Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-11-12

the legality of a measure so deeply affecting
their interests: and what is more, II the men
Indeed more accurately Of the. law than either
of them. the mistakes Of neither nor both can
sanctify their execution. Such discrepancy
between the law and the facts, was sufhcient
defence In charge for mutny, and nothing onl
a culpable inatlenlinn 10 the plea, can account
for the courts condemning or the Genera'
sanctioning their punishment.
But an attempt is made by the committee 10
show, that the demand for the SIX months SER
vice was lawful, because Gov. Blount was au-
ihorized by the President TO issue The ORDER
and they support this most contlaent ou'
g:oundless assertion by bold appeal to let
Ter which | COPY.
"JPar Department, Jan. IL, 1914.
.sSlR: You are authorized to supply by MILF
I" tia drafts, or by volunteers, any deficiency
which NAV arise in The militia division un-
der the command Of Major Gen. Jackson,
" and without referring to the head OF this de-
4" partment. 1t may be well that your excel
lency consult Gen Pinkney on such occasions
6 as he can best Judge Of The uhot number re-
{" cessary to the attainment OF the public OBJ
jccts.
Signed 81. ARMSTRONG;.
Bold. indeed is the inference that letter
written in January when the law did authorize
the detention Of the militia in service Tor SIX
months provided they belonged to the hrs' re-
QUESTION, should give similar power alter
the law had expired, and the legal demands Tor
the service of the citizen placed on entIre'y
different basis; from letter which gives to the
Governor the power to supply the numbers
required, but says not one word about time,
and therefore leaves that upon the footing on
which the general law Of the land had placed
it; and conscious must they be OF the weakness
of their cause, or fully relying on their powers
to mislead he public, no can place their de-
fence on no better ground. The truth is :w-
dent, that both Gov. EIount and Gen. Jackson
were ignorant of the law upon the subject oil
the militia, and even when his attention was
called TO it by the defence CT Harris and MS
companions, he could not have given himsei'
the trouble to look into the validity Oh that Ge-
fence, an indifference as TO the lives OF his lei.
low citizcns, which can not but pronounce
criminal And if so ignorant OF the laws an.
der which he was daily called upon TO act, and
affecting essentially his particular department
! Of service, with which, in Short it was his du-
ty TO be intimately acquainted, i, affords out
bad pledge of his becoming acquainted with
| lN2l more fAltHQtu UOQy SI law, NuiSh WILL W
necessary to guide him in discharging the du-
ties incident to the first civil station in The
country.
still more unjuslfabe instance OF d'sin'
genuousness on the part OF the committee, Is
their attempt TO show that the aledged mutt
nv occurred within the period OF three
months service. To do this they studiously at.
TEMPT throu ghout, to confound the arrival o.
The men al The place Of rende-DouS, (thc Ian
s--,,. unifnnr,l, mead in the laws1 with the
time of their being mustered intO tie Sercice OF
the u States: although that tern is no where
used in The laws, as ascertainlng in any degree
the commencement Of the tour Of duty, have
uuo,ed the sections and placed the passages
| in titles; the word Rendezvous alone Is used
Now every man who has been in the militia
service knows, thai he may not be mustered mic
service for several weeks after his term OF SER
vice has really commenced, and alter he has
been upon active duty. That depends OH the
presence Of some inspector, who may or may
not be at the place of rendt@vous. The Nash.
Vile committee Must have known this; yet
thew attempt to myst,fy the subject and mis-
lead the public by s,udiously keeling this out OF
view, and gravely tell US that "as the mutInous
acts took place before the goth Of September
and consequently before the expiration d
! three months from the goth OF June, at which
time they were mustered iniv The service, even up
on this ground they were guilty. /! these gen
tlemen meant TO be candid, If they meant not
TO deceive the public, why did they not pursue
the language of the law, and tell US at what
time those men arrived at the place OF Icndez-
vous, as from that time their term OF service
| commenced? They say too that the mutinous
acts took place before the 2oM Of Sept. Why
thus indefinite if their object was to give correct
inTorn alton 10 the public? They possess all the
doc umrn,s, and we know only SO much as they
choose 10 dole out 10 US and no more, and al
though they have no where in this piece given
US The exac, date of the mutny, yet fortunate
ly in their first they were not SO cautious The
muuny took place on the 18th Of September,
so tina, if the men had arrived al their place Of
rendezvous one day before they were mustered
(and instances did occur in which the militia
of this State were in service nearly two months
before they were mustered) then their terms