Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-13

utt aDu NOT OtOOU mas DePn SneOs w mere nu
other weapon but little paper missile has
been used, productive Of no injury to any hu-
man being The pardoning row-r would b.
properly exercised in cases Of murder not
withstandins the man asking forgiveness should
stand before the Excessive with his bloody
hands md freDzied eye. The wretch who
dared TO uplift his impious arm against the
country which gave him birth, which had
nurtured him in infancy, and whose laws had
surrounded him with wall of protection,
strong aud impenetrabe as .adaniant, that
man, violating all laws human and divine,
might appear before the tribunals the coun-
try and ask forgiveness, and would he forgiven.
But he who acting under the impulse Of strong
and powerful feeling, is thereby betrayed in.
to the mprudence of sending n challenges,
however penitent he may be, is to be- turned
away without solaee, without relief. The dar-
ing pirate, who makes war upon the innocent
and helpless, whose torch lights 10 destruction
the infant and the mOther-who prowls on the
highway OF nations with an appetite keen as
death, and as Unsuitable as the grave, he can
by suing for, obtain mercy. But your dis
nthisement must still accompany the I'M
fortunate being, who in his youthful days has
dared to give audience To his passions altho'
he stand before you spOtless and immaculate
from the stain OF blood. If this be the inexo-
| IL
your statute book. Let it not exist in chris
tian land.
| But IT is said that the most deplorable con-
sequences are to result: from the passage of
this bill. Assertions and naked declarations
are easily made-but should like to hear
the arguments in support of this assertion
The circumstances attendant on this case are
either sufficient or otherwise, to induce its pas
sage or rejection. lf they be insufficient, let it
be rejected-but If they enlist all your feelings
and excite your sympathies-if they not only
appeal to your feelings but your Judgment,
| then are you bound To pass it. But, sir, the
precedent, ii is urged, will operate njurously
I-ifyou grant relief in this case you must do
so in every other case. This is plain non
sequiiur. If this is To be Il precedent it can
only operate To induce the granting of relief in
other cases similar to this-because you do
right to-day, does il follow that you will do
wrong tO-morrow-or will you not he as wise
on Tomorrow az you are to-day-will not your
successors be as wise as you are-or are we
disposed TO ascribe all human perfection ex
ciusIveiy to ourselves? Let us not mistrust
ourselves or those who are to come after U.S.
The only question with us should be, is it right
to exert the pardonng power in this case ? If
so, let us act as becomes us and pass the BILL
But what danger willari rom this precedent?
Think you that others will court an insult such
as that given in this case for the purpose of ex-
citing the smypathies of this assembly Or
will any man incur the risque of eternal dis
reimbursement by giving challenge for tire
poor privilege of throwing himself on your
clemency
There are some who prefer TO pass general
bill of amnesty, TO the bill now under c0nside-
ration. He was not ofthat number. He was
opposed to that hotch potch in legislation,
which stirring up the good and the bad together
meted the same measure To both. He pre-
| ferred that each individual should stand on its
own footing. Let me see the circumstances.
Let the offender come here with contrite and
iowly spirit. IL he be penitent and his case be
hard one, will forgive him. l call on those
who are in favor of relief in some form, not
| TO desert us nOw-let them remember that
you run the hazard of breaking the horses
back by heaping on him too much weight
Ii then, said Mr.. II. have succeeded in
showing you that this law should he like all
others, and admit perceptions, we come to en-
quire whether the case here presented demands
your interposition. And first let us enquire who
this petitioner is? Sir, he rs the little strip
ling, who, when this capital was threatened
with sack and pilIage during the late war, at
the early age of sixteen, rushed along with
! your brave and gallant yeomrn TO the tented
field, regardless OF all personal peril, and seek
ing to meet the invader of our soil, exchanged
the school-boy's satchel for the warriors
sword. He was one of the number of those
who formed the first elite corps, composed of
chosen spirits, at Warrennie. This was his
early budding. He has wiihered, il is true,
under the frost Of the laws Acknowledgement,
but let your forgiveness shine upon him, and
the autumnai fruit will not disappoint the pro-
mise OF the spring. He was an orphan boy
His father had sunk To the grave in his early
childhood, and his mother did not live to wit
ness the day of his manhood arrive. He had
been left no other dependence but the energy
OF his own miHd TO make his way through the
world, and to procure an honorable living.
He had toiled through the preparatory steps
of his profession, and yet under the age of
twenty-one, presented himself, for the first
time, at the bar Of the superior court of Hem
rico. He came 10 conflict with an attorney of
long standing at the bar. II was necessary for
| him TO make statement Of occurrences al
teDdant on the case, and he was charged by
his opponent with having uttered falsehood
IN regard to the same. An anxious crowd
turned their eyes towards him. What ought he
TO have done? Honesty and truth are Of the
most essential value To professional man
they constitute his bread-nought else can
lit hlp' up tn eminence or ensure success. The
petitioner saw those prospects Of success
which were wildly bursting on his anxious
vision, threatened with obscurity by reason Of
the charge made against him. IL this insult
had been offered TO n man advanced in years,
and whose JHdgment and reason had in a
great measure obtained the mastery over his
passions one, no novice at the bar, and no
stranger TO the world, he would, under the
influence of the feelings of the moment have
sought revenge. His blood would not have
cooled within half an hour; and let it not be
forgotten that this challenge was given within
that time. II Robert Deuthat had Instantly