Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-12-21

which states that Commodore Porter is .o be
recalled from the command of the West India
Squadron in consequence It is believed of his
ilte questionable attack on Spanish TOWN. and
that Captain Warrington i'm the frigate Cons,cl-
lalion ia TO proceed to take command Of the
| station.
GEN. JACKSON.
Whilst the decree has not yet gone forth, we do
not conceive ii too late to discuss the professions of
Gen. Jackson To the Presidency. The Crawford
presses, which at first the most strenuous on
p"nents OF the military chief every where sent
IN their adhesion, or observe strict nettra lity
hcy give as reason, that the matter is now with
! Congress, anu that 1t would be presumpfuous in
them to ntcrneddc with il further. In other words
II Is presumption interfere with question before
Congress, though, when the same question was be-
Tc the nation, it was right and proper to influence
the great body OF the people by every species of
gument! Modest gentlemen. and good rcpubica ms!
p"es 'h's sudden relaxation of hostility proceed
from the cause assigned, from the more natural
impulse of hurrains for the victor.-for we have
| seen these same editors, Messrs. NOAH Binns, Col
WIN, kichit and Gonch Ell id one genus. freely, nd
we will say fearlrssy investigate, applaud or CEN
sure, measures under the debeIatiuu of Congress-
Nilen before was there i.nporta MT me sure
on which they were required to decide. at what
period the free press a t. country more called
upon To stand firm in defence of its own rights the
constitution and the safety nation What crisis
have the United States encountered, comparable IN
this, when they are about La surrender for four
years, Tire destines nf the country its peace and
liberty, iu;o ,h- hands Of man, who has once he
lore made war on his own authority, and on whose
| head the blood of INNOCENCE lies unavcnset. We
do not pretend To instruct. hope influence the
members nf Congress, but il must he an encourage
ment To those who already disposed TO resist the
| election ri Gen. Jackson, to find themselves enc
| taned, and their conduct defended, by the press
al all events, we will never, by prudent ac0ucs-
cence in an event which is taken for granted before
II happens, leave il To be conjectured that We ind
hose whose opinions we represent in this particu-
lar, "a great majority of Vnginia) concur in the
election of Gen. Jackson. When he is elected we
will bow to the decision, and yield to his admins
'ration the support which it may merit. We will
| resist his election until IL is made.
The country is filled with ,cports of Gen Juck =
sous great suavity of nncrs, his determinations nd
| his predilcc;cn for Te!io ion! Whom was il tina,
| ambition could not "change shapes with Proteus
| for advantages" Julius Cesar, when med,,.t;ny
the subversion of public liberty, dsuiscd his views
ny seeming absorbed in the pursuits uf the coxconb;
/ ana Cicero himself could scarcely believe thar n
| flop, who combed aud oiled his hair with sucl, ev
treme and woinanish care, could be secretly CON-
teInp!afing tire overthrow of Roman liberty CroIn-
well preached, prayed. sung psalms, and tasted.
until Inc became Protector of England! Shall we
| most credit Gen. Jacksons present Professions mr.
| the acts OF his life? Shall we pay the most defc
renee to our knowledge of the past, or our hone o,
! the future?
The following extracts from the pampblct OF
t1esse Benton. We particularly call the readers
attention to the case of the ak militia men w,
can scarcely ciedit it, But the circ,ns, ;,l;,,
OF HE narratve--iti relation by nan of conside-
rapie standinS-aHd when thousands are liyiny
who cood, if untrue, talsfy its statements afford
al least, strong Prina acie evidence of its irutl,
sit was during the Creek war that the execu
tion OF John Wood, young militamap, took
l,,tS O., q.
pace 10 Tie Justification of which several pages
OF Jaclsson's, alias Eatou's book, is applied. II
may have been coniormable TO tue strict rules of
military discil line, but it had sickeninp effect
~ the Tune throughout the country. There
were other executions which occurred under
ms military despotism, which are suppressed in
The book. One of these scenes TO which I al
Jude, was the execution Of six miiitiamen. under
circumstances calculated to excite the utnost
horror among a civilized ard humane peopIe.
ihcy composed part of the drafted militia who
went out under the impression that they were
to serve only three months. To satisfy all
doubts IN tins respect, it is said they procured
The oiInion ut a court-mariial Of their officers
al h"ine,'and Tie private opinion Of some of fine
| ofiii err, among whom, report states, there was
ore Brigadier- General of militia, preyous tn
'heir marching for the army, I'll of whom con-
cnrren III Inc opinion that they were bound for
only thr2f months. At the expirafion of ,,,;o
dcSerterS, aud, OH being advised that they had
done wrong, went back five hundred roiIcs
wiiiIngiy, and without being confined and forced
oacE as CRIMINALS. Among tbes, ,nen vv.s CO.,
preacher of uie gospel, and one vou,b under
twenty one years of age, who had fought brave
~ during two tonrs previously. At least three
OF the SIX had fami les; Two or three of them
were charged win some other violation of fir
iaw, besides desertion- The soldiers vvIoax
cnted The sentence Of Tie law, certainly aimed
10 mss the youth who had served tie two tou,s
before; only one struck him near the hin. 'rLer
were all considered dead, and Tx, soldiers who
executed them had marched of. Some voun1
oihcers happened, in indulsing their cnr,os;tS
ny looking at the slain, to discover the vopna
man open AN eye. Here is one of then, v;rlts
his eye; he IS not dead YETI For Gods s.-e
cont shoot me again. said the Young so,I;er
VINO bad been pretending to be dead. Tie
nour Ior uelr execution had passed and General
rlourncy dared TO spare his Inc. He J;aJ
tnough' IN three or four days. These men &C.
poor and triendlcss. Their distressed .,v;yos
and their helpless children were LEFT 10 s;ok
under their load of nisery--to mourn over tl,e;r
untrncly, unnecessary cruz ana ;,,t,STs6