Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-04-06


precedents. In the estimation of that
gentleman, that precedent has already
grown into law. Will you suffer this also
TO become the law of the land; and, by
so doing, deliver yourself up, bound
hand aud foot, TO the arbitrary caprices
ct the officers of your army! l most
devou'iy pray that such may not be the
result. | bavc every confidence i'm the
patriotism OF that army b., I cannot,
Will mot, consent 10 invest then with
powers conferred OIL Congress by the
constitution.
AS TO The remaining points of enquiry,
shall be very brlet. Sir, my only object
Is TO present you what | esteem the strong
points of these questions. do not wish.
even II | had The power. TO perplex you
WIN subtle anu ingenious reasoning. My
object Is to meet the questions fairly-,o
encounter the arguments of honorable
gentlemen. with sach force as can. and
10 contribute, as lar is my humble talents
Will permit me-, in Calculating this inter.
esting subject. II, Mr.. Chairman. the
capture OF 81. Marks was Unauthorized.
Tue execution OF Arbuthnot must of ne
eessiy nave been so. Spain was neutral
IN he war. Her flag, therefore. for he
was IN ST. Marks, protected Arbuthnot
from your power. This is the principle
Tor winch we have never ceased tn con
tend. Ie same principle prevails on the
iand and on he ocean. Ii this man had
Dten on board Spanish vessel. accord
ing 10 this RUE, one of your naval officers
would have had no authority to- have
dragged INN from on board that vessel
anu punished him with death Against
ule nrilish Practice otsearch aud impress
ne"', our government has never ceased
cause oi HE late war. Will Won protest
against THIS practice when observed nv
Iorrlgn nations, aud shall We adopt M.
same practice M our armies and ON the
nigh seas IS this to do Justice ? Oar
maShahimi'y, onrhonor, our n,istency.
are All al stake. II we cannon look 10 this
rouse 10 preserve them, in the name of
t1eaven 10 whom shall We look F,en
against The seizure OF property protected
py neutral flag, we have c,ustan,iy
Increasingly commended Shall the rigbis
o. persons be less respectedl I beS Of
Gentlemen 10 recollect Valparaiso Thr
e sex irigate was under The guns Of a
Spanish battery: Two English vessels AT
lacked and captured her. Have we for
gouen The clamor which this pusillapimitv
excited against Spainl Sir, she was reDrI.
serted either as hostile towards us or an
poor aud degraded in spirit as to suffer
ner sovereignty 10 he evaded without re-
s.shhs IL. we have ncv r ceased 10 re
moasiraie against this infractiou of her
neutrality, an;i when we cnumer,Ie The
causes OF war agaIns; her, this is never
onltted. ldemaud again, to know if we
Shall adopt different rule when we our
selves are HE aggressors No. Sir. insis,
maj ius,ica Is the same every where. and
under ali circumstances. Let her fiat h.,
oone, as well tor us as against us.
he exc uilonof Ambrister and the two
lndiah chefs L consider equally indefen.
s'Die. Although the reasoning applicable
TO the case Of Arbuihnot is moi appIicabi.
10 that Of Ambrisler, We, all The reasons
which 30 TO show the Improperly of The
execution OF The latter, apply also TO the
former. shall not stop 10 enquire wheth.
er The court martial was properly orpaniz-
ed or proceeded with due solennitv and
inrm. IN. has already ben sufficiently
canvassed, amt IN my estimation cnnsti-
iu'es only secondary branch of enquiry.
! reason from great principles recognized
pV Inc law OF nations. That law recog
h'zes Dut one reason cngent enough 10
authoi iSe general 10 put 10 death his pri-
soners. ana mat Is where the safely
o. lbs men requires IT," Was that safety
Implicated bhy suffering a wretch TO live
was tie existence of his men or his ,rmy
endangered in The life of miserable
vampire who had crawled from the sinks
o European corruption, and had visited
tbis western shore, either to exist i'm the
commission OF crime himself, or on the
ehormiiies OF others! Or did the contiuu.
ance OF the lives of his Indian capiiyrs
threaten discontinue and overthrow II
cannot be pretended. The first vas too
insignificant 10 have excited such fears
the power oil the last was broken. and all
their finrts defeated. The rife aud tan.
aliawk ha0 been struck from their hands
aud they ware prisoners, dcfesceless and
Sir, would il not have bettpr
wlill your rational clara fer
If, instead of executing these capiiyes
the General had said to them, +" go, give
you your liberty : go 10 your lew sur
WING warriors, and tell them that tina,
nation against whose defencelcss frontiers
you have raised the murderous scaipipg
knife, with whom you have ever been Al
war, whose blood you have delighted TO
drink-i!Iat nation, so abused, so insuifed.
has no law TO punlsh you: il restores YOU
TO your native forests, and has onIy 10 |
as' that you will abandon your enemies, |
and instruct your warriors how 10 respect |
her rights" lcannot but think that this |
would better have accorded With The prin. |
clpics ofumanily andthe laws ofnaiions.
But, SIR, we are told by my lion. friend |
from Virginia, (Mf. Barbonr,) that The |
ancient law Of nations permitted tie con
qneror to put TO death lis prisoners, and |
,hat that code applies sill TO savage ma
ti0ns. lie admitted, however, that new
code bad been adopted by civilized ma
tons; and, sir, this new code provides !
the mode Of conducting war even against
barbaflans. Does not Tue gentleman then
see that his p sllioD and admission are al
variance with each other! The new code !
las abrOssled The other. are Won moi