Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-05-17
Vol. V.--No. So.

VINO, under any preteXt, however specious,
/, without authority of law, shall take the life
; OF u fellow citizen, is guilty of tyranny, what
ever presences he may set up OF devotion to
Pubiic interest and the people. They it is
hopcd, will refuse to aid in the attempt to
shield from just condemnation conduct at
once so cruel and illegal; conduct suc!, as
mas no parallel in this country; and the like
OF winch has, of late years. rarely been dis
played in any country enjoying the advanta-
! 9es OF civilization. know that it is natural
Tor men to give loose to feelings Of military
I enthusiasm, to look with indifference on the
! ciVii rights OF the citizen, which it is the
man object OF Gar Government to secure
aEa hence ii is that military preGilections are
So dangerous IN q republic. The CHEF value
! OF arepubiican goyernRet consists not in It's
! superior adaptation to the repeliug of attacks
from Ioreigh foes. Were that the main OBJ
!Ject of government, it is still q matter of dis
pute whether it Is entitled 10 a preference.
The real excellence of a republican eover1,.
nacnt is, that it is always under the coutro,
OF the public will, and the rights ofthe hum
blest citizen is secured from the cncroacl.-
ment OF power and official violence. |. i:
the beauty and excellence of or system.
that, II fairly administered, it equally secures
the rights of the humble plourhman. viii,
these Of the wealthy landlord whose fields
he tls. 1t is this free principle of our civil
po!ity that we nov see an effort made TO i'm
par. 1t Is now for the first time in this
country, that we arc called 10 witness an a.
tempt to justify the Illegal and wanton dcs-
tructlon Of the lives Of our humble citizens
who form the rank and file of Cur armies. be-
cause, iorsooth, their DESTROYER has gained q
splendid victory ] Such q sentiment if il
once gets possession OF the people Of this
country, will, fear, in very short time,
bight all the hopes OF the real friends of hl,,
man liberty. Military service has ever been
tie capital stock with which usurpcrs have
commenced their career: and public gratitude
has always been the fund on which their
drafts have been drawn. Unfortunately foy
! the world, too Few OF these drafts have been
( protested. It has ever been the disposition
! OF the people 10 give men possessed Of nil,-
taiP lame credit fer every good quality. Ii!l-
eeriailing Just pride on account OF the 81;
Perlo-ity Of our institutions of government,
1t is 10 be feared that we are growing care
less OF the manner III which, on some coca
slons, certain branches OF it have been ad--
ialnistcrcd. Wise statesmen have ever re-
! gardc'. indications OF that kind as giving
Just cause for alarm. We have ever bee,
taught to regard European governments US
treating with Indifference the rights of the
great body Of their people. 70 certain
extent, the opinion is certainty correct. But
there arc instances in English history OF ol.
iicers whose conduct nearly resembled those
ef Gen. Jackson in tie present case, who
have forfeited their lives for the crimes thus
!committcI The case ofIoscnh Wall. some
time Governor Of Gorcc, in Africa, is rre.-
ininent instance of that Kind The history
OF the case may be found 1T large in tao
28th volume of i!oWcii's State T.iaIs: II Is,
long and tedious, and / viii Only refer TO :,
lew OF its principal features, in order TO show
the analogy which exists between it and the
case now under considerations The case Of
Goy. W ali IS familiar TO cvcry person Of lc-
gal research. lie was indicted for the mur-
der OF benjamin Armstrong, and tried at the
Old Baiicy on the Goth OF Ian. 1902 Arm
strong was SERGEANT of company compo-
sing part OF the garrison. He had cfcn-
ded the Governor by appearing al the head 81
portion of the men before the government
house, to demand certain alleged arrears OF
compensation. They were ordered to re-
turn to their quarters; l'Itt on a second ar-
I Pcarancc In the same situation, the Cover
nor ordered Il drum-hca1 court martial, un-
der Il pretence that Il request to be paid What
they alleged was Justly due to them, was an
act of rnutiny. The sentence Of this court
I was, that Armstrong should receive q LARGE
number FLASHES, Of which in a few DAYS at
tef"aroS, nc aied. twenty years after the
preparation OF this outrage; the cuprit was
arfaighed ioE murder; and an English Jury
gave verdict OF guilty, OF which verdict an
English Judge pronounced sentence ofdeafI,.
ana the criminal was executed accordirnIv
th's event occurred at time when the mar
tIai spirit m that country was, perhaps. at its
greatest height; and is an evidence of The
JtSt conception of the difference between
the cxertlon OF legal authority, and cruel r..
5anny' very cred,taI,io 20 people supposed
F., by many amongst us to have become the
mere slaves Of power r. under q c,o.1rn-
ncat q government such as HAT Of Enrland
tie man vino traInplcs on tic rights oi ind,
yduals and wantonly takes the lie Of an
humble private soldier. * condemned by an
English jury TO suffer for his crimes unon a
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