The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-02-11 00:00:00, page 4

Address of General Wilkinson to the
Court of Inquiry.
Gentlemen,
. From a sense of respect towards the
court, and of propriety to my own situ
ation, I have been induced to trespass
a few observations on your patience pre
liminary to the introduction of testimo
ny.
On receiving the first intimation of
the anathema pronounced against me on
the floor of congress, by a member
of that honourable body, (Mr. John
Uandolph) as highly distinguished for
decorum and moderation as he- i9 for
impartiality and candour ; I appealed
to the proper authority for an investiga
tion into my conduct, by that tribunal
which is secured to me by the constitu
tion and the law, and vou gentlemen
have beeen ordered to sit in judgment
upon me.
The occasion was certainly unexpect
ed, vet it was not the less desirable, and
although its occurrence so re cently af
ter the ordeal at Richmond, may dis
pose some invidious person to derogate
irom the motives of my honourable ac
cuser, the candid and intelligent part of
the world, when possessed of all the
facts, will do him ample justice ; for
surely no unmanly, vindictive personal
ity can be ascribed to a gentleman of Mr.
Randolph’s lofty carriage and sublima
ted honour. Indeed when we survev
the course the accusation had tr avelled !
to tills court, and examine the manner
of its introduction into the House of
Delegates, it would imply an unpardon
able degree ol scepticism to doubt the
disinterested patriotism, whii h has guid
ed the procedure before that honoura
ble body ; much less to complain, of a ;
f tilure in those chaste observances and
<1 c >te regards which arc due to the
un ortunat'-, who tnay Income the sub
jt of publick accusation.
Though highly flau red hy the man
ner of my accuser, I must confess that
my i pu p: mcc to r.mightcous and un
necessary innovation, inclined me to
prefer the n’.iin, tegular, and invariahl •
course to military inquiry, by complaint
to sup rior—because it secures to
the individual a cou-ihuti >nal light,
pn ’ . ’ts tlie obtrusion of concerns
jm vox cutive, upon the attention of
Mi s it;vc body, a . 1 spares g< nth -
men ,owing sene /ilities, the deej
regret m*.parable lroin the analysis ot
individual character on cxparte testi
mony> or no testimony at ail.
The victim of suspicion and oblo
quy for more than thirteen years,I have
treated with frigid indifference the pa
ragraphists and pamphleteers, who have
pointed their daggers at my reputation,
resolved to respond to their calumnies,
by a redoubled zeal in the discharge of
my duties ; but I must now thank the
patriot who has given the outline of
mv offences, for the- opportunity he
has furnished me to meet him on the
ground of his preference, and there to
defy him and his depraved informer,
with the host of conspirators who parti
cipate their sympathies.
The blights with which men united
for the ruin of their country, had re
cently attempted to sully my humble
fame, in consequence of my feeble ef
forts in her defence, served hut to ex
cite my pity and contempt ; I did, in
deed, believe that the scene of persecu
tion had been closed forever, and began
to hope, after a long and not inactive
life of military service, I might be per
mittedjto wear out its remnant, some
what cheered, under those privations of
the heart which leave us litile to wish
tor, by the retrospect of days, without
reproach, and the consciousness that
whatever might have been my utility, I
had lived without dishonour.
But f had forgotten that I had sinned
beyond forgiveness, & that my destruc
tion had been sealed in Ncw-Orleans
by a band of hardened traitors, who
have advanced so far, that they place
their safety in their success ; and now
tor the first time I stand, voluntarily,
before a military tribunal, to vindicate
all for which I will die. The precious
giitot my lather—the inestimable tnhe- j
ritance of n;y children—a soldier’s ho- j
nour—after it has been worried, and torn,
and mangled, and degraded, by whom ?
I,ct expressive silence u ark the aven
gers of a traitor’s cause? And may the
angel ol mercy blot out the remembrance
ot my wrongs. For my services shall
live and be remembered, when the dis
ciples <>i detraction, those pestiferous
vermin who feed on calumnies, shall
have perished and are forgotten.
There are certain terms in our language
so offensive to an American cm , that to
couple them with a man’s name is suffi
cient to tarnish his character; such are
corruption, brih 1 v pen: ion,poison, and
1 poltroon—m\ -.n nh . aware of tliis,
I mid kao'.Yiny that a stain on military ho
nour, like an aspersion on female chas
tity, sinks deep and is not to be erased*
w To make assurance doubly sure,
And take a bond of Fate
That they might tell pale-hearted Fear
it lied,,r
have not been content to arraign me
before my country, but in their rage for
personal vengeance,they have condemn
ed me unheard, and stigmatized me to
the world, on the evidence of made-up
documents, perjuries and forgeries. I
am sensible of the irreparable injury
done me ; and yet, in this our govern
ment of laws, I have found my case re
mediless ; I have therefore suffered in
silence, consoling myself with the hope,,
J that the example of my persecutions
might be a future protection to the war
worn veteran, and a useful example to
those who too readily credit the tale of
t detraction.
it is an easy matter to charge virtue
its-li'w th corruption,and alas! ir. ’ iese
! times \v e find it almost as easy to s- i;i
1 the allegation by the oaths of profh0ate,
abandoned men. Hut, gracious God I
shall the unqualified imputation of cor
ruption, without some word, deed, act,
influence or instance, to consummate die
offence, or to designate the criminal in
tent or tffort, suffice to rob a publick of
ficer of his hard earned repute,the price
of more than twenty years of zealous,
faithful service ? Shall bold assertions,
\\ ithout facts or circumstances to sub
stantiate them* even when sanctioned by
the single oath of a faithless, lying, in
terested, unprincipled man,prostrate the
barriers of honour, which rest upon the
broad base of approved patriotism and
long tried int: grity. Genius of my
country lorhid it/ Forbid it Heaven.
I ask only a suspension ol the pubiitk
judgment, pending the inquiry at issue.
I call on my countrymen to pause and
reflect before they decide—I do not ad
dress myself to IJurriUs, or embittered
party men, who would hazard the secu
rity of the nation to gratify their ma
lice—from such wretches I expect ha
tred and I solicit abuse. But 1 speak
to the sweet-blooded, true-hearted A
merican, who is ready to renounce poli
tical dogmas for the safety of the state*
an I to bleed or die in defence of its
rights. I request all such to examine
the ch traders and motives of my accu
s< rs—tiie time and circumstances of the
accusation : the one writhing under the
..ngui h of public detection and merited
dishonour, whilst at this awful crisis of