Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1804-04-20

probable, that there IS not malOrig IN
favour Of any one Of the separate charges
on which thew Is founded. The ac-
cusstions against him 30 FAR as1can be COLI
lscfed from che testimony and from the
speeches Of members, are very various.
Lett be supposed that four charges are
chiefly relied on, viz. the trial Of Fries,
the trial Of Calender, the proceedings at
w-Castle, and the charge to the grand
jury in Baltimore. Ills perfectly mani,
festthat these charges are wholly distinct,
and cannot support or strengthen each
other. Each isa misdemeanor in itself,
or ii IS not. Therefore there ought to
be . majority in favor Of each separately,
before Il can be made the ground ofim-
peachmsnr. 80: A. 4zc,- 81 =.
Let It then be supposed, which Is not
only possible but highly probable, that
thirty members and no more, considered
the conduct of your msmorialist in the
trial Of Fries, a. 4 proper ground Of -im-
parchment. In this case il IS manifest
thar your memorialist bought no. to be im-
peached on that charge, there not being
q majority in favor Of Il. In ike manner
there may have been but thirty members
IN favour Of impeaching him, on account
of Callender's trial and so ofthe other
two charges. Thus althoughthere might
be but thirty members in favor Of inn
.peaching, on any one Of the four char
ges, in which it IS manifest that there
ought TO be no impeachment, VET, when
all the charges are blentled into one ge-
neral question, every member who con-
siders any one charge as apropes ground
for impeachment, and all the others as
not proper grounds, must vote in the at
hrnlative i; and thus there win appear a
great majority in favor Of q measure,
which is actually disapproyed by q great
majority. This Is an innovation so
striking, 90 alarming. so repugnant to
all former practice, and 10 al ideas Of
Justice and law, that il may be safely pro-
nounced furnish, especially when COM
bined with the principles of indefinite en-
quiry without previous, specific allegati.
ons, and fex-parte testimony, themost
formidable, the most irresistible engine
Of oppression, under the forms Of law,
that ever wasplaced in the hands Of pow
er: and il the time should ever arrive,
which Heaven aud It's mercy avert when
this engine shall be welded under the
direction Of party spirit, or of popular
passion instigated by personal malice or
sinister policy, dreadful indeed win be
the condition Of those whom il may be
the object Of the moment 10 destroy.
Against an accusation 70 rs prepared,
and thus preferred, il behoses your me-
moriali,t 20 make the earliest and the
most ef6caeious preparations for defend
ing his character and asserting his inno-
cenee. While the accusation rests on Its
present vague state, he knows not 70 what
points to direct these preparations and
in the meantime tina fullest scope Is given
to calumny and maleyolence suspicion,
ever alive and busy, IS left free to act /;
and the most eficacioais means are ai-
'forded, for overwhelming with public
odium an innocent man, who, until the
age. Of sixty three, has maintained an un-
spotted reputation who bore an early
and no, an unimPortant part in the COM
mon struggle for liberty; and who after
'discharging with honor, many most Inn
sportant trusts conferred on him by his
fellow-citizens, was raised by WAsH-
rxGroN, the witness Of his services and
often the companion ofhis exertions, to.
that high Office, his conduct in which
though now the subject Of accusation,
has always been regulated by the most
conscientious regard 70 his duty and his
oath. s $ 80 - -
These are injuriesto which he, cannot
suppose that your honorable body win
suffer him 10 be exposed. He therefore
prcsunnes to solicit, most respectfully,
but most earnestly and confidently
hopes, that your honorable body willnot
adjourn without preferring articles of
Impeachment against him, and thug re.
A,arsnfv ~. x...aeso =. form, ahae