The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-01-21 00:00:00, page 4

blishmcnts of Louisiana, will be found
immediately indispensable to the secu
rity of the Mexican provinces. I beg
you to write me fully on this question,
by Power, whose presence in Philadel
phia is necessary, as well to clear his
own character, attacked by Wayne, as
to support the fact of the outrage re
cently offered to the Spanish crown in
his person, and to bring me either the
person or the deposition of a man now
under your command, who had been
suborned by Wayne to bear false wit
ness against me, and afterwards for fear
he should recant, bribed him to leave
Kentucky. Power will give you the
pertect of this transaction, and I con
jure you by all the ties of friendship and
of policy, to assist him on this occasion.
Ii Spain does not resent the outrage of
fered to Power in the face of all Ken
tucky. My letter to the Baron will ex
plain the motives which carry me to
Philadelphia ; from thence 1 will write
again to you. Power will explain to
you the circumstances which justify the
great treachery that has been fmactised
with respect to the money lately sent to
me. For the love of God and friend
ship, enjoin grt d secrecy and caution
in all our concerns. Never suffer my
name to be rent ten or spoken. The sus
picion of Washington is wide awake.—
Beware of Bradford, the Fort Pitt re
fugee ; he seeks to make peace—there
are spies every where. We have a re
port here, that you are appointed go
vernor ol Louisiana. God grant it, as
j presume the Baron will be promoted.
I am your affectionate friend, W.
Copy of a letter in cypher, received
ifom General Wilkinson. Natchez, Gth
February, 1797.
(Signed) JSIanuel Gayono de Lcmov.
In a separate paper he says what fol
lows :
“ I his will he delivered to \ou by
Noland, v.'hoin you know is a child of
mv own raising, true to his profession
mid firm .in his attachment to Spain. I
consider him a powerful instrument in
our hands, should oc< asion otter, I will
vouch for his conduct. I am dccsplv in
terested in wiiat vcr concerns him, and
I confidently recommend him to your
warmest protection. 1 am evidently
your affectionate Wilkinson.”
A copy.
(Signed) Manuel Gayovo de Lcmos.
N. B. Don Ga oso was then governor
of Natch' z, and tiie umc year was
made governor of Louisiana.
Mr. Randolph also read a paper sign
ed by T. Power, the man so often nam
ed in Wilkinson’s letter to Gavoso ; and
two affidavits from New-Orleans.
Power states, that in June or July,
1796, he received from Don Thomas
Portell, commandant of New-Madrid,
the sum of 9,640 dollars for Gen. Wil
kinson ; that the money was put in bags,
which were packed in barrels of sugar
and coffee,togciher with OTHER sums;
that on his way up the Ohio, his boat
was slopped and searched by a licut.
Steel, acting under orders from General
Wayne. [The money being concealed
in the sugar and coffee, was not disco
vered by lieut. Steel. This search was
the ‘outrage against the Spanish crown,’
so pointedly reprobated by Wilkinson in
the foregoing letter to Gayoso.] Power
iurther states, that at Cincinnati he in
formed Wilkinson of what had taken
place on the river ; that the general di
rected him to deliver the money to No
land, which was done; that Noland con
veyed the barrels to Frankfort, where
they were opened, in Power’s presence,
in Montgomery Brown’s store ; after
which Power sold the sugar and coffee
to Abijah Hunt, of Cincinnati.
1 he affidavit of counsellor Dcrbigny, I
of New-Orleans, stated that the bags in i
vvnica tne money was packed, were
made in his famiiy. Tiio other affida
vit from New-Orleans, was that of a
person who had heen cl rk in one of th„
Spanish offices. It related to dccypher
ing a letter, written in cypher, from
some character ol distinction in the
western country, whoee name he did
not then know, but whom lie afterwards
understood was Gen. Wilkinson. It also
mentioned a sum.of money.
Mr Randolph then said, it would he
waste of time to comment on what he
had read , hut he conceived it his duty
to tell the house that he had good cause
to believe that there was a member of
thi. body, who had it in his power, it th
authority of the house were exercised
upon him, if he were coerced, to give
the house much more full, important, !
and damning evidence, than that which •
had already appeared. He ailud< <i to
the gentleman from the territory of ()r
l uns, (Mr. Clarke) who n he had now
the pleasure to see in his seat. If the
United States were in the critical situ
ation which ha 1 been so oft n represen
t d, and in which all considered them
o hr placed, in what position was the
\ mil'.t uy force of the United States at
this moment f Was it not proper that
this business should be enquired into ?
He had been given to understand long
ago, that an enquiry on the subject was
to be courted ; it had not taken place.
He had no more to say, but moved the
following resolution :
Refolved, That the Prefident
of the United States be requeu
ed to caufe an enquiry to be in
ftituted into the condudt of Bri
gadier General James Wilkinfon,
commander in chief of the ar
mies of the T nited States, in re
lat on to his having, at any time,
while in the ferviceof the United
States, corruptly received money
from the government of Spain or
its agents.
Mr Clarke faid he unexpect
edly heard himfelf named, and
he would obferve th >t it had long
been fup ofed,from his refidence
in Louisiana, his acquaintance
with military officers, and the va
rious meansof information whit h
he might have poflelled while
cpnful at New-Orleans, that he
was acquainted with c itain
t ran fa d ions which had taken
place in that coun.ry. The know
ledge which he had poSTeSTed. lie
had endeavoured to imp irt to the
administration at different times,
both verbally and by a w tten
correfpondence ; to which a deaf
ear had been turned. As this
information had not been attend
ed to, be had refufed to gratify
curiofity on the fubjeeft. And
notwithstanding the gentleman’s
calling upon him, he felt himfelf
bound to i\y, that he would nit
he influenced by fear, favour, or
affection, to give any in'or i.'t on
on the lubject, unlefs compelled
by a refolution of the houfe
A debate on feed. wh . con
tinued till pad live o’cipctv, al