Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-05-17
JOHN HARRIS.


TO THE EDITOR rHE REPORTER.
deem 1t necessary to make true sta. emen, OF the
case OF John Harris, of e six nii!its men no We
sic' at N"bc. should not have t,oubed The rub {;
but for tue cornmotion many ernen;s have
our country into. di! know this as the casc un
u lately, and 1t seems to have been BY accident that
neafd H. We had declined tang any newspaper 8. and
were surrounded by Gen. Jacksuu's friends. III, bro
Their James enqu ell Of If he was the sen of RIr
Harris that was executed Mobile; aud if he had heard
what jackson and others saying abou, him in The
public pt ints
determined 10 what had been said and ,;as "a
voured with newspapers by my friends
O all the statements that have seen, those made
oy Zen. Jackson IN letter 10 gentleman in Ba!ti
more and 10 letter TO Jur. Ovens in Kentucky are
Tue most destitute OF Truth The first letter is raCi k
OF infamous lies that heather would sutider 10 tell:
and part OF the other can prove to be false
lie letter bearing date 4h of September, 1896 was
hrst pIbshed in the Baltimore Republican. The sub
Joined extracts are copied from Miles, Register, Ju:c
23rd, 1927, p. e32.
'7ruih IS mighty and shall prevail Intrigue and
management incapable of bndloltiing The v,rtuous
yeomanry my country, will fail their ends; nor can
they impose any other task than that of defending
myself "sans their mpu,atons, whenever the autho
cloos" To unmask theinseves-a task which am al
ways ready to perform
The case that you aIude to might as well he ascri
bed TO the President of the United States as commap.
der IN chief OF the land and naval forces to me- bu,
as you ask for statement of facts, send them in a
concise form.
:
drafted militia, charged with the defence of fort
Jackson, in the heart of the Creek nation and within
my military district. Whilst thus IN command part of
his reg inen fnuned AT the head OF this mutinv ~ az
Jnr. harfia. preacher as my memory serves me-
OF the Bdphst profession He broke open the commits
sary stores knocked ont the heads OF the -four barrels
taxing what he wanted, and destroying what he plea
sed-prOcecded then the bake-bousc and set :, nm
fire. and marched Oft in open defiance of the Colon.I
ieaTipg HE garrison without provisions and SO weak
enaa oy deseron that Il might have fallen sacrifice
70 'ho indian'. twas then at Jlobiie. Informed of
th!s nnt'ny and outrage ny express ordered the mn
theers and deserters TO be pursued apprebeoded and
brought back for trial. The r,ngIeaders Harris at
their mead, after some time, apprehended and
orooeht 10 Mobile IN irons, after had left there for
New Orleans, and had charged Gen. Winchester v,h
the command Of thai section OF the country They we,o
tried 10y Court Martial. and condemned 10 die-6ye
were shot and the balance pardoned The others who
had deserted, before they reached home became alarm
Ell at their situation. returned before Harris and his
party were arrested Joined me- and we're 6prpiycn-
were with me when marched 10 Pensacola in 1914
followed me- thence 10 New leans, when they re-
gaineu Their ormer good character by their
and sod'eriy conduct. and onourably
hese proceedings are on file in the department of ar
where those who wish for TRUTH can be informed bv
applying the record.
''Ii is for the public to ,,doe ,vho,I,cr The -
embassadur of Christ did not we'll dcse,ve de,,l m
the cr'mea OF robbery and and tbs outrageous
n"'ny' winch JeoPaIdized not Only lie reminder OF
e garrison from ITS exposed situation, the safety o.
was not TT subject Of example. Harris whom c,u
nenned TO die, acknowledged the Justice OF his con-
dc'npation, aud stasd he had hope o: pardon ero
o"' ,ha' ne mad ot ogveness hereafter-whic trust
ne on'a'ned, through The mediation OF our blessed Sa
Viour, and sincere repentance Of his crimes TIA,
brought on him his condemnation
LET u be recolecfe6 that this Inu,iny occurred at
PcFou "hen every nerve of our country strained
10 protect VI from the invasion of overwhejmnn Brit
ISL force, whose agents wefe then enoa-ed in
up the Creeks 10 the indSciminate murder of our de-
e"ce'e'S ciizens. These are the facts OF the case for
your examination
| set out with Jackson, tnt tto-..rrr,,, = ,;t,
and sha n prevaD e''
}. Gen. Jackson says, Harris ssbroke open the
stores, knocked the heads of the Aour
barrels taking what he santed and des,,o,,n -,
ne then To the bakehoiIse and set
u on ire and marched Oft in open defiance of the 90
onei'' NOV not a word Of tbs is true. See John
ways certihcate below and the charges for which lie
was tried by the Court Martial. Cen Jackson ouob,
10 baVe recolleced, "As public or private man
speaking OF transactions which concern the reputa-
Ia"'n 400 characters OF Others every manly feeling
honid remind BIN, that he ought be guided BY es-
abShed facts, not by the hearsay OF auy bodvn The
Jakehn'ise was thrown the river four or five ,vee
oefote they left there, had any thought of comnp
ZONE; nor did my father have any hand 10 it, or know
II " when IL was done
Late in The year 1918, nv brother Ja,nes en-oIIoJ
himself; he then is years old; and shortly ane,
ur house was burnt, and we moved on the indian
and, about eight miles from where we lived TO q salt
ere cave, where my father had furnace 10 make /
ere Not long afterwards. James drafted 10 his /
10 company. Father thinking hin too Young TO 0o /
without protection. took The place Of Samuel Sherrel
nj went with him.
Aiier HES bad served three months, my father be-
ewing Their time was out, and getting satisfaction
oD bis officers, BONE not in omen ocEnnce OIL
te Colonel" but Gfter girb1g up his gun and lifting his
ece;pt.
Soon after he got home, he learnt that Gen jackson
az oTCercd them bach by express lie said at
ONE INT Pe four DAYS. b,1y r.
'coTd Many Of bis neigbbof, tried to prevail on him
, Keep ont of the way; aud every means was offered
I'M to have done so, TIL the heat Of passion bad subs
ro' oni be refused and frequently said that he vas
'nat or what they had done they could not C
hort and that he feared nothing even before the
0st n-el,L.hCed court nlaral H.. 49,.