Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-12-21

was DESTROYS that the question should be
settled 10 that spirit Of amity and broth
erIy love which carried US through the
perils of revolution, and produced tne
adoption of our federal constitution. II
the resolution he was about to introduce,
should be sanctioned by the house, It was
his purpose to move pos.ponemenl Of me
Missouri bill to a future day, that TINS
interesting subject, in relation to the whole
western territory, may be submitted 70
the consideration of committee. MT. Il.
then introduced the following resolution
Resolved, That committee be ap..
pointed to enquire into the expediency oil
prohibiting by law the introduction oil
slaves into the territories OF the U..States
west of the Mississippi"
Mr.. Strother made few remarks, the
pnrport of which was, that, although the
question was already before the House, as
involved in the bill for the admission OF
the Missouri Territory into the Union /;
yet, when proposition was made, having
for its object compromise of conflicting
opinions, it became members to meet it
10 a spirit Of harmony. He proposed,
however, that the proposition should lie
on the table till tomorrow, 10 give time
for reflection on it.
Mr.. Taylor asserting to this course
The motion was ordered to lie on the
table.
MILITARY EXECUTIONS, &c.
Mr.. Williams, of NORTH Carolina, Of
fered for consideration the following reso-
luton:
" Resolved, That the President of the
United States be requested TO cause to be
laid before this house any information he
may possess, respecting certain executions
or other punishments which may have
been inflicted on the army of the United
States, since the year 1916, contrary to
the laws and regulations provided for the
government of the same"
In offering this resolution, Mr.. VIII
liams took occasion to refer to the reports
10 general circulation, on which his mo-
ton was founded, and particularly to one
case reported as the most aggravated.
The report Of it, he said, was to this eli
feet: Col. King, who was left by Gen.
Jackson in command of Pensacola, issued
an order, that if any soldier deserted, and
was overtaken or apprehended, he should
be put to instant death. One soldier, who
had deserted, was overtaken, aud so put to
instant death. When appreheuded, he
exclaimed that, as an American citizen,
he was entitled to q trial according TO the
laws of his country, and claimed his rights
as such. But, with cruelty and precipit
ance, his request was refused, and he was
put to instant death. Congress, Mr.. w.
said, sat here as guardians of the rights of
the people. BIZ; i. was the weak, more
than the strong, whose rights were the PEE
culiar care of this house. IF the facts he
had stated on the authority of common
report, were confirmed, a just punishment
ought to await the offenders. Are the
rights Of an officer invaded, said he, the
alarm is sounded from one end Of the
country to the other; every feeling is
reused 10 his defence! And, when the
case of the private soldier, weak and de-
fenceIess ia his own cause, presents itself,
should no one be found to stand no for
him? Mr.. w. hoped, he said, that there
would be thorough examination into the
case, that, if the officer in question had
acted as reported, he might be exemplari-
Iy punished; and, if the report was not
true, it was due TO Col. King that the
statement should be disproved.
After considerable discussion, the reso.
luton was agreed to, mem. con- and a
committee of two members ordered to be
appointed to lay the same before the Pres
ident.