Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-28

ger INTO ihe oosoiH vi tHc ih"oee.' 49,
critirnate offspring.
IN, whatever il may be 10 the social circle or how
ever indispensable to contentment ana happiness
it is the rock upon which public men nave iaue
sh;pwrcck than all others; and that officer who permits
his bark 10 float her surface enters upon perilons
n,crnr,ze The gentleman said that this "negect OF
univ ,rew out OF over confidence III some ot lhose
,ssociaicd with him''-he said "the very head ahu
front of his offending hath ihstxent' no more; =
Mr. Speaker, apt illustration oil me elects o.
ovor confidence the part Of superior oiicers - al
f,ra.d in the case Of the Chesapeake and Leopard ne
history of that transaction believe 10 be briefly ths;
Commodore Barron having been oroered ny Govern
nlent TO the Chesapeake, to COMMAND .ie i'he''e
squadron in the Mediterranean was (peihaps Ny Pe'''
son, with his family in Hampton, while the snip was
oetnr ready for the cruze Capt Gordon was appoint
ed to the Chesapeake, and reported Inc snip 70 'ne
commodore ready for sea- Commodore Barron went on
board: the ship gotten under wesh, anu pfoceeue
IN sea The Leopard anchored IN the ltoads anu
ND sen, nm officer on board the Chesapeake to de-
mand some sailors, who SAID To nave uese.co'
and 10 have found their way on board OF that SNIP ne
sailors were not delivered up-the Leopard io!iow
ed the Chesapeake and off the CaPes, again demand
| I'd Tho sailors The returned (perhaps) WIS,
,h,t the ag at the mast head, protected every soni
ov.r whom il iloated. Topsails were thrown anack,
mud The action commenced on the part Of the eopafu,
de,cuu the comedy SIDES and cutting III twain TIE COT
dare and canvass OF that Inflated ship, the chesapeake
! And then Mr. Speaker, the Eage-that noble bra,
which but few moments BEFORE scared aott IN dsni,
!, md renown, was to fold her wings ana
hauu her head in shame. 1t was discovered that
,e shin was no, ready for actionthc guns we're mol
mnun,cd-tlc cartridges were not made, &c ana al
,houoh tho Commodore and his officers walked the deck
with firm step and dauntless brow, amidst the hottest oil
The enemy fire. they could make no light, ana tha' go
rious Flag, covered with stripes and STARS, WINCH hau
before land repeatedly since) waved IN triumph over
the proud Lion Of England, was hauled down lhs
! chesapeake became the prize of the Leopard, and
,ha, arm of our national deience-he pride and boast
of America was paralyzed Would the gentlemen
snow the cause Of all this answer-t was con-
I f1rrcc And Commodore Barron-the Senior loni-
,,cd,rr IN the Navy-a Firginian, and as gallant
Commander as ever walked the quarter deck Of bat
..hip was charged with nfgicc n duty, IN not seeing
that Tie ship ready for sea- and Tor defence, before
he weighed anchor; aud Inc was sentenced ny 1ourl
Martial 10 suspension from the service Of s country
! for n period Of hve years
c,mmodore Barron and his friends contendcd that II
was moi his duty examine the SHIP TO tina, she
vas ready--lal the duty they said of Capt Cor
DIM the officer III charge of the shp-and that Capt
Gordon had reported 10 him that the ship odS ready Tor
sca But the Court held, that 1t was the duty OF the
4 Cu,nma nder-l"wEo monarch OF all he surveyed
10 sec that the officers under his command did their
duty-and therefore he held responsible.
Now, sir let me adopt the language Of the gentle.
4 man. and saw, Commodore Barrons neglect of duty
urew out of an confidence in those associated with
him-"the very head and front Of his offending, hath
this ex,ent-no more"-Dld that plea save him: Let
others read lesson in the history of this transaction
II is but sheer justice to Commodore Barron to re-
mark that of thousands Of his tello%c tzens con-
sidercd him injured and prosecuted man-and ! have
understood that Capt. Gordon his death bed, on
cruise IN the Mediterranean, and just before life flick.
rrinr lamp was exngmlshed, acquitted hun (Barronl
Of MI blame and censure IN that affair.
