The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-01-08
JOHN VINCENT, Mai. General
H's E.Sc. MAJ. Gen. Harrison
From me National IuteiEgcncer.
GEN. SMYTl1's PETITION.

II
ite followingTs copy of the Memorial Of
Alexander Smyth, laid besofe ,Le house of
Representatives On Tuesday, and by that
body referred 10 the Secretary of war:
10 he hon. The Senate and House of Ret
Te8eTtaEiDes fthe United STATES. in con
gresS aSSem6Lrd:
The peuu"n cf Alexander Smyth, citi
zen OF Virginia. respectfully represents =
| nat having in 1907 writ en- to an hunora
b member of the House OF REPRESENTATIVES
tina in case of war with u Britain, he was
DESTROYS to enter into the regular service, he
received l. 1903, an appointment as col mel
of regime OF rtiemen. That although
war ha not commenced, yet, The event be
ing probable, he abandoned his protest. u
which was then lucra i've, left his FAINT,
vacated his seat in the senate of Vreini
as the representative OF thirteen counties,
and joined the army of III. United Sta es.
lhat your petitioner had the good rune
to give the :. ~, s. satisfs ton tn III, superb
ors n Wilkinson, gen Hamptyn, general
Dearborn, and the late ecretary df war,
while acting under their immediate orders
was promoted To the rank Of brlgadier and
inspector general IN July 1912; to the
command TT a igadc in September and
II one OF the armies of he United S ates in
octooer IN the same year. That at the ex-
piration of i've weeks during which period
ne made every eXertion in his power to
serve the nation. he found it necessary TO
put his troop, into winter q Iarters. Having
determined N that measure, as your net;
| toner had been absent from his home the
| last eight winters, mu Il the greater part of
the last i've years, and he who + the last
fourteen mcnths, and had been refused leave
10 visit ms family IN the month of July pre-
cedIng, and calculating that il was prob ibIe
| ir-i,f
existence, he, without resigung his COM
mand, asked for leave Of absence, which
wes granted to the lst of March 1873. at
winch time your petitioner was ordered 70
report himself 70 the secretary of war.--
mat your petitioner lett his troops in cam
toRnents, under the command of an Officer
! OF 80 years experience, and in Feb. 1878
reported himself by letter to the secretary
III war, and solicited orders and as II g fai
lure OF your petitioner to take Fort Geofge
FORK and Kingston, and TO wihger in Cana
ia, as he was instructed, had crcatsd some
clamor. your petitioner proposed that an en-.
| qnry into his conduct should take nlace
which the hon. secretary. through the me.
| dunn OF the adjutant gene rI was pleased to
promise since which time your D utioner
has not had the honor to hear from, the war
Office.
\ Your petitioner would further represent
that he mas heard that some members Of
yedT honorable d. are OF opinion. lh.t BY
an act OF the last session regulating The staff
| OF the army Of the United s ates, your neti
Toner ma b -come a private citizen and
with this opinion, his own tnightperhaps SC
cord, were it not impossible TO believe that
the CoHg 'ess Of the United States, az their
last session, could have Intentionally com.
Intted an act of injustice.
! Haur petitioner afFirms that he haze nor
! lone or committed an, ;hlne TO le-iniury If
/ hS nation that his chief, IS 40. his onIv er
ror has consisted in eSpress ng too freely his
Indignation against those who had done in
Jur e., OF omitted 70 perform duties In the
lnation. he motive which led astraV. he
e"nceives might procure for this error for
giveness. That this ahirmation is true he
believes he can satisfy committee or com.
mites OF Jour honorable body, OF short no.
tice.
Your petitioner has essayed to engage a.
gain 10 the pursuits Of civil life bu, he f nd ,
that while the din of war continues. IL is
impossible Tor him to give the necessary at.
tenunn TO any peaceful pursuit lie desires
10 serve, to die, II heaven wills it, in the de-
fence OF his ccuniry--a country that ba.
J projected his infancy, given him a family g,
At times distinguished him with considerable
honors from whose governmsn INT no act Of
wrong, personal to himself. will force his
esteem, while IL maintains, with steady per.
] severance, that country rights.
\ NOOr petitioner confidently trusts. that in