Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-06-20


vcral severe remaiks on the manner 10
which he letter was intercepted. lie ask
ed them nos to dlsgrsce the government by
proof of the most unwarrantable deed
II was dreadfuiPerio indeed IN an infant
government, when deeds, which would
Allng private Individual to the gallsws
should be tolerate whenpeIformed yPub
lie officers OF government. He hoped
therefore the gsn}leman would not press
the produc,ion OF q paper which might brina
disgrace upon the country.
Mr.. Bots pro1eedsdjn quoting severa
authorities in suppori If the argument thai
Mr. Wylsy was not bosad 10 ansWer Che
question proposed TO him.
Mr.. Williams stated several authorities
in suppof,o Of Mr.. Bolts.
Mr. Luther Martin argued that Mr. Wy
lev knowing any thing of the contents Of
the paper made him answerable for its trea.
son, if Il contained treason. He remark
ed also that the post office had been put In,
10 rsqui.ilios for the inspection OF let
tiers.
Nj. Hay interrupted him aud said thati'
was an improper remark. He .said.the LEI.
Ter was transmitted BY q man OF the namc
Of Minuilan, who came with Mr. Wthy
Thathe had got il from NJ Toalnanof The
Mississippi territory.
Mr.. Martin said he would reps az faf she
post Office had been violated He auld
prouos ee il as long as his breath " uld
allow him, that the post cAsce hid beer
robbed.
Mr.. Bolts rose TO remark tha, Mr.. q a,
said |, was very serious charge which haa
seen made upon the post Office. lie wcuId
be happy 20 see ,h:s slander.sif il were cne
TO be wiped away from The leg sla.ufe. Il
Was Important therefore to go into the en-
qnny-it was proper the enquiry should be
gone into II has been SAID that genera
Wilkinson had powerful agency IN thss ba'
siness.
Ms. Hay interrupted hin as being en-.
.tirely OUT OF order.
The Court wished the counsel should go
on with the argumens.
Mr.. MRae in reply said, the proceedings
in tnis enquiry evince that 1t ws,s not the wist
Of the prosecutors to withhold from the accu
sed every means of defending himself A
spectacle rare indeed was exhibited to day
He had en9eavored to discover if he could any
thing which was discovered to be serious ane
weighty. He observed, great part of the
remarks were foreign to the purpose. MIR
Bots, in place Of discussing the question
proceeds to tell the court that the most dread
lul consequences would result to him if he
acknowledged his having made a copy. Mr.
Bolts, he said, had spoken of the feulnes:
which appeared in the face of that letter, al
luding to the post-office.
Every days practice, Mr, N Rae said, pro
we'd that it was the practice of the court not te
admit such objections, as those urged by the
witness, and that the court had a right to know
the grounds on which he founded his object
on The supreme court Of the United State:
have decided this. Craneh l57. The same
is also substantially proved in case. lst
MsNally 255.
MIR. Hay said, Notwithstanding his respec
for the gentlemen on the other side, that The
question before them appeared extremely fri
velous he believed that paper was dreaded
ane consequently proceeded that zeal for keep
ing it out of the way. He asked if gentlemeI
were aware ofthe impression they made upoI
the public mind by this conduct. He asked
and would ask, whether his thus shrinking
from the evidence, bespoke his innocence
cappealed to thefeelings and common sense
Of every one who heard him, whether or no
nc was correct. Supposing WILEY to be
confederate, said Mr. Hay, the question wa
waether or not, answering the present ques
lion, would criminate himself. Mr. Hay said
chat his position was law, he would pledge
himself to demonstrate. He quoted also Sc
veral cases in the state trials to prove his ar
ument, and replied to the several objection
witch had been made by the opposite counsel
Mr. Hav said thew had heard a great deal a