Mr. Speaker does not the admitted neglect OF duty
on the par. Of Dr. Neutrality-suspicious. moi The unsl
tsacory in which the affairs Of that Bank have
been conducted-does not the interest of the Common
wealth in that Bank and the loss she has sustained by
the abstraction amounting To about 20D0UO, ana thc
rood Of all the banking establishments in the State
Justify the removal OF the President Blu; the ques-
ton has been askcd--What good Will the adoption OF
this resolution effect answer, that 1t will restore
!, ITO some extent, in my opin,onD confidence and
custom to the Bank and make other officers more VI
rilan.-t will give 10 the public that those
abuses in banking will be corrected when they are
made to appear.
The question has also been asked-Why infct pu-
nishnent on the President; answer, because think
he deserves it, and because, through him, others will
receive admonltion.
Mr. Speaker, there is an old maxim, full OF wisdom
{ and instruction, which my mother Appreciated and
doubtless yours did likewise, and 1t IS this-spare ihe
rod, and you spoil the child
Why do YOU punish criminals; is It not for the good
Of others: Will the execution of the murderer restore
to life his victim, Is not the statute fixing capital pu
nshnents founded upon the restraint 1t imposes on VI
cious action
But our sympathcs have been appealed to, to save
this gentleman from punshmenl-hs gray hairs-his
long public services-hls purity of character-ihe ex
allied position he occupies IN society, ana ms cepie
health have all been laid before us to plead for HIN and
influence our acton-and permit me TO say, that 90
appreciate most highly those graces and characteristics,
e aud believe that Dr. peterborough may justly lay
claim 10 them all but, sir cannot permit such consI-
deratons to influence my conduct under all the crcum-
stances Of this Sympathy, hope am not lnsensi-
! BILE to her emotions. can sympathise over the ms
fortunes Of the occupant OF the modest hut-and can
pity the mslortunes Of those who walk IN the higher
|, paths Of life. But shall there be no sympathy tor
others, Do gentlemen feel ne sympathy Tor Anthony
Robinson who has been deprived Of his office and
thrown upon the world at the head OF large and most
intelligent and interesting family whose offence IS oil
deeper dive than that of the PRESIDENT Are there
none to sympathse with the helpless ana destitute WI
A dows who in consequence Of this deiacation, nave
been deprived of the scanty means they possessed OF
supplying their frugal boards, and protecting their III
tie ones from the cold and pitIess blass oil WINTER
Sympathy! yes, Sir, am the child OF sympathy-ahd
my heart beeds while think OF their condition
r. The gentleman from Accomac urged as reason IN
favor of pos ponement, that should the resolution be
i adopted il would not defeat The election vi IT
Brooke through ina.much majority OF the stock
ri holders had their votes Tor hun ms may De So
With the private stockholders, have nothing to- do
they have right to manage their own matters IN 'he'r
own way. But whether action will avail IN turn
ing DIR. Brockenbrough out of the Presidency OF me
Bank, or not is altogether immateal, SO lar ms me
adopted or rejected feel that at least, have dis
charged my duty.
Something has been said about the mmolation OF a
victim, and the question has been asked were ,hey
nrepared 10 immediate The President of the Virginia
: Bank" Who, let me ask, would desire his 'mmola
). ton Who has prepared the faggot and the ire
viii not one victim already sacrificed aPPease the gods
Here the gentleman from Richmond gave nll scope 10
the exuberance of his maglnaton ana sent u ior'h 10
roam at large over Fancys wide expanse, to gather
fresh and fragrant flowers, swee,ened by the dews OF
early morn-and having returned with his wicked
basket filed the choicest lie could Gull by the way ne
shall perform the pleasing task of weaving garland
with which TO decorate the brow Of the victim about TO
be offered up.
Nv friend from Richmond made auson to the
estrone central influence" which had been brought TO
bear upon this subject well every other OF public
nature feel it due to myself to say that If such m
fpences do exist, they are unknown TO me-and do
believe that any other influence IS exercised IN tns
civ eycept such rs emanars from the hospitality,
,cd character and hgh intellectual powers Of many OF