Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-05-21
Commander Of the Constitution, who was

| SutCt dStlusl uHm
"As the matters now presented to the public-much
further explanation seems necessary from Lieut.. Randolph
before he can claim sympathy for his dismissal.
"As TO the outrage on the President, we never desired
to justify or excuse It, as the Patriot supposes. 1t was
altogether unjustiiable, and is to be regretted by all, who
consider the age OF the President. Ii is true, that we
expressed no great sympathy for HE man, who has done
50 much in a vain attempt to degrade South Carolina
and we said and repeat, that these scenes of disreputa-
BILE violence in high places will result 'of necessity from
the indulgence OF private favoriism and revenge by the
officers Of Government, in the discharge of their Of
fetal functions" SC. SC.
with regard TO Lieut.. Randolpl's case. we did pi
charge thatthe Presidents course to him was OF the cha.
racter denounced. From what we have since received
and read, zoe think that the President moy be right !:
and ms dssdifdnt !n every tcay to be condemned.
'From what we had read before yesterday, we were
under the impression that Randolph was a prosecuted man
-and we willingly confess to the prejudice which the
past events Of his administration have excited. which
makes us take an impression against the President, on the
hrs' blush oil every controversy in which he is a party"
From the Lynchbug Virginian
"Thc address OF Lieut.. Randolph, with The accompany.
ing documents, will be found in this mornings paper; to
which we subjoin, from the Washington Globe, the pro-
ceedings oil the Court of Enquiry, showing that the Lieu
tenant is a detaulter, TO the amount of upwa ards of 81, 900.
II Is true, LIT. II. covers this defalcation by what he is
p'e'seu o cali an account current'-but, il the items
composing that account were allowable, why did he not
10y them before the Court of Enquiry-or il he did lay
them before that Court, aud they were rejected by that
tribunal, composed as it evidently was of officers
disposed TO put the most favorable construction upon his
conduct what right has he now TO claim an acquittsl at
the oar oil pubic opinion, to which he has appealed? Dis.
posed as we were,t TO share in the universal sympathy felt
ana expressed for Lieut.. Randolph, both because of his
unquestioned gallantry during the war. and because we
believed him TO be the victim of a heartless persecution.
we confess most reluctantly, that we are now driven to the
conclusion That he is not so much "sinned against as sin
u"g' Cnui he clears up the suspicion that, by his own
showing, hangs to his skirts, it cannot be denied that he is
a deiauiter to the government. Itis for hin to show tina,
Iaas,u ae'a y, IS attributable not to any criminal design to
deiraud the government, but to The irregular and neglect.
iui manner IN which he discussed the public moneys en-
trusted TO his charge.
eve do not mean, however, to be understood as ex-
pressing appreciation OF the manner i'm which he was die.
missed from the naval service by the President. He was
enu,ed to a regular trial, by a Court Martial, and the
such a tribunal, who would doubtless have melted out
Justice both to him and the government. The Court Of
enquiry, as our readers are doubtless apprized, partakes
OF the character of a Grand Jury, to investigate charges
In their preliminary stages-a Court Martial, like our
courts oil Justice, decides upon the truth OF these charges,
and awards either a verdict OF acquittal or condemnation
win It's appropriate punishment. 1T would have accord
ed better with the genius Of our institutions, and il would
nave been more satisfactory to the public had Lieut.. Ran
ao'pn oeen cashlered by a jury OF his peers, instead of be-
ing dismissed by the fla, of the President. The former
course would have been regarded as the stern decree of
Justce-the latter looks too much like the arbitrary exer-
vengeance"
If the Lynchburg virginian has attentiyely read
the late article in the Globe, he is perhaps 6v this
iIne sotisfied that Lieut.. r. was not entitled to a
Court Martial.
from tho Georgetown Columbia Gaze,,e.1
IN the Globe OF Wednesday last, there appears a letter
rom MT. Rives, formerly clerk in the 4h Auditors office.
touching the business transactions of Lieut.. Randolph
while acting as purser. Mr.. r. claims to have given The
svIGu.s a iun and lair examination, and shews conclusive
" Wat MIR. Randolph had in his possession after closing
his accounts $4,000 more than he had received from the
governmental this letter be true, the inference is. that
TINS surplus amount must have belonged of course TO the
estate OF the late Mr.. Undertake. If the letter be not
rue ~ erery particular, it is the easiest thing in nature
10 shew lis falsity TO the world.'
