Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-14
COMMUNICATED
THE SIX MUTlNEERS.

e4OA3 80 Wv -. WI AZ.
CO.if.NU.N ICAIED.
THE SIX MUTINEERS.
VI all the disgraceful and irsidious attempts
that have been made 10 render the character o
Andrew Jackson odous in the eyes of his coun
trymen, the charge of his taking away the lives o
the six mutineers is the most infamous. The,
were found guilty, on indisputable evidence, o
'nuny and desertion, at most exposed part OF TIA,
country, and 10 the heart OF discontinued and re
iractory camp. Impunity had only aggravated the
disease. The army was dissolving away in rebel
lion; the eagles OF the Republic were about to b.
deserted by those who should have rallied 10 tlei
support. The Rev. Mr.. Paine who acted a.
Chaplain to the Army, describes the scene which
he witnessed. He administered his holy office &c
the convicted culprits; he received their dying
confessions; and he solemniy atcsts that their sen
tencc was considered as a necessary aud righteou,
one mot only by all the officers and all the privates
but by the sufferers themselves.
Lenity had been tried by their officers in vain;
ond the tumults OF the army were increasing to a
general mutiny and abandonment of their posts,
IN inc lace OF the enemy Without such punish
ments, necessary as they painful, how could a
dissatisfied army be kept together! How could the
most ordinary discipline be nisni ained in body o!
men, who are called into actual service, TO repe
mercenary invader from our shore--when the
sweets oil home are ever painted by the magma.
ton as more delightful. when conrasted with the
dreary reality OF bad provisions and extraordinary
privaons Such is the fortune Of war; and such
are the sacrifices imposed the citizen soldiers OF
a free country. The good and the gallant spri,
viii meet every difficulty and danger eheerfully
Tor The good OF the nation; while the bastard and
refractory must be restrained by the Of the
law IL must be so in every army. Mutiny and
desertion are punishable with death, by all the
forms OF military discipline under all the possible
forms of government.
And why is all this censure reserved for Jack
son alone, who had no other agency in the tran
sacton than first to direct the organization of the
Court Martial and then TO pass upon their solemn
sentence and the irresistible evidence by which il
was supported! Pardon these men he could not
under the articles of war-he partoned all that he
could. He exempted the others from the lighter
Punishments TO which they condemned
Why do his enemies reserve all their warmth for
him! Why do they not vent their murmurs over
the fate OF the eighty-sf1 men, of whom all but
three were shot TO death, during the late war, by
different officers, for similar offences? For, accord
ing to the authentic archives Of the War Depart.
men, the following were g shot 10 DEATH" viz: )
by order Of Gen. lizard; . by order of Gen. Cad
wallader; by order Of Gen. Lewis; 1 by order OF
Gen Wilkinson; l9hy order OF Gen. Gaines; by
order of Gen. Bloomfield; by order Of General
Scott, II by order Of Gen. Dearborn; by order
OF Gen. C----; by order of Gen. Pinckney;
by order OF MIR. Madison, by order of Mr..
Monroe; by order of Gov. Tompkins; l by order
OF Gen. Brown; by order OF Gen. Chandler; 4
by order of Gen. Hampton,--Is Gaines murder
err? Is Bloomfield? Is Scott murderer? Are NJ
Arthur. and HARRISON and Macomb, who also had
their men =" shot to death" for similar offences,
murderers.
And what are the shameful articles employed 10
impose on the more credulous and sbuseJ nortioo
of the people! Coiin-handbiils chang ed from time
10 time, as the falsehoods printed upon them have
become too outrageous TO be circulated (sueh as
was the Gaze OF Saml Jackson, whose pierced no.
dy was portrayed upon the first impression until
his in-law came forward 10 attest his friendship
for A. Jackson)- Monumental Inscriptions with
appropriate panegyrics TO deserters and mutineers
have been Haunted over the country to strike the
senses and insult the understandings Of an intelli
gent people.
And suppose these vile tricks were to have the
effects which intended, are the Iniscreant cir
culators aware of the mischiefs which they are in.
fic,ng? What will be the consequence upon the
raw and inexperienced nilitianan who, at some
future period, may he called out to defend his
country: Can there be any doubt OF the matter?
lis not this elaborate effort TO paate the crime of
desertion the most certain method for rendering all
American army accessible TO mutiny ard notorious
for cowardice!
Had the base slanderers of Gen. Jackson pos
sessed the taintest spark of genuine patriotism,
they would not have had recourse to such an un-
precedcnted warfare against distinguished patriot
Every man who loves his country ought 10 incul-
cate the absolute necessity of strict subordinaton
under military discipline Whether the period Of
enlistment expires not, no soldier is at liberty TO
quit his army until he has been regularly discharg-
ed. 10 how many OF the numerous assertions now
officially complained of in the U. s. army-a
growing sin TO the great expense of the Treasury
and TO the great disgrace OF the arIny-have these
extraordinary vituper atoms about the six munecrs
essentially contributed
But Gen. Jackson is called by his countryinen
to preside their afairs-and 10 lead the way TO
puri!icaton and reiorm.--The Coalition trcrnblc
for their ii-gotten seats; and their minions quail
through all the recesses of corruption 1t ia on
these accounts, that truth is to be violated prnc-
pie to be disregarded discipline to be sacrificed,
and the successful Hero of his country is to be
coarseiy and unjusy illuminated Will The peo-
pie whom he has served and whom he is az ain able
TO save from their enemies, calmly stand by and
consent to his inmolaon' SENTINEL