Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-08-20

De kolb, the question may be brought ian ,
mcdiately home 10 our bosoms, i'm its ap-
plcation to the humblest and obscurest of
macknd. American and British merchants
are, at TINS very time, supplying the Royal
and Revolutionary armies in Spanish Amer
lea (whichever affords the best market) with /
all KINDS of munitions of war IF the mas
tors and crews of their vessels should be Ia
ken IN the very act Of carrying on this trade,
are they liable 10 DC arraigned before ii ma
val or military court martial, sentenced, and
hanged up at the yard arm, or Oh the noxt
tree! fiupy OF our youth have accepted
commissions in the Patriot army, and are
lighting the battles Of South American indie D..
Pendencc; should they fall into the hands Of
tue k"va'lsts, has Spain a general, or could
court inertiaI be detailed from her armies
who would ilang them in cold blood? When
hear 1t urged that Arbuhnot and Ambris-
ter did not unite in war with civilized ma
tons, but with wild savages Of the forest,
VINO do rot respect the laws Of civilized
warfare, look into the history of my own
! country, ana find there (thank God) that
such distinction is not to be endured Rt
this day We never before heard oft. Had
Ii prevailed, know not how many Tn;lish
men General Wayne might have HANGED
III the war ne conducted against the Indians:
but he could not silence the plcadincs of
conscience and humanity III his own BOSOM
i"r encounter the irown of WASHINGTON.
t1ad II prevailed, why were not the British
prisoners taken on our northern frontier du-
ring the late war, fghing by the side of say
ages whom they and their government had
melted to hostility against US at a tins, too
when Ito the disgrace Of the British aanlcl
rewards were offered for American scalos:
Why were they not, all, Instantly tried. CON
yictad, and led to execution!
Where (ns it has been Justly askcti) was
the necessity OF executing these two men.
even u their sentence was undoubtedly ri rlrtl
ne seminole war was at an end, and had
IL sti!i been raging, Gen. Jackson could have
Scht tese prisoners IN chains to the United
states, tn be dealt with ACCORDING 10 the
wisdom OF his government The blood even
OF the guilty should not be shed without re-
iuctance and without any good end.
AS TO Ambriser, the court martial did NOT
condemn him to die. The first sentence. ne
zen. J. IS pleased to consider it, being in
S'an'iy rescinded by the court, was in truth
no sentence at all. His appreciation
could not revive its existence. The last sem
'ence was the only sentence When the
commander iii chief dsapproved it, the most
ne could righttulIy have lone, was to order
the court martial to reconsider it. Bv what
authority then was Ambristcr doomed tn
aea1h! by the sovereign will Of Major Con
Ail'lre" Jackson, IN whose hands are the
powers OF peace and war, life and death
Mr.. Nales IN his officious and awkward
Zeal To cXcnsc this part Of tho Generals con-
quot suggests, that it was no dou6t dictated
'y regard to the wishes of tho prisoner.
VINO preferred death TO the igncminous pu-
iiShnHcnt, Tor which that fate was ,o,nr,uta,I
ny the court. This is not q mere SHY
mise OF MIR. Gales. IF the fact were So. #
|aggfaVates the Generals guilt. A brave man
asking ocath at his hands, rs n ref,Irc from
oiSSfacc, should have moved him TO respect
sympathy and pardon. What shall we fhnL
OF tins man, the utmost stretch Of ,vhos,
c!emcncy, according to his defenders. is to in
'lict death for mercy's saElcr
! thus slrs, has an American officer DESTROY
ed the lives of two Of his fellow creatures
without ony rightiuI power, without anv ado
qlate motive, aud with such indecent preci-
Phancy as hardly to give time for PRAYER. in
me 9 interval between judgment and death -
humanity bieeds at the recital, and national
Ptnie si''HS IN nc American heart, oppressed
with The load Of shame and nrief..
| ind all that the President Of tbe r ,c;1,c.
h1S sa'd, and all hut he has done. IS IN teu
Congress, Matn c2pY ofhe proceedinos If tbe
co"rt martial, II, the h.jm Of .4yLutbnof o,J
H'n1r'stcr, sAgH be f0iddctore them, and to
ltMIi tie promise!
Here, sirs, for INC present, ict ms shut tho
scene. Gen. J. from tho moment he was
entrusted with command, has ayowcdly and
systematically, made his own will and plea
sure the sole rule and guide of all his actions.
ne has suspended the executive, legislative.
ana judicial functions Of the states, with ar
pitrafy swaJ, and assumed TO do so As right:
ne mas in5uitcd the executive oftfe y. States.
AZ whose pleasure he holds his commission,
SPufned ITS authority, disregarded and trans
cenocd us orders: he has usurPed the prero-
Gatlve Of peace and war, entrusted bv all M
lions to the sovereign authority Of the STAT,
and by the constitution to Congress aIonc.
he has abrogated the known laws of nations
and promulgated a new code Of his ou.n.