Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-06-23
JOSE PiZARRO.
DOMESTll.

WASHINGTON, June l8.-The PREsI-
DENT OF the United States reached his re-
sIdence III tins city yesterday morning
having left the NoNSUCH thirty or forty
miles below, and come up The river, UNI
attended, except by the boats crew which
rowed him up. Thus has the Presid, Mt
terminated the tour of observation of the
waters ol the Chesapeake, which his Off
cial duty devoived upon him.
The NONSUCH arrived at the Navy
Yard III the afternoon. Nat. Int.
No occurrence OF modern date has pro-
badly draws forth greater variety of
commeSt, than the recent military execu-
ticns on the Southern frontier. Circum-
stances so unusual in our country pro.
duce no little sensation, the greater from
their Hnfrfquency.
The freedom OF our constitution neces-
sarily exposes the acts Of IFS public OH
GERS 10 a latitude OF animadversion un-
known In the governments from which we
have derived the military with other arts.
Hence, whilst OF one hand we fiRd the
conduct of our military commander laud-
ed immeasurabIy, on the other we fad it
condemned, and one paper has gone the
length of calling the transaction horrible
That each OF these parties has viewed
the matter with a prejudiced eye, we can
not doubt and we shall be less liable to
err, if we avoid either extreme.
Whilst we acknowledge, nay, we as
sert, the popular right of freely investi-
eating and Judging of military opera
tons and military conduct, as inseparable
from the right OF suffrage, by whish those
who bcstow military rank are themselves
clothed with the power 10 do so-whlst
we would be the last 10 surrender that
right, there is respect due TO the cha
racters and feelings of men, who are res
ponslble, even for error, at the peril of
life and of honor, that should forbid
wanion sport with either. At least be-
fore we pronounce our opinions, let us
know OH What grounds they rest, that,
when pronounced, our opinions may be
entitled TO some respect.
In regard 10 these executions, then,
our Information extends only TO the fact,
that two indians, The perpetual foes OF
the American race, and who are said To-
have violated every obligation of nature
or of law by savage ireachery, were
hung by Gen. Jackson; and that two
white persons were tried by Court
Martial, and punished with death, on
charges of trpachery and deliberate in
cltement of The savages TO acts Of barba-
riry. We have not the official annunci-
alton of these facts; neither the procee-
dings of the Court Martial before whom
the latter were tried. But we have enough
TO certify 10 us, that these persons, If gu1l-
ty of The offences alleged against them,
mcrted their fate aud 10 induce us, If
not TO commend the act Of inficiing their
punishment, certainly not to condemn it
without taking tie trouble TO enquire IN
TO its justice.
We can well conceive that painful
feeling might b; awakened in the breasts
OF many, nay, of most Of OBr readers, OF
hearing these circumstances The feel
ing IS natural. The miserable wretch,
whose life is forfeit TO The laws for the OF
fence Of horse stealing orof highway rob-
berry, is moi launched into eternity without
commlsseraiion. We would, at that mo-
ment, save him, if we could. But, in the
highest excitement of that feeling, who
ever censured The Jury that decided, the
Judge who pronounced the law, or the Of
ticer of The court whose unfortunate deity
IT was TO see the sentence executed Yet
the degree Of the crime thus aioned bears
no proportion 10 tile enOrmity Of that,
OF which lie is guilty WHO educaies a
whole tribe to murder d rapine, puts the
instruments into their hands, and even
heads the bands which have slaughtered
our fathers, brothers, wives and helpless