theft
votes, on the question whether a convention
ought to be called or not and that sucf
officer should deliver the poll so taken t
the Auditor of public accounts, on or before
the tenth day of October mex, and, more
over, certify TO the governor by the SANE
day, the true state of the said poll. Th
mode approaching WAS the best, we appre
hcnd, which has ever yet been suggested
of settling the great question concernin;
the expediency Of calling convention L
amend the constitution of Virginia.
Let it even be admitted, that the consti
tuition stands in need of no amendment, ant
that no convention ought to be called; We
this is a subject of which, in free country
the people ought to Judge and the wishe
of majority Of them ought to prevail
Yet the senate have refused TO submit it t
their determination in the only way il
which their opinions can be fairly taken
contendiDs, as appears from the substitute
adopted by them to the resolution, (for w
conceive that their arguments are incapa
bic Of any other interpretation that n
such measure ought TO be taken, until
majority of the freehoIders Of the stat