Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-06-11

tiis prosecutions and will then prove, so that
incredulity itself shall not doubt that to the &C
I'VE hostility and proud eOutumely with which
this prosecution commenced this fit of cool sim
difference" did not Immediately succeed. That.
IN the intermediate stages, many schemes, en-
pioyeo 10 entrap, Or 10 intirnidate me, had ut
terry iaued that the prosecution, instead of car
rynS certain and utter ruin, to me alone, was
iiheiy To Affect his own interest perhaps to dis
turo has tranquility, possibly to menace his Sc
curity. That he Is somewhat mere than indif-
ierent now, do not doubt. IL bcloves me, at
this tune, TO notice this remark, only as it may
detract from the purifying virtues of YOUR ac-
qnlttal. should il be my fortune TO obtain il.
Maieyolencc might insinuatc, that owed my
security ohis forbearance, and that nv rcputa-
ton is held, not by tIie,,onorablc service of a
knight, under your undorbtcd supremacy, but
by the vassal tennrc of his Indifference. To
me 1t Is important that nothing shall be left for
nlisconcepton or misrepresentation.
w nat, then, arc the Pretcnsons of my prose-
cutor to indifference? What his proofs of for
bearance' He has not, indeed, appeared upon
Tue stage placed himself openly by the side of
your Judge Advocate, andpersonaIiy PROFOUND
CD 10 the witness the intcrrogatories which were
10 extract the materials OF my condemnation.
But Is 1t not known To- YOU, and to all who have
attended to the progress of this trial, that he is
the spring, though concealed, by which this
whole machinery has been moved; by which the
prosecution had its first impulses has been since
sustained; and yci continues its motionsa Day
after day, hour after hour, during all the cxami-
nation OF the witnesses for the prosecution, have
hot seen despatch after despatch come from
Captain Porter, loaded with intcrroratories to
each witness
How many of these intcrrogatories have be-,
suppressed, as lndecorous, or irrelevant, or APP
piicanie to matters you are not al liberty (even
with my consenO to inquire into, is known only
to the Judge Advocate himself But what de-
iiberate preparation has been wanted? lat in
dustry withheld: what inquiry omitted, what
means unessavcd? what source of information
lett untrled, to establish his accusation. No
thing has occurred to shcw Indifference unless.
indeed, his personal ablcnce, (which could de-
tract nothing from the effect of his lnterrorato-
RES, though it might materially improve the
sic@I Of heu' preparations be proof of indillcr-
encc and forbcarancc.
is within your recollection, too, that he pro
posed to me, during the trial, to admit certain
papers and letters as evidence though all OF
them referred TO matters occurring long before
to offences now imputed to me; and none are
embraced by the prosecution; though that pro-
| posal wholly suppressed transaction, which
now verify believe, would have disclosed tho
secret source of his ill-Will towards INC: thoupb
some OF them related TO a matter which. Inv de-
libcrately abandoning ever since nv arrest. (as
you may sec by comparing tic charges sent r.
me on the - day OF December, with those
now Preferrcd,) heprcvcnted me from being nre.
pared 10 repci, by the proofs, which he knew il
was III my power to obtain; though, while nc
proposed to offer my letters to support a cbarrc
he withheld one, aud the most material one, to
explain the transaction 10 which the others nj
luded; yet, to tins strange and unreasonable pro-
posai, you VIII do me the justice to remember.
did not hesitate one moment in ACCORDING,
Nay, more, L freely consented to imppse no
Afnits 10 his accusations 10 place in his hards
the volume ofmy life, private and professional,
TO allow HIM to point ont amy blot, and criticise
| every error he could detect in il; and 10 cops;-
der me nov on trial for the transactions which
ltrecorded. L was content TO trust nv vIndica
ton to the unPrcparcd and natural explanations
which the incidents themselves uirbt f,.n;.;
This consent could hare been inspired only bv
conscious rcctitudc, cgregious folly: for what
FOLLY could be greater in one conscious of ouiIt
than thus wantonly To throw aside the imDanc-
trab!e shield the law had raised for bis nrotoc-
ton, and to offer himself unarncd, naked. de-
ienceioss, to the weapon of an adversary, from
whom he has hitherto experienced no nroof of
signal iorbearance, or extraordinary modcra
ton?
| III have thus refused TO conceal from, vorr
scrutiny, transactions which was nj liberty to
withhold from aiilnspectiOn, may not nduIro
the belief, that come before YOU this day with
some slight claims upon your confidence. at
least In my irankness, if not in my Innocence.
Having thus given to my adversary all vantane
| OF held and sky, with tempered weapons, and
mailed panoply to boot, enter the lists ON no
gay GRAND OF courtly tilt, or knightly tourna-
mcnt, but i'll deadly gage to do battle f,r M,
honor without shield or helmet, with no ,rea-
pom but truth, enter these E,ta! Este .fo
which both OF us may not pass unharmc,l: and
never III the days gone by, did knight more de
youtIy say than do now, God defend the rier},t
Inc prosecution lmputcs to me- falsehood, ma
lice, base acts OF defamation. 1t insinuates in
terms not to be misunderstood, that I had
palmed upon the world. as true, fabricated and
counterfeit testimonial, in my own cornmenda-
ton. have asked your confidence: I Will moi
abuse 1t. Ifthesc charges be true, will snare
you the pam OF dclbcrating ON INV punishment.
Lost though must then be TO every generous
and manly sentiment which should Character
ILe an officer, shall yet have virtue onourl, in
applaud the justice of the sentence, which dorns
me to ctcrnalseparation from the Navy. Town
too, your thanks will be mcritcd by the officers,
who, IN procuring my condemnation, sliallhayc
protected the. service from the opprobrium of
my offences, and the contamination of nv ex
ample.
But, should satisfactorily refute every ac-
cus1tion; should 1t be proved by the coaalrrino
testimony OF my supcrlOrs, AMI my cu.al5, flrot
as an officer and man, my conduct had mover
before mcTltcd nor received reproach sl,oulJ
II be shown that, without the slightest real pr,-
vocation, and on thc most futile prefcxfs r,y
character was cruelty assaiIed, in n mod, of III
others most ndecorous and offensive sl,,rlb If
become apparent that the author of this injury.