The Irish standard., 1899-08-12

disdained to offer any explanation. A
court of inquiry had found that the in
accuracies in his accounts existed, but
that there was not ground to charge him
with intent to defraud the government.
Without further formality Old Hickory
published an order stating that he
could not concur in exonerating Ran
dolph from intentional fraud" and de-
claring that he was unworthy the naval
service of the republic" This sum-
mary condemnation and punishment by
the president was directed against man
every whit as determined as himself, one
who had rather die than submit to in
suit
In the midst OF the confusion and up-
roar attending the incident Randolph
walked quietly from the wharf up into
the town, hired horse and rode COM
placently nine miles out into the country
to attend wedding, to which he had
been invited, in Fairfax county. He
remained in this vicinity without mo-
lestation for two days, and four days
after the occurrence on the Sidney went
to Fredericksburg on a visit to a rela-
tive in the neighborhood. The affair
created intense excitement and there
was widespread expression of public in
dignation. Much OF this expression
was, however, rather in Difference to the
exterior proprieties than genuine man
Hesitation of regret, for beneath it there
could be discerned secret satisfaction
at Randolph's course. 1t was a period
OF violent political excitement and ran
corous political and even personal antip-
athies.
The rumblngs and connections of the
political earthquake that attended the
removal of the bank deposits were be-
ginning to be distinctly felt William J.
Duane, the secretary of the treasury, had
plainly intimated to Jackson that he
would resign sooner than comply with
what he regarded as an unconstitu-
tional order to remove the deposits, and
only few months were to elapse before
Roger B. fancy was to relinquish the
office of attorney general to assume
Duane's portfolio Of the treasury and
carry out the imperious demand Of the
president. The president had warm
friends and bitter enemies, and while the
former denounced tile attack of Ran
dolph as more diabolical act than the
gunpowder plot of Guy Fawkes the lat
ter defended his course upon the techni-
cally correct ground that court of in
quiry could only prefer Charges, f"
which court-martal must finally pass
upon, and that the president had been
premature in expelling him from the
navy.
Public meetings were held in Wash
irgton, in Alexandria and in number
of the principal cities to consider the
proper steps to be taken to right the
great wrong. The puzzling question
propounded, but never answered, was
how to magnify the affront to the pres
ldent above mere assault upon a pri-
vate citizen. Jackson himself had
openly maintained that public officials
had no more immunity from personal
assault than the individual citizens. This
was notably exemplifed in the case or
the bloody, not to say brutal, attack OF
Sam Houston upon Congressman STAN
berry, of Kentucky. After the court in
the District of Columbia had imposed a
fine of $500 upon Houston President
Jackson by public proclamation declared
that the accused was absolved from the
penalty imposed by the court.
Under the impulse of an excited public
opinion, thus suddenly evoked, grand
jury was summoned at Alexandra, and
an indictment found against Randolph,
but he was never arrested, though he
disdained safety i'm flight. Out of the
perplexity arising from the novelty OF
the case and the desire of Jackson's
superserviceable friends to exalt the af-
front above an ordinary assault, it was
suggested that the chief justice of the
United States be consulted. This func-
tionary was the great jurist, John Mar
shall, who, happening to be in Wash
ington at the time, was supposed to
be at his home in the city of Richmond,
and one Potter, a clerk in the treasury
department., dashed through Fredericks-
burg in coach-and-four on this errand
OF consultation with the chief justice, or,
more properly, bearing letter OF in
quiry to Judge Marshall for his advice
as to the nature of the offense. 1t hap
pened that Judge Marshall was not in
Richmond, but in North Carolina hold
ing the United States circuit court for
that state. The inflated official OF the
treasury department was armed with a
"frman' from the postmaster general
for the supply of fresh horses, but the
absence of the chief justice turned his
triumphal march into a fasco, and the
self-important bearer of the dispatches
returned to Fredericksburg, where his
muddy vehicle, vehement manner and
pompous airs OF being confidential