Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-08-01
POLITICAL.
From the Maryland Republican.
GENERAL WASHINGTON.

GENERAL WASHINGTON.
'ts sec 10 what an anablc the friends
OF Gen jackson will 60 in order frame excuses foe
the IDOL No sooner rs the violent character of tho
SIX Tennessee militiamen executed by order of Cen
j. exposed, than they set abou, to hunt for some outs
taseous act to produce precedent for sapgupary
conduct IN military commanders. In their desperate
ex'gence, even the sacred character of Gen. Wash
iugton hmsefis not from their assault. Read
the following extract from the Baltimore jackson pa
per-
During the Revolution. whilst the army STA, iones
az New-f orb, the soldiers constantly ceserug-Gen
Washington orders to the officers of the oupuss 10
SHOOT DOWN every man who passing without
'eaVc and bring his HEAD 20 him. One least If not
more, was shot and his head carried Washington
There was dcsertions Was Washing lou a nun
dereT Was Washington d ood-hound:-Was Washirs-
ton a cruel and unrelentipg 'miltary chenain."
Whether the writer of the above was really dcc.;-
cd as 10 the fact, or whether this production of his
pen was wanton deviation from the known truth, tho
tale he tells is equally infamous SANDER upon the
name of Washington During the lono- and bloo1v
war OF the Eevouton with all its deporable instan-
ce oil civil contention. Gen. Washington never IN ona
single instance, resortcd TO such violent measures as
we have many instances of in the brief period of Cen
'ackson's command OF him jackson might have said
as lie did o! Madison, lie could IoulS upon ,bioo
and carnage with composure.n Human life was re
garded as too sacred to be sported with The lives OF
s ocs we're not wanonly destroy cd but the lives of
ms o"n soldiers were as dear 10 hun his own. He
was .fGther to his men not their crccuiione..
But, OF tie accusation contained in the above PARA
graph, we are, fortunately able speak, from unnues
tonabie authority and hasten to do So as duty 70
The memory OF the great and good who is therein
aspersed.
I In conversation, few days since with rero!u.
t'onary officer, who, after serving his country for
considerable part OF long and active life i'll tie field
IS now nseiui!y employed by The people delegate
IN the councils Of tie state mentioned the pubca-
ton OF the paragraph above quoted from the jackson
paper, respecting George Washington. Indignation
k'udied III the CouutenanCe, and spaIkIed from thu,
eye OF the old veteran in instant. 1t touched the
character of the revolutionary army, and of his beov
Ell commander, and reused all the soldier within him.
w ouid that the author Of libel had been at that
Instant within the flash of his countenance and the
sound of his language he repealed the base insinu
alton against him he knew and loved so well. II think
1t likely" said the good old man, resunirg in "A mo-
tnent, the christian temper which ornaments his years
his feeling giving deeper earnestness 10 his
Impressive voice. as he added 81 think likely that
there may be living who knows more o;
tie circumstances upon which that tale predcated
than happen 20 know. only in the army
and upon the spot al that time, but was nv self at
the elbow OF Col! Lee, when he issued The orders for
shooting the deserteTs, and which excited such fec
ling Iii the army, ard in the country at the time
remember ii as well as it had occurred within the
inst honr. ihe army was posted on the Hudson
above W est Point; il just before we sorncd S;c-
Dey Point. Col Lee sitting a. table writinn
An oiccr came IN and reported that more of the lnen
had deserted across the line 10 the enemy. Col Lee
(te celebrated commander of the Virginia Ier;cuA
without ustant'a hesitation or without drawing tb
pen from The paper, gave ortes tc shoot every man
mat was detected deserving to the enemy, and send
! vas rripp
TO Lieut. Reed who was in command of the ajYaucp
SuaTd:-he same Gen. Reed who commanded in the
na''ie III which Sir Peter Parker killed i'm the
late and is living On the Eastern shore Of
haI land The order issued but short time before
three detected in the act Of desertinr mr.
sued, taken close 10 the enemies line and brought in
kced observed, that according orders, lie ought 10
execute all three ct them, but that he would not do so
lie would make exampIe.of one Of them think
on examination, 1t appeared that one OF them was
German one FreDchmaD, and The other american.
Reed inquired which of The three should die? II was
unanimously agreed that il should be the American
In him the arocity Tie most aggtavaiing because
{ 1t was bis native country he desertng-he war
shot His head cut off and sent TO head ou,r;ers
agreeaLiy TO orders But no man could be more
mortified or provoked than Gen. Washington was at
the sight SO iariron couneDarcps such proceed
ing for instant, Col Lee immediately arrested
and 'icd for his conduct and With extreme d;f-
tctIy. iH5eed, popular that officer deservedv stood
S'in the army that he was preserved fom being broke
for the offence,
but gentlemen" continued the old veteran ,na,l,
tie difference between the case of the dese,ticn in
this instance and the deserters that Gen. Jackson or
dered TO be shot. know that ii always was coosil
cred IN the army, that soldier, when on actual dutv
as guard, in face Of enemy deserinp his posf mr. ,
soldier detected in The of deserving directly 10 ,a
enemy, might be shot. But this instance have tncr
toned and the feeling excited in all ranks ON The or
cason OF tie death of that man. is IN evidence nf
The restraint which was felt ia goBg even that far
Regulars enlisted IN the army for bounty seldom
shot for deseron, however agravatcd-but 10 denrivc
irregular miamen of their lives for leaynr the cam,
not TO desertto the enemy, but 10 20 home 10 lcig
ianIIies never enteredinto the brain of any man at
mat day. even Vt his time Of service he'd ex pircd
and mich question, il the popularity Of Washington
hnself could have been sustained in Tic army II he
had attempted such proceeding. M,litamcn Ieav,
! ing w ashingtons camp during the Resolution was
OF constant occurrence. lie never thuuoht them ga =
military despot, dealing life and death without regard
to military law even much less the laws of humanity
liat should at least have spared those who were con
laeh' 'hat they had performed their tour Of duty and
were entitled 10 a discharge.D
-eHc
GENERAL JACKSON.
/ ORANGE, July 10, 1877
! Looking Backwoods Magazine to-day in the