Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-05-21
Richmomd, Tuesday, May 2I.


<ASSAULT OH TIE fTeStQent-shd 10. u. hdnd0tphS
ACCOUNTS.
The newspapers are teeming with articles on
these subjects. With the exception of a very few
papers, land those Of the very worst descriptions we
are happy to see that Editors ofboth parties unite in
reproducing this outrageous attack upon the Presi-
dent. We these criticisms to the at
rention OF the very few persons among us, who have
attempted to justify or to soften the preparation of
the act. Heaven forbid! that we should seek to
throw around the person Of the President, the sane
tty Of the King-but unless public opinion be strong
enough to put down so gross and fragrant an out
rage, committed upon the person of an old man,
~avowedly in retaliation for one ofhis official acts, how
is the repetition OF such assaults to be prevented
by the moral force of public opinion? What are
we to think of the moral sense of those fanatical
politicians, who carry their hatred of Andrew Jack
son so tar, as to countenance the preparation of so
gross an assault upon the Presidenfof the u. States?
Iron tho RanaUha Basner, an oppositionist.l
"This gross ~indignity to the President and to the whole
American people, has excited the just Indignation OF all
classes Of the community, and every where meets, as ic
deserves, with the severest apprehension. 1t is the first
instance in which a President of the United States Ina,
been personally assaulted, and we do hope, for tue honor
ofthe country, and for the sake of the rational liberty which
we enjoy, it will be the last"
from the Mar,insburs Republican,
'ihe only cause that can be alleged by Randolph for
this brutal and assassin-like attack is that Gen. Jackson or
dered his name 10 be stricken from the roll of the Navy;
ne (kandoph) being a defaulter to the u. States for sever
al thousand dollars. This high-handed assault is shocking
any person bearing the appellation of an American. AS
TINS is the hrst attack of any kind that has ever been COM
United upon the President Of the United States, we think
uiat Il would be nothing more than justice that this -
should be made an example Of"
lFlom the Flodo.icktown Times-opposi.iou..l
"Ihe assault committed on the President by MIR. II. b.
Randolph, late Lieutenant Of the Navy, the particu.
lars of which we published last week, has caused
considerable excitement. The citizens of Alexandria
Immediately, to wit, on the 7h inst, convened a Town
Meeting to express their censure OF the outrage, and
among Others adopted the following resolution, which
an our opinion, conveys a sentiment and inculcates a
duty that must in the abstract, at least, challenge the
appreciation OF every American citizen.
(Here JOUo,Os the Resolution.)
"In reading the above we were forcibiy reminded of an
snecdote, which we have somewhere read, and which we
VIII here repeat 1t is the same sentiment. ~feelingly il
"An Enslishman in p~hiadolpha speaking of the Presidency of
While this conversation passed, "There he goes, raiiitdG the no% Am n%.
s saH' d aH the ssis 70 a tai rh s.e ssn aiS %asSid ps1sS@'s sssP P1,,,as , on ' sss Other
m Is H.. " ,vs is his guard I" "Horc,' replied the American, suik-
From the Iredercktown Citizen1
party, have come to us, filled with evidences Of the per.
yading indignation which the brutal assault of Randolph
on the President of the United States has excited in the
hearts oil his c~ountrymen- The subject is taken up not
merely as an outrage on Inc person and feelings of a time.
worn veteran and public servant, by a young and athletic
man, but as a stain upon our national honor, that can
never be wiped away. 1t is in that enlarged and
patriotic view of the act that every American citi-
zeh' without regard to personal or political ~preiudices,
condemned with bitter reproach, the perpetrator Of
tnis outrage. IL has been the boast of our institutions,
mat the influence of popular sentiment upon our public
suhcuonaries, has successfully ~combatted all abuses in the
administrator oil Governinent-that the panoply of the
laws mas shielded the persons of public officers from force
violence, better than an army with banners and this
attack upon the highest officer of the Government
Tor the discharge of his official duty, is a blow aimed
garded, il has called down upon the author the most I'M.
