Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-07-13

We do not mean to undertake Lieut.. Randolphs
Defence because he is competent to make lit for him
SELF and because he has wisely chosen to reserve his
evidence for Court of Justice. We wish only to
attract attention to the extraordinary course which
has been pursued towards him by the Government
Here is man accused by the Government of great
crmes--of no less than robbing the dead, and de-
frauding the country-crimes which ftrue must sink
him to hopeless nfamy To establish his guilt, thew
have determined to avail themselves of Court of
Justice. How then ought they to have employed the
interval. and how have they employed il? Just
Government, Wilde it steadily and nhexlby dischar-
gcs It's duty to the public, ought to valte the char
acter Of every citizen part of its worth and
itself participate in the pain of the blow which JUS
tice compels it to strike 1t will if it feel at all feel
leaning towards the accused-it will from inclinu
ton and duty, allow him III scope and opportunity of
defence and vindcation-i, will not take Sides but
observe the strictest mpartialty, who has no
personal interest- will stoop avail itself of
technical advantages, care!essness inexperence-
above ALL it will dsda;n attempts foresta the pub-
lie mind, and progresses it against the accused.
Every man must concede, that thus, and not other
WISE Governments ought to act. The spirit of our
institutions. justice, magnaaimi,y, require the Gov.
| it acted towards Mr.. Randolph Has it CONFIRMED
in any respect to these acquisitions! On the other
hand, has it not violated every one of them, It has
preludged his case-an elaborate argument to prove
his guilt, has been issued by authority and has gone
into every of the U. States-instead of appeal
ing in the first place Court of Justice for the set
tlement of the controversy, the Government presum
ing Ills guilt, wage war against his reputation, en-
cody In an imposing form, every suspicious appear
ance, suppress every explanatory circumstance, ex-
aggerate all the symptoms and having infused sus-
plcion into the public mind against Mr. Randolph-it
then condescends to afford him that judicial investi
CATION which he sought from the first.
We ask any man, if this course was worthy of the
Government Granting Mr. Randolph to be the de-
linquent they alledge him to be- or even thousand
times more gulty--f nothing whatever was due to
t'n-was not something due to the character Of the
! Government. and the dignity of the American Peo-
pie? What! Government, rs is Its duty. NOT
merely directing prosecutions for delinquency but it.
self turning driving on that prosecution
in spirit of the most vindctive and unrelentinp per-
nality-avaing itself of its credit with the public
to get an advantage one man, and to persuade
it of his guilt before he has had opportunity of es
tahlishing his innocence! This has been the course
towards Mr. Randolph as well as Mr. King.
Let US suppose, as we believe he IS, that Mr. Ran
doiph is gulltless of the offences imputed to him
that some three or six months hence, in Court of
justice, he will make his innocence appear? What
Will 1t avaH Is any man so ignorant of party spirit
as TO believe, that with the great Of. hose who
from party spirit have pTeJudged his case, in
nocence the most spotess and holy, will avail him
aught' No-not if pronounced by all the Judges g.
Juries Iii the District Of Columbia Guilty or lnno
cent-he stands condemned with the great mass of
the administration party, beyond hope or remedy.
Guilty innocent-he is doomed to live for the rest
OF his days in the consciousness that large propor-
ton of his fellow citizens believe him dishonored
man The Government has said t-and no cosnter
authority will be listened TO- Ifgulty, the opinion
OF Others Is little TO himif innocent if sacrificed to
save another and to find his fame DESTROYED in the es
timation OF those whose good opinion he valued-uo
situation deserves sympathy.
1t is in this aspect Of the case-i is in the sunDos
tion that Lieut.. Ranlolph an injured man-it is jr
the certainty, that if innocent, injury has been in
Gcted upon him, irremedable iii ITSELF and desruc
tive of his happiness-that the conduct of the Gov
eminent has entitled to the hatred and detestation
ofthe just If Mr. Randolph is guilty, would it not
have been time enough to proclaim the fact after
Court Of Justice had examined his accouuts9
T. The pardon of Wilson has been defended on
the ground of his being younger man, and younger
offender, than Porter The contrary is the fact, as
appears from the annexed interesting notice from
Niles Register. The undisguised truth is, that be
ing native, and his friends being at hand to make
intercession for him, saved Wilson. Porter, Young
and less otrocious cuprit, bat an Irishrnan, was
hanged when if either pardoned, he unqucs
tionably, ought to have beenthe man. Every person
will be satisfied of this who reads the accompanying
extracts from Niles, and from the Philadelphia Inqui-
rer, "a Jackson paper
From Niles Register
Porter, THE MAIL RoBBER. was executed al Phil
adephiu on Friday the I'd instant, about past 10
O'Clock, A. NJ. in the presence of vast crowd of