Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1808-02-08
IHzole No. Sill

sincere In their professions Of desire
for an efficient enquiry il they wish
to give general Wilkinson an oPportu-
nity TO cxcul3ate himself, the course |
have proposed Is certain to attain The Oh
iect, if it bc notthc only certain course.
TO me it appears 70 be not only effect
ual, but the most eiIectual.
What was the offence charged? not
an open crime. Neither capable in il
self Of direct proof or Of being invest
igated in the usual course. "A crime
committed, (if committed at ally in Sc
cret--in its very nature secret. Avoid
ing-eschewing, with unsleeping eau.
ton, all observation. The perpetrator
anX1Onsly entrcating his COrruPtors that
his name might never be either written
or 50 much as spoken, by them--The
nature of the crime therefore required
the mode Of enquiry which he had pro-
posed. No other could give satisfac-
ton TO the American people. If gem
eral Wilkinson (he said) can walk I'M
hurt through the flames of such an or
deal, he deserves the eternal confidence
Of his country if he cannot, the safe
ty ofthe nation demands that he should
perish in them.
There seemed to be disposition to
pass lightly over this matter; to send
the paper to the president not a word
was said Of what the gentleman from
Orleans could tell us-nor was the pre-
sident to hear word Of that, it might
so too much home it might be too
convincing to be endured.
He would ask the gentleman from
Ten. (Mr. &. w. CampbelD why he
would send these papers at all Why,
but as evidence f? And if as evidence,
why not send all, which it is III the pow
er Of the house to procure-if they
sent any, why not send the whole
And if it was proper to send the whole,
why was il not equally proper to take
the necessary measures for obtaining the
whole Gentlemen fell short Of their
mark. They committed themselves
on the principle, but fell short in the
practice upon il. He was for throwing
the utmost possible light upon the sub
ject. He wished not only to send these
documents 70 the president, but also all
the other evidence IN the reach o. the
house.
The gentleman from Tennessee had
SAID that the house had no more right
to lay request before the president in
a case Of this sort, than the president
had to interfere with their deliberations.
He did not know that the president had
been peculiarly fastidious on this point.
The power Of impeachment was exclu-
sively the Prerogaive of that house, &.
he well recollected that in the message
Of the president hints were given as to
the object upon which that power
should be exercised-hints too plain,
too significant 10 be misunderstood
He did not now mean to object to what
the president had d0ne-he wished the
house to practise towards him the same
Ut Of ciyility-to be to him equally
communicative of their wishes. Ii was
perhaps the duty Of the different depart
ments Of the government to advise and
counsel each other. And for one be
was willing to advise the executive, and
if it were in his power 10 furnish him
with such eyidepce, as the most devoted
friend Of Gen. Wilkinson could not
withstand Whatever was done, he
hoped would ~ done effcctualIy. He
hoped we should have no more half
way work--they had had enough Of
that when on the subiec, " lortilica-
tons.
The right ofthe house To give a com
mittce power 70 send for persons and
papers could not be doubted. Il had
been formerly exercised in the case ola
senator who was subsequently, imptach-
ed. The only question then was wbcth-
Ell this was an occasion, iE which ID v1s
proper TO exercise that power. Ii the
mode proposed was tie only one w
which Gen. Wilkinson could be con-
yicted II guilty, or his innocence, if IN
nOCent, shown 10 the nation, he hoped,
lie could not but expect, that both his
friends and his enemies would consent
to IT,
For ny self (said EIr c. know but
little of Gen. Wilkinson. Nothing
more tran every body knows, WHO have
been ID the habit Of reading tie public
papers. He has never Injured me nor
mine--neither my friend nor connex-
ions OF any kind. I feel impartial
-hink | can pass impartialIy between