measured censure and reprobation.'
o. From the Wilmington Watchmon1
"hancoiph seems 10 meet with a general reprobation
IRON the press, as well from the opponents as friends of
the administration. Meetings have been held in MANY in
stances as 1t were TO give vent TO the spontaneous burst of
pubic Indignation at such an outrage upon the President.
mere can be no division in the sentiments of the peopIe as
70 me character OF this outrage, and the Opposition presses
generally handled the Deiarious actor, who had before at.
tempted toawaken their sympathies, with the severity he
deserves; with the exception of now and then a little print,
more depraved than all the rest, and lost to all sense
OIL honor ana propriety, which attempts TO paIliate Ram
ao'phs conduct by speaking OF the severity with which
ne mas been treated, and adducing> instances of as similar
a nature, as the attack of Houston upon the predicate
otanoerry. Ii any enc wishes TO form an opinion of the
character OF the different Opposition presses for honor,
"o"es,y, dignity, propristy, or decency, he has only to note
IA manner IN which they speak of this outrage"
from the samel
"R. ID. RANDOLPH.
ms prosecuted individual has made an Exposition &C.
.upyuig TWO columns oil The Alexandria Gazette, relative
10 the circumstances and charges, which led TO his dismis.
sion from the Navy. If any unprejudiced citizen has
any doubts relative 10 the suhiciency of the causes for
which he was dismissed, they will be removed at once bv
aPeru'al oil this exposition. 1t will not be necessary for
'"e friends OF the administration 10 make any explanation
on the subject. III Mr. Randolph's own statement is correct,
1t is only a matter of surprise that he has been allowed so
long to retain his standing in the Navy, after such gross
negligence and pecuniary defalcation. The ferbearance
OF the President should rather be censured. than the cor
rectness OF his ultimate decision doubted. Mr.. Randolpb
says, alter the death OF Undertake, he was appoint-
ed Aciing Puiser by Commodore Patterson, no directed
the money to be counted, and an inventory of his effects
slops, stores, &c. 10 be made and placed in his hands. He
excuses himself Tor not doing this, by saying that il was
not his duty TO do it, and that common sense would teach
any one. that others should DO it' in order TO make him
responsible" He admits that he took charge of Timber
lakes stores without any inventory, or keeping any regu.
lar. account oil the disbursements, that he paid Undertakes
clerk a debt OF $500, and raised the money by selling a
part OF the stores at auction. He admits that SII.4s3 left
by Timberlake in cash came into his possession, and instead
of furnishing vouchers Of the expenditure for the use of
the ship and crew, pretends that he expended the most of
IL in liquidation OF Undertakes debts. Being called upon
by the President and Auditors 10 make a statement of The
expenditure, he gets permission OF MI. Woodbury. 10 ey-
anime the accounts of Timberlake on the books Of the
Department, and takes enough of his expenditures with
the vouchers TO cover the amount in his hands. 1t re-
quires no great foresight TO see that he had squandered
away this money, or made use of it in a way that he could
give no account OF it. A history of his expenditure of
this money would probably surprise the public more than
even his assault upon the President. An officer who
would, on any consideration, take the effects left bv a pnr-
ser, without any inventory, or keeping any account of the
disbursements, IS certainly unworthy Of the service Of the
United States"
tFromtho Charleston Couforl
"Ihe course which Mr.. X. has seen lit 10 pnrsue. 10
avenge his injuries real or imaginary, can only result in
effeciualiy removing from the breast of every honorable
and b%igh-minded man all the sympathy which hs case
may have excited"
From tho Charleston PATRIOT
"Ihe records OF no civilized country exhibit an outraoe
SO gross, IN the same circumstances, as is detailed below.
on the Chief Magistrate Of the Country. The people Of
the United States have been iDsulted in the person of
MIN VINO 10 clothed with their power, and IL their illus
trious representative. The law can punish this OUTRAGE
no i1rthpT than an nrI.D.r.,- o...-It - -. t-..E