The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-24


But the innocence of thefc relations has been |
ftiil mcre clearly demonstrated, by the declara-
tion of David, who fays that he explained his |
intention of reconciling Moreau and Pichegru,
and of obtaining, if poiibe, liberty for the lat
ter to return to France to feveral ditinguiihed
generals and citizens, who are far oyt of the
reach of fufpicion, and that he proceeded by
their advice: and by its being proved that the
words, " if you could bring me but one line
&c from our friend, it would be great pleaiure
" to me-" which are found in one of the letters
from Pichcgru to David, have no reference to
Mcreau, but TO Senator who authorized US to
plead this fact in hts name /; and to add that he
fent the line deiired to Pichegru, to his old COM
panion il; misfortune his letter was found a
fnongf the papers of David.
Another, and more important point is that
fcfting on the word of Roland whole viainous
impofture is evident in every part of that horrid
delign which he attributes to Moreau.
The improbability, the palpable falfehood,
the total impohbility of the fact, prove it to be
the fabrication of Roland. But the loyal and
generous foul of Moreau has been 70 deeply
wounded by the mere allegation, that we mutt,
In his farther Qualification, explain circum-
fance barely touched upon in the memoir, and
which NUT diyeft the tefimony of Roland of
all claim to belief.
The interrogatory* which procured the replg
of Roland containing the words imputed to
Gen. Moreau, and the reply itfelf mutt be COM
paredin order to Thew how naturally the one fol-
lowsthe other, & is derived 'front.': how impoh-
bic il was for Roland not to feize on a means of
fafety which he believed he faw prefented to
him; how very probable it is that Roland had
in the firt place offered to puIchafe that fafety
by attrocioufly vilifying Moreau.
To firit queffion on the fubiect of a confer
ence related by Pichegru to Roland, IL III
ed, that !" Some time had paifed ince that cons
"vertasion took place, and he could not be
certain that his memory had faithfully retain
~ ed what was then faid-he might be deceiy-
ed.' y
Then follows an interrogatory which occu.
pies three pages of the examination, in which
he is told that every thing he had done and faid
was known, that his conversations with PChe-
CRU were overheard; that his apartment was 70
contrived that, notwithstanding every precau-
ton, the fecret had been betrayed it then con-
cludcs in thefe words" Beware left, in CONT
ming iilent, you conceal from the ear of Juf-
tice any one of the facts which it ought to
know, and thereby, force us to believe that
"you are not merely the eoyfdant but the
" accomplish of thofe men whom fhe purfues
invite you, then, to fpeak more ingenuoully,
and to diicover not only all that Pichegru
faid to Morcau, at whole houfe it will be
"proved that you were the fecond day after
Pichegru came to lodge with you. We heard
"you fpeak of this viiit by the fame means:
"you told Phichegru that Moreau had large
"party in the fenate that he, Moreau was at
" the head OF deiign againft the firft conful
and the governor of Paris, in which the Bour-
bons were interefted.-Ii luminous you, there
fore, to declare the whole truth, concerning
thefe conferences and the object connected
with them"
1t was in reply to this queftion thus cOnclud-
ed, that Roland, who moment before feared
that &c be might be deceived" who apprehend-
ed GO the in6delity of his memory" found all at
once perfect recollection, put to fight all 6lly
fcrupies, aud followed the path 70 ingenuouHy
chaked out for him. 1t was then, that the hope
or being coniidered only as confdant and not
as an accomplice induced him to give birth to
thofe nefarious fafehoods, and particularly to
teftify that Moreau had fpoken of ftrong par
ty IN the fenate, by which he could obtain the
hpreme power, but that 6rft the conful, &c.
&c. nun diGappear.
Who does not immediately fee in the correla-
ton between this quefion and its anfwer, how
deitute of crcdibty it leaves this frightful az
i!rtion OF Roland, who until then had faid no.
thing; bat who from his intimacy with Pche-
CRU, from having lodged him in his houfe, and
from other circumstances, believing that he had
every thing to fear for hmfelf, feiZed with ala
GRITTY on the hope, held out to him in the quefti-
on, of eicaping punifhment as an aeeombLice. He
had only to lie and be faved it required little
deliberation to decide. Independent, then, Of
his fituation of co-accufed, of his declaration
being unflpported by any other proof, which
alone would annulit, it is deftroyed by the very
means taken TO obtain it, by the predicament in
which he was placed, and the hope that he
might pnrcliaie his own life, by infainouny and
falfely fwearins away the life and honour of a.
neither.
Let us dive little deeper. Who had previ-
Gully diicloied the circumstances which appear
in this iuterrogatory 1T was either fome other
witneis, or it was Roland himfelf.----If another,
why has not that other been brought forward
why was he not heard at the trial s----If it was
Roland, which is the mott probable fuppofition,
then it is plain that he had bafely trafiicked bis
Character for his life, in pfomiing tine dfcofures
which he pretended to make; and that he after
wards invented in bis own mind, that falutary
perjury, in which he lad the courage to per-
fevere. /
Any thing more would be fuperabundant.
Roland alone afIrms to the charge Moreau
fclemnly denies it.----Roland fands under cri-
minal accufation, and, according to every prin-
eiple and every authority, his evidence is mad
miflib!e; it can neither be allowed to prove,
nor even to caufe fufpcion of guilt.
II has been faid that Moreau wifhed to poi
feis himfelf of power. His character, his ha-
bits of life, his total retirement from public
view his being entirely unacquainted with, men
In he d.,