Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-09-01


own partsans
"P. S. II will be recollected, in the Revolutionary
war, at time OF great trial. Gen. w ashngion ordered
dese'ters TO be shot without trial. Capt Reed, under
this order having arrested three had shot without
trial and his head brought to the Gene,a but he Gen
Washington. reprimanded Reed for not shooting the
whole three"
Now mark how History speaks of this affair, in
the person of an eye and ear-w,ngss TO ali that pas
sed:
''The army posted on the Hudson above West
fohi; IL was just before stoTmed Stoney Pont.-
Col Lee was sitting at table writing. An officer
came IN and reported that more of the had deserted
across the ne 10 the euemy. Col. Lee, the celebrated
commander OF heFTgina Legion, without an instants
hesitation, withdrswipghe pen from the paper rave
the orders 'to shoot every that detected de-
ser'lnS 10 The enemy and send their heads to head
quarters.' The order given to Lieut.. Reed who
was IN command Of The advance guard the same Gen
Reed who commanded in the battle in which Sir Peter
Parker was killed in the late war, and is living on
the Eastern Shore of this Stac.The order was issued
but short time before three were detected in the
act OF deserving, pursued, taken close 10 the enemys
line and brought in Reed observed, that according TO
ordes he ought TO execute all three of them but that
he would not do So He would make example of one
Of ihein think, on examination, il appeared that
one OF them was German one Frenchman and the
other an American Reed inquired which of the three
should die was unanimously agreed that il should
be the American. In him The atroCitv was the most
aggravated, because il was his native country he was
deseriing-hc was shot. His head cut Oh and sent
to headquarters. agreeaby 10 orders But no MAJ,
rO" De more mortified orPror0ked than Gen. Washng-
ton 'rds at e Sisd. So far from co,SltenGnciag such
proceeding for instant, Cot Lee ,cas n,ndatey ar
rested, and ted his conduct and If ,ras ,e erire,c
a!gf"Hy indeed popular as at oGicer desrrcdy stood
tc'n the crn Na!he PRESCRIBED from being broke for
tie offence"
This is the statement of Col Uilliaue Dent BcaH of
maryland who was then captain in Westinghouse ar
my and the immediate commander Of Lieut.. Reed to
wnom lees order was given. Those who know Col.
beaIl know that his yeracity never was questioned:
that no man living more pously vener6tes truth and
honor, and that he never would have given this minute
detail OF the case fhc did not as he SAYS .sremem
Der 1t rs well as if ii had occurred within the last
hourn
But suppose it to be true, that s'Gen. Washington
ordered deSeefS TO be shot without trial." How does
that excuse Cen jackson for ordering men TO be shot
who were nor "deserters:' Harris and his five asso
ciates were free citizens who had fajuill, se1red their
regal tour OF duty, three months. They had then gone
M'"c' not over to the enemy"were brought back by
the strong arm of power, kept in irons for sixty DAYS
or more, and afterwards deliberately a,,,rercd mi
without trial." indeed, but in violation of Justice hu
manly and law The man who shot BY Reed was
detected in the act Of DESERVING pursued t1E, rIooe
TO the clGny's line and brought in - Where ash, s
the parallel? No If Gen. Jackson relies for his usti
cation uFon the supposed resemblance of his conduct 10
OF " ashnSton he must procure history of
Tue revolution to be written, by of his own biocra
piers. An ingenious writer having no other object ihsn
10 natter hn and unresraned by the tranels OF histo
ricai ru rDiSht do much towards completing the pic
,"c vi secouu " asilIStoh; oH while present
histories MAINTAIN their GROUND, tho first Washington
must stand unaPproaciIed and unapproacba5le by This
''counteTieit presentmentr
ihere is one sentiment however, in the Generals
letter, winch eXcites our unqualified approbaton II
Is The sentiment OF true honor well as of christian
charIty. But we marvel much that, while penniuc il
u dd not occur to the General, that he was utteIne
uhe most severe Invectve against himself Referring
to MIR Buckner, he says-''As public or private man
speaking ottransactons which concern he-reputaonl
and character of others. every manly feeling should
remind him. that he ought to be guided by established
'facts, net by the hearsay of a party Could there
De more pointed philippe against the 'residen com
nunIcaons OF the General TO his friend Carter Bever-
ley and others? Was he guided by established facts
while he was thus secretly cndeavoring to arnish the
reputation and characterize of Mr. Clay and his friends
or was he 'guded" by the hearsay ola party "and by
misrepresentation, too Of that shcars7g?n ifI
tire General could only have turned his eyes inwardy
at e moment, how great must have been his shock at
the discovery that he was so keeny satirzing himself
lii his advice 10 Mr.. Euckner.