Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-02-13

ne House ihcn ~c2t INTO committee OF the Whole
on several private bills, Which ordered 10 be ell
crossed and read tird time II Monday. until which
.iine tte-Iion7e adiourned.-T.fat. .Jour.
From. DE .NIlJ3lk Herald Of Ee1 s.
coMMUNICATED.
fhe newspapers inform me that recent debate in
the House OF Representatives. alluson was made 10 NV
military conduct at Norfolk, during the late war Al
Ter an ahsc"cc of n month returned To this place two
days ago and avail myself of the carles, moment to
notice that aiusion.
The National Journa! OF the l7ih January, profess
'nS 10 report debate on the preceding day, arising
of Mr. S'onns resolutions, Mr. Randolph TO
have SAID, Bat ii Zine dismiss this hight mode
'"f treating so ,'fIve question. Il demands .rrrer
foEe Here \" are told Of bill from the Senate re
'iahYc t" the militia Well. On the other hand
"HaVe ahn'e-an anathcma--,oi up from another guar
er lay one unda" 'riOSe authority Atc ntiittunca ,eeIc
"Stot al .Eoyfofh htc SO many buiircH,"
Mr. Randolph is generally happy in his expressions
and none cOuid have been elictois than those
here imputed 10 him. The pencil OF lac;tus could
not have presented in Vivid colours the frequent
hutcheries and reckless Indifference to human suffering
with which it intended 10 pourtray nv military ed
G,instralion.
The National Intelligeaccr of the 18th Jan ascribes
to Mr.. Randolph more measured expressions on this
SUBJECT GA bill from the Senate, affecting the militia
laws Vi the i. Siaies-well sir, bill shall call IT,
''or an anathena, got up by Of th0c unicr tcho7e
"rGc;' certain a'iiAittnca shot at .Ti1JoL is
''thrown IN conemporaneonsy-no with the bill from
'tAc Scnate--no sir-hat is different affair, but with
ms notion. The o.ence is here reduced to the
9Ie fact chat ''nilitianen shot an Norfolk"
Mr. Randolph appears 10 have been soon convinced
t!!at this charge whether EXPRESSED in the STRONGER or
more mitlsated phrase, rash and unfoundrd. For
III the National Journal il is represented that during
the progress Of debate Mr.! Randolph simply to
""dt'it Thai he was wrong IN remark which he had
'made respecting the m!litiamen at Norfolk He had
supposed that his information was correct hu he had
''iolnd that he had fallen into error" The Nation
al ieteSencer referring 10 the incident merely
states, "Mr. w. yielded the floor the request of Mr.
"i. who said few words in exclamation without sta
ting VITA, these wore But in the paper OF the
@lSt is published card Of Mr.. Randolph TO Inc Editors
in these words: air Randolph reulcss the ES;t,r.
'of she National sn;e,gc TO state thai the cv
- words said by him. 'in explanation when sNlr
Wright yielded The door were this effect That
e having been informed Thy friand) that he was an
der an error IN regard to the shooting militia ea
g AT Norfolk, last war; he wished to Withdraw what he
- hai said upon that subject. That, although he had
9 derived his impression from recent, and, as lac
= had believed, an authentic source, yet he did no.
" wish, under the circumstances of the case for the al
= legation 10 go out to the word-and he was desiron
" 60 retact ii, before should have excited notice
1t would SEEM however, (ifthe printed debates are ia
he relied on that this accusation no sooner recall
led by Mr. Randolph, than reiterated by his colleague
AIr FLOYD The National iato!li5enccr reports this
gentleman TO have said, DAT the time do see a
General OF the United States, trying soldiers al Nor
:oiis, and shooting them too, for dcseron Lnolg II
'l be q fic', for 'oGs eye ,giiness gentleman
'Hear me says that those not militia men. | be
eve tlGO ofHlem derive sy information from
entitled 10 al least much c. edit as il il was
drawn from hired and pensoned letter writers in one
.! the Departments But, sir ii thcy q-aye nat mill
eH they men, ard is not The life OF man cear
BHt lie also appears 10 have been convinced, before
tie debate closed that he under some mistake for
nc is represented TO have made explanations after
yards The reporter states che understood, in
conclusion, 10 state that OF i'ro who were fye
'for deseiIon iii Hortc!b, one waS MALTA man, and
not, and that it tic S1iier aud not Ue militia
'IlaH who shot,
There is, ii is 10 be hoped, some naccuracy in tins
rcPorti'he statements ascrbed TO Mir Floyd do not
harnonize very well with each other, and still less with
the actual facts.
as my condnci has been deemed By others Of sniff
ccDt moment 20 be thus introduced 70 the attention of
Congress aud the naou it is also of su cient moment
so be correctly understood. desire 10 other yiudca
ton than a simple statement facts.
assert and defy all credible evidence TO contradict
ina that 1I!En man and only enlisted soldier
suffered military execution, during my whole command
at NOriuii3. If The fact be otherwise, the affirmative
evidence may eay be procured TO reIte INV statement
The archives Of tie department should confirm
the sentences. IN aid OF these, he orderly books OF
army, aud the rcccicclons OF those WHO served in
H. may sUFpIy the proof as far as Il IS possible 10 prove
negative that proof vii! be found in the subi1ncd
statements ol the stat and other Officers in tic ArIrv
IN Military il civil lie, laws must exist TO rcpTe,s
c;u'e. IN o)tA codes, death Is the penalty for afro
ciaus offences The Judge whose duty It Is 10 ami,
.e5e laws either in the Forum Or tie Camp exercises
al oiGc which no good man. however fran, vii, per
.arm without anxiety. That enlisted "sD,i5.y u,s IN
deed ua1;" and am deeply responsible. 10 my cOuu
g. ond my conscience il, ~ rGmcHt, ! f1Tgot dat
"H '.4s man; suay:cd his lie to be taken away
""n0'iy "r rCoa'o,sy lis story j., short ono. lie
"a5 one u i Condemned TO death for dcssriiOu. An
cEH"P!3 ispcasabe 10 arrest the crime, Icn be
coming frequent from imruGi:y The others, on my
.,a.'a;i9n, "cfe pa'donoi Jy tic President bj CO.
sF''anscn5 acts are iIe best cypos;jors of tie 5en
meats which them influenced nv conduct whether
.'i%oi ny dniy euoincd o. bu'nouy or failed 10 re-
.Jnc!c GC dcD.ani, of public justice, with those of
ICY, viii be by tie annexed oGica document,
-. submit 'hcn 10 tie public eye without apprclen-
son'tiat ny county viii find in them cause for re-
Preach. ROBERT Il, TAYLOR,
5ttyway c, .g2"