Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-09
,,o,a punishment, though implicated

rom punishment, though implicated
,;tn the serious charge Oh mu'.ny -
From this CIRCUMSTANCE, l hope 1t VIII
,npear to this honorable court, that there
,.,. No nremedita,ed :naIice against this
unhappy victim OF my MISGUIDED pas
,;on--and that moments cool refisc
tion would have rather induced me TO
stretch forth ,ha; arm for his pressrVa'
ton instead Of sis destruction.
CT cannot lgok back on the unhappy
event withoulauffering the most painful
sensations, not only as respects tho aeeu E
itself, but aho as regards sort OF uh-
happy DESTINY, and not as casuai oc
currepce. God forbid that should Tor
a moment dare to arraign, or even 10
call in Question, the justice of an ever
lasting Providence but 1t ever iate
prepondersted the action of an indiv'du-
al, or hurried him to crisis, some IN
known power with cruel and desperate
,way. tyrannised on that lamsnted day
over the affections of nay heart, and
dasbedits calm plscidity with the tumul'
tuous waves Of violence and rage.
81 must claim the indulgence OF this
honorable court for occupying SO much
of its valuable time. if have devlatcd
from the subject before them; but when
they recollect the very critical situation
in which l am placed, ! hope they will
be ready to pity and forgive the wander
ings of the mind l shall beg leave TO
call the attention of the court to the
testimonies shall advance to prove thc
general ealnness and indulgence OF my
temper towards every one in public and
| in private. have more particularly at
this time to lament the death of my much
respected friend and commander, captain
! Rushbrooke, as also the absence Of ad-
miral Dixon from this country, but yet l
trust shall still be able, from the testi.
m6ny of captains TrolIop and Bralmer,
and another officer, in the court, and OF
nv messmates aud brother officers and
what must tend still more to convince
| this honorable court of the extent If my
clemency as it respects my conduct to
those placed under my command, toge
ther with my other depositions, the lead
ing men Of the Griffin also ready to
bear testimony. trust the warm and
artIess illusions of their manly and un-
sophisticated hearts, will sufficiently
| convince this honorable court of the re-
pugnancc of fuy nature 10 the act: and
that noting but the irritating conduct
Of the deceased could have made me
outstep the bounds Of reason and jus.
| tice.
"a seeming obedience returned the
blade unpol.uted to its sheath, when ar
| unexpected recurrence Of the offence.
under aggravated circumstances, over
whelmed at once my discretion and my
/ Judgment, and dl owe me on to commit
the horrid deed with which / stand ar.
ragned at the bar of this honorable
court, When turn my thoughts to.
wards tie melancholy catastrophe, the
retrospect is agonizIng in the extreme,
but look forward to whatever may be
the result OF this court martial, with be-
coming daferehce & resignation, which
Can only proceed from conscience a.
wskened TO its guilt, and assisted BY the
Divine Power. feel supported by the
confidence CT ever having aCted on hu-
name and honorable principles. know
myself incapable Of committing all i'll
action, and am horror struck at the
magnitude of this.
/ trust there is not spectator in
this court, who does not believe these
emotions to be the genuine inmates Of
my breast-iI there be anv among them
fla contrary opinion, address them in
he language of the Apostle, "Wou!d
. God you we're all together such as
m, except these bonds
I" MIR. President and Gentlemen Of
his honorable court, in vour nands |
place my honor and my existenre, the
hopes and fears of ry f.n'iiy, snd all that
is valuable to the officer, the gentleman,
and the man, fully sensible they can be
10 where so safely con6ded as to the
preast of those of nv own profession.
TIE pride and boast OF my country, and
tue terror of its :oss l have proved
before you, as before my God, the case
# my unfortunate situation, and whilst
you decide on my future destiny, earn
est'y entreat you to remember, " That
earthly power doth then shew likest
Gods, when mercy seasohs justice"
NGpEOI Feh-uorr