Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-04-10


months tor the next Two years; the Tennessee
militia called outin 1913 under fhas lrss INSISTED
upon beng discharged from service at the end
OF h'ee months from the time OF being muster.
&C lh'o service, and aron application TO Go.
'ernment Tor instructions upon that point they
were oy order of the Secretary at War dis
charged at The end of three months. FourthIy.
4 appears from The evidence that of the Officers
who commanded these men, some ENTERTAINED
doubts, Others openly and in the hearing of
Their men expressed the opinion, that they
could not lawfully be compelled TO serve Ion.
ger tnan three months. Lastly, no improper
conduct IS alleged against these miserable VIC
ums OF oarbsrous policy, except what was
ssio and done IN the assertion OF what they be.
never TO be their undoubted rights Itthey did
verify believe, as we think no one who consults
tue evidence can possibly doubt, that the,
eoufa not lawfully be compelled to serve lon
ger tban three months-it became them. as
brave men and good citizens, to assert and
maintain their rights. Shall the English Hsmp
den be immortsiized for resisting the payment
OF ship money, illegally imposed, and the free
porn American be devoted to iniamy and death
Tor resisting a violation of the law in his own
person. Again. some of these men after hay
ing SET out tor home, were induced 10 doubt
Tue proprIety and legality OF the step they had
taken, whereupon they returned, and surren
dered themselves to the proper authority
some, before leaving camp, delivered their
arms to their officers, and took receipts. Can
any human being believe that these men were
conscious OF having committed crimes worthy
Of death
The case OF David Morrow is singular one,
and his execution, under all the circumstances.
strikes us as beng peculiarly strocious. lie had
'ett Fort Jackson on the goth or 2Ist of Sept.
with many others, who supposed Their legal
term OF service had expired, bat beng induced
subsequently To doubt whether the course he
mad adopted was the correct one, he proceeded
10 Camp Stewart, surrendered himself, and
stated tie circumstances OF his case 10 Briga.
der General Taylor We have the authority
OF an officer Formerly of the North Western
Army, tor saying. that it IS an unheard of thing
TO put even soldier of the regular army to
death tor the crime Of deserton, who voun.
tariy returns and surrenders himself If he be
guilty OF no other crime than simply desertion.
Gen. Ia}loi seems to have sctt d under this
impression tor he Immediately granted % Nor
row, as lar as IN him lay, pardon, and a pass
porti with orders to reloiu hls company and
return To his duty. He zsas SHOT, ssiah the
rest, wih has pardoai in his pocket
In the blindness of overheated zeal, and in
luckiess houi, two Of the leading psruzans of
hen Jackson in Virginia, jain Randolph OF
Roanoke, and MIR. floyd, by way of recrimins
ton, we suppose, and as kind of offset 10 he
grave and serious chsrge against iher tavorite
which we have been discussing, veniured to
allege that militia men .rere shot hke 6uiioCk8 at
.Aorjok during tie tate 1par. General Tayior OF
Norfolk, IN communication to the public,
which does rqaai credit to his head and h,s
nd ref nH
relating TO the case Of the executed mana
single man--not militia msn--but a regular
soidier--but still mana living sentient bu
man belng--and as such, not to BE subjected 10
punishment, much less to death, unless clearly
Euhy OF having. with crtr1r1al intention, com
m'tted deeds worthy Of d ath. 1t aupe arr, from
Gen. taytor's communication, that four sol
dIers ct the regular army were doomed TO death
by the sentence of court martha. he only
one OF the four who was executed, was viii
lam Proctnrof the S5th Reg't. U ). He was
bachelor. He had deserted three u2aes and
was under the sentence oil general cour,.
martial when last he left the service. HIS cha
r0cteT 1eGs noso,7ousiy bad We cannot forbear
inserting heres an extract from the letter ad
dressed by Gen Taylor to the Secretary of War;
soliciting from. the President az the u States
the pardon of the other three. It's quite re
kl
SICK IN contemplating the wantoa and horrible
butcheries at Mobile, to meet with man like
Gen. Taylor, ''who is sensible of his deep res
possibility to his country and his conscience if
he suffer the life of man to be taken away
wantonly or recklessIy."
Ertracs of a letter 10 me Secretary az Tar. dated
"HEAD QUARTERS Nov. IS. 1873.
"SIR:-L enclose copies Of the proceedings
of a Court Martial in the case OF WilIoughby
neggs. Joseph Pool and Lemue Jackson and
Of The order suspending their execution
"Four ere sentenced to die on the same day.
I have every reason to believe that the execu
ton of William Proctor viii arres, the desertons
which had aecome so common as to make an
example necessary Meggs was, when he en-
listed husband and father of three children.
His children have died, and his wife TO her other
distre sses, adds very great poverty, and un
dcrstand considerable sensibility. The two
others are young men, of good conduct till the
desertIon; whica, there is reason to believe,
was lustigated by a former sergeant of their
company They are very penitent. pray you,
Sir, to solicit the President OF the u States to
pardon them would not make the request,
il believed the public service would suffer by
their escape"
Here is a man who feels, and thinks, and acu,
as becomes an officer, gentleman, and good
citizen. We are proud that he is Virginiaa
| We would not exchange Gen. Taylor for forty
Jacksons with all the blood stained glory they
could acquire-Compare their conduct under
similar circumstances. In one case six militia
men are condemned to be shot-about 200 o