Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-05-04

| propositions made by the Board OF Directors
which, under other circumstances, would have
oeen declined. 1t is wonderful, therefore,
that, with these impressions, he should have
thought II consistent with his duty, to have cx-
tended such favOrs as have been noticed, to j
| single local bank much less to the multitude
that shared his patronage, and could not have
existed without 1t.
| 1t would be just as fair and candid to impli-
cate mo IN the unjustihable indulgence that has
neen extended TO the BonlS of Edwardsville,
| since ITS failure, as to endeayor to involve me
IN any kind of censure for its continuance as a
depository ofpublic money after the fall of 1919.
Al Tie time oi ITS failure, its resources We're
am well satisfied, more than amply sufficient to
have secured its debt to the government. But,
every man of common experience ana cbserya-
| ton knows, that, the resources of all banks in
| ais situation, must necessarily become more aud
more impaired, and arc more liable to be mis-
applied. Yea strange and incredible as it may
| appear, have never heard, nor do / believe,
| though reside IN the same village III which the
| Bank IS located, that Mr. Crawford has coiiec-
ted one cent from it; or made any adjustment
with 1T or re5ortei 10 any measure to coerce
the payment of lis debts. He, who could find
| motives for an indulgence SD extraordinary, and
| at the same time, SO inconsistent with, and de-
trimentai to, the public interest, could not have
| required eithcrmy recommendation or sanction,
Tor continuing This Bank depository OF the
public money aitcr the fall of13i9.
Icome now TO the report that contains the
deXtrous inslnuation against my crcdibilitv. So
much OF ii as relates to this subject, is in the fol-
lowing words, viz: '' The hon. Mr.. Edwards
late Senator from Illinois, having stated, on his
| ex animation before committee of the House,
on the 18th February, 1928, that the late Re-
ceiser OF Public Moneys at Edwardsvilie had on
hiS advice, and In his presence, written a letter
TO the Secretary, enclosing copy OF the publ
| cation which Mr.. Edwards represents himself
to have made sometime in the year 1919, an
nouncing his intention of retiring from the Di-
rectorship of the Bank at Edwardsyille, and that
he had advised the Receiver to withhold his
depositcs from the Bank until he could receive
further orders from the Secretary and that
the Receiver afterwards informed him, that he
had received letter from the Secretary, direct
ing him to continue the deposits The Secreta-
ry deems it proper TO state, that no such letter
from the Receiver IS to be found on, The files of
the Department that the officers employed in
1T, have no recollection the receipt of such q
letter, and that, on an examination of the re-
cords of the Department, it appears that no an
s'cer to any such letter, directing the Receiver
to continue the deposites, was ever written to
him, by the Secretary of the Treasury
MS statement bears intrinsic evidence that
it was intended to deprive me of the benefit of
my Jushhcatlon-not voluntarily made, but
drawn from me by the committee, in regard to
the Bank OF Edwardsyille and to subject me to
the odlous suspicion of having sworn falsely.
Were there any doubt upon the subject, it
would be removed by the conduct of distin-
guished individual, whom it might not be res
| Pectfui to name in this communication, and who
since left the city, has not thought it beneath
has dignity to go about exhibiting The report, and
expressing his opinion that it placed me in a
dilemma" He may vet find il more difficult for
1 70 rlH pfN - inf, .toI-.
! interest.
Believing, as call upon my God to witness,
sincerely and confidently do, that Mr.. Craw-
| ford did receive the letter mentioned in the A.
bove report. and that it is now in his possession.
or has been purposely destroyed can but re-
| gard this attack upon my reputation as unparaI-
ieiied by any thing l have ever witnessed, or
heard of, as ernanating from SO respectable a
source, except certain D,a,a9uures and STRATA
gems, to fix upon much more distinguished in
dIvdual OF this nation the disgraceful charges of
a guilty participation in horse-stealing, and the
passing of counterfeit money, which | have
/ somewhere met with, in the course of nv read
ing. Malicious imagination is the resort of a
timld mind Wiifui misrepresentation denotes
a wicked one.
In regard to the time which has been selected
Tor making this attack upon me, it very much
resembles the management which MIR. Craw-
lord resorted to, at the last session of Congress-
to defeat certain applicant for a land Office an,
pointment. This gentleman had been before
the President for many weeks. He was sun.
ported by gentlemen Of the first respcctability
and OF different parties, in the states of Illinois
Missouri, and Tennessee. No objections to
him were anticipated by himself or his friends.
And none was made till the President was about
to transmit his nomination to the Senate THEN
when domination could no longer be kent back
by any cont1caace whatever, and not ill then.
did Mr.. Crawford exhibit his objections The
/ gentleman's residence was too remote, and the
session of Congress too far spent, to admit of a
ny defence or explanation from him; and thus
he lost the appointment. As this case is stronr-
! ly marked by certain characteristical traits.
which tend to illustrate the objects and dcsirn of
| this toeI-tamcd attack upon me, | refer for n
TURNER explanation of it, to my letter to MIR.
Crawford on the subjcct.G7.1
In the latter part of the week previous TO nv
departure from tho city, on calling to take INV
leave oil the President, met with Mr. Dickens
70 whom, IN short conversation with him. [
ca lfnunlcated nay intention of leaving the CITY
on the Sunday following. Zone day before the
date OF Mr.. Crawford's communication Y and
but Tor an accidental engagement of the Sccre-
| tary OF State, which prevented his signing q pa-
per mat 1t was necessary for me TO carry to the
treasury department, till after the hours of bu-
sHiess IN That Department had elapsed, should
nave departed from the city before Mr.. Craw-
| fords communication was made and prnbabl,.
should not even have heard of it, tiE after had
leit the u. States.
But, independently of what I stated IN Mr.
)lck'ns, my intended departure was strongly
| indicated by the business I was encaoed i,
uansacung in the public Offices. 1t was rene
\ lIrr lr,.x Il r =