The reader will find i'm this davis Enouirer tho
,ohoie of the very interesting article from the Globe,
10 which the Georgetown Gazette refers.
The Pennsylvania" remarks, that "!The excite
ment on the subject of Randolph is very great in
Virginia (Qn. Richmond) and the neighborhood. II
ought to be so. The nation has been disgraced. and
there is an organised party ready to apologize for
the disgrace and shield the perpetrator."-But, that
'here were some such persons among us, Ia few
only, we trust,) and those whose names have been
thought high enough TO be quoted i'm defence
oil this outrage, we should have forborne dwell
ling on this subject. But their course calls for
our own. There is one of these persons, whose
name has been more Familiarity cited than the rest
IL is lhe expression of his opinions, that induces us
to repnblish the following celebrated letter, address
ed 10 MIR. John Adams, and communicated by him
to the Ill. of Il. in January, 1900:
SIR: Known 10 you only as holding, i'm common with
yourself, the honorable station of servant to the same soye-
reign people, and %disciaimlng all pretensions 10 make to
you any application which, in the general estimation Of
men, requires the preface OF apology, | shall, without the
ncuh!ocu'toh OF compliment proceed to state the cause
which induces this address.
"For words of a general nature, uttered on the floor of
ms House, and addressed, in my official capacity, to the
Chairman OF the committee OF the whole, AND urged with
a view TO effect the reduction Of a Military Establishment,
l nave been grossly and publicly insulted, by two officers
OF 'hearmy Cor navy, | know not which, with evident in
'enIlon 10 provoke me 10 a conduct which i'm some sort.
might justify the hostile designs which they manifestly
entertained towards me, and from the execution of which.
| believe, they were only deferred by the presence of
several OF my friends Offenders of this Honse) who felt
themselves implicated in an insult, which although more
PARTICULARLY offered 10 one, was certainly leveiled at all.
L am acquainted with the name of one only of these
unfortunate young men, who appear TO have made so false
an estimate OF true dignity of character; who seem to have
" GDlrt. and "A m arTnpI hin
against the person OF an individual for an indication of Cour-
age. lie was called, L think, M'Knight; rank unknown;
and TO my best recollection of the Nayy-Mr. Chris.
ne, n member oil this House, appeared to know him: and
that gentleman, with Capt. Campbell Smith, who asI un.
defstood, endeavored 10 deter those rash youths from their
scheme, and whose conduct would evince, if indeed there
were any need OF proof, that the character of the man and
me citizen is not incompatible with the profession of the
soldier, can give an account OF the various instances of
misconduct which were exhibited by the parties.-Mr.
v an Rensselaer,, the Lieut.. Governor of New York, Mr..
Nicholson, MIR. Glen, and Mr.. Macon, OF the House of
Representatives, were likewise present at these transac-
tons.
Having stated the fact, ii would be derogatory 10 your
character, sir, Tor me to point out the remedy, which tits
your province to provide, nor shall | descend from the &c.
sPect which i owe myself to declare what are not the con.
siderations which governm my conduct on this occasion. So
'ar as they relate to this application addressed TO you, n a
publlc capacity, they can only be supposed by you to be of
a pubic nature; and ii is enough for me to state that the
Independence OF the Legislature has been attacked. the
majesty OF the people, OF " Inch you are the principal Rep
resen'auye, insulted, and your authority contemned. In
heir name, L demand that a provision commemorate with
The evil be made, and which will be calculated to deter
others from any future attempt 10 Introduce the reign of
error into our country. In addressing YOU in the plsin
language OF man, 1 give you, Sir, the best proof that I can