Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-05-17

4 nv IN
public safety. 'hSe''S' ~ ''
| me Judge ofthis very court, tlu,v ;mpre,se,
wy" E'e emergency Of the moment. ( The neccs
s'y y, en'i,'oy,iiS every means of defence. con
49, W ''ie uiseHarSc of men. committed ant
u ., 'or capltai crime, without bail and
without regogniZance and probably u,der or
n"FreSsion' that the exet,;se of his tunc,;o, s
would be useless, absente d Xrself Jro-, e.
place where his court was to S~ bo,,o VIZ
postponed its session during rcg1he torn,
Thus the conduct OF the legislature 80,
tive and Judiciary branches Of the Governns.,,,
otthis State, have borne the fullest testimony q
th= existence Of the necessity OH which the
respondent relics.
The unqualiii appreciation of the Legisla
ture of the United Ststes, (nay such fthe indi-
uuai states, as were in session fought also Ia
be admitted as no Slight means of defence in
asmuch as al those respectable bodies. wee
tuiiy @pprised of his PROCLAMATION of Mortal
Law, and some of them seemed To advert 20 il
by thanking him for the energy OF his mea
sures.
The respondent therefore, thinks that he has
established, the necessity OF prociaimirg mar.
tai law. lie has shewn the Effects o. that der
clasation, aud IL only remains TO prove and an.
swer TO the rdle. that the power assumed from
necessity, was not abused in It's exercise, nor
improperly protracted in it's duration
all the acts mention al in the rule, took place
after the enemy had retired from the position
thew had a. first assumed S(ter ,hey had met
with asienai defeat, and after an unofficial nc
court had been received, OF the signature of the
treaty OF peace. Each OF these circumstances
might ne to one who did not see the whole
ground, sufficient reason for surprising, that
acts OF Vigor AID rgywsrs unnecessary ON
the mind OF the respondent ttey had dife.
ent effect. The enemy had retired from their
position IT Is true, but they were still on the
coast and within w hours sail of the CITY -
They had been defeated and with loss. but
that loss was 10 be repaired By expected rein
forcements Their numbers still much more
than qnadrtp'ed all the regulac forces which
tine respondent could commend (; and the term
o. service OF the most eflicient militia forces
vas ebout to expire Detca, 10 q powerful and
active enemy was more likely 10 operate as an
incentive 10 renewed and increased exertion
than 70 inspire ihem with eesponlen v. or to
paradise their efforts. a treaty it is tue had
been probably signcd--but vet it might not be
rat'led- Is contents even had not transpired,
go that no reasonable conjecture could be for.
med whether II would be scceptable and the
influence which the account OF its signature
mad on the srmy, wee dee erious in The ex,
IRENE, and showed the necessity for encreased
energy, instead OF \ relaxst ton of discipline -
wen who had snewn themselves Jealous, in tho
p preceding pa't ut the campaign, became luk :
w@fm III the service those whom no dang, =
could aPpal, and No labor Discourage, complain.
ed OF the hard,hips of the Camp When the
enemy was no longer Immediately before them,
they thought themselves oppressed by being de-
ts'ncd IN service Wicked and weak men, who
from their situation in If ought TO have tur.
nlshed better example, secretly encouraged
thus spirit OF subordinatior- rhey a'e ted q
pity the hardships OF hose who were kept IN
the feid. They iGmentrd discomfort, by insin
nsiing that the merit ofthcso 10 whom thy
addressed themstlyt 9, had not been sufieiertly
noticed or sPplanded; and TO so high defre G
mad the disorder. at length risen, that al one
Perioo, only hiteen men, and one officer VI re
round out oil whole regiment, stationed "a
guard the very avenue, tIro' which the emery
had penetrated into the Country AZ aDothe,
point, equally important, whole co ps, n
which the greatest reliance had been placed
operated upon Ivy the acts Of fore I'm agent
suddenly deserted their post.
II, trusting to an uncertain peace, the res,
| pendent had revoked his PROCLAMATION, or ceas
ed to act under Il, the fatal security by tvhicl
we were iulled, might have destroyed all dis
c!piine, have dissolved all his force, and lief
| nm without any means Of defending the coun
| NY sgenstlan enemy, instructed by the traitor.
WIZ IN our own bosom, &c tho time and pace
| at which Re might safely make his attack. u
such an event, his lite, which would ceftainl,
have been of red up, would have been but
isepie expiration for the disgrace and miserl
| into wulch, by his criminal negligence. he hat
| perm ried tie country to be plunged.
lie thought the peace = probable. but by n,
means certain event. IF j; had really, talCeI
place, few days must bring us the official I'd
wee Of It, and iie Brought il better TO submit
! during those few DAYS, TO the snlutary re
RANTS which bad been imposed, than 10 pu
every thing dear 20 ourselves aud 20 our eoIn.
| Try ~ risk, on al uncertain contingency Ad
! NM thc chanc 10 have seen an huudrc5i, or
| thQhsand 10 one, in favor of the ratification an,
a ainst aey renewed attempts of the enemy
! VIVA should we say or think OF the prudence O
!hf man, who would stake his lite, his fortune
\ ms country, and his honor even, with sucl
| onas IN ms favor, against few DAYS sntcipa
ton OF the blessings oFpeacei The respond IN
could not bring himself to p'ay so deep haz
/ ard uri HUI nocd by the cl,msrs OF the igno
| rant and lie signing, he continued tl,c exer
Csc OF hat Jaw, whieh necessity had compel
| led nm to proclaim; and he stu thinks him.
eif Justified, by the situation OF affairs for th,
course that he adopted and pursued Has h,
exercised this power, wantonly and improper
lyf lfso, he ia liable not as he believes to thr
honorable court, for contempt, but TO his GOV
| eminent, for IN abuse Of power, aud TO thos
indyiduas, whom be has injured, in damages
| PIoPoFuOned to that injury.
| About the period last 4 scribed the consu
OF France, who appears, by governor Claiborne
letter, 70 have embarrassed tie FIRST drafts, b
his claims, IN favor ef pretended subjects o
his king, renewed his interference his cerlifi
| Gates were given TO men in the ranks Of Tn
army, 20 some who had never applied for tb m
| to Others who wished to use them as the mean
Of obtaining an inglorious exemption from dan.
| ger and fatigue. To many, who had avsiie,