Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-04-29

interest which yet exists, that the
causes If the disasters of the cam
paign of 1879, should remain where
the administration have attempted to
place them. am not iusens'bIe
how bard is the task ofremo,ing the
weight of oppression. which l have
so long and so unjustly sustained.
In making my statements. and adj
during the documents q evidence IN
proof IF them, it Will freqne tly be ne
cessary to bring into view the officers
who composed the administration at
that time, the court martial before
which ] was tried, and other distin-
guished characters.
In cases of this kind, fearless OF a.
nv consequences to myself, While on
the one hand, shall comment
with the most perfect freedom on their
conduct; on the other, ! shall endea.
vor to suppress any feeling of resent
ment for the injustice and persecu-
ton which | have experienced from
them, and shall say nothing more
than is necessary for fair exempli-
iica:ion of the facts, which it will be
my object to establish.
If. when this mirror is placed be-
fore them. they should discern the
truth, and be made sensible that, by
their unfounird representations, they
have been the instruments of injuring
an innocent individual, and robbins
him of the character he had acquired
by a long course of public services,
both in the cabine: and in the field,
and in this view of the subject, any
compunctions Of conscience should lie
excited, ! do not, and cannot wish
them a more thorny pillow, than will
be made by their own reflections.
It's possible deceive myself in
the indulgence of the hope that this
subject will even for a moment excite
your attention. You may say. that
it has been settled by the admins
tration, and that settlement ought to
be conclusi, e and finaI-that the cha
racter # an individual ia Of little con-
sequence, when compared with the
character of the administration--and
that it is not expedient to rake open
embers which have so long been CO.
vered. But when you consider that
my character is connected with the
events which took place. and how
important it is that the truth of those
events should be preserved and hand
ed down 20 posterity, cannot but
hone, that such considerations will
be a sufficient answer to the Objec-
tons. and induce you to feel an in
terest in the nar' alive I shall pre-
sent, and the evidence I shall pro.
duce in its support; and that you will
believe no means are so powerful as
truth, to preserve the honor OF the
nation.
Should these fond expectations be
disappointed, and the statements,
with the evidence on which they are
founded, not remove the veil of pre-
iudice from the eyes of the present
generation, the reflection of preserv-
ing materials for the future historians
of our country. will be an ample re-
ward for my labors, and soothing
consolation during the short remnant
of my future life.
It will be remembered, this was
the first war in which our country
WAS engaged with civilized nation,
after the war of the revolution, by
which our independence was obtain
ed.
IT was the first experiment OF your
constitution, for the preservation of
those rights. which had been acguir
ed b " the vaIor and blood of the few
who now survive, and many of your
Fathers, who rest in their Iombs.
Science IS increasing with SUCH ra-
pid progress, that there can be no
doubt hut our country will soon pro-
duce an American Llvy or facitus.
who. rising above the atmosphere OF
prejudice, will deyeIope the true
course of our mistortuues, as we'll as
our glory,
The first war in our country, after
we became a nation, and the first mi
litary operations in that war. ~he-
Their prosperous or disastrous, will
be considered as interesting events.
All the evidence which has any rela-
49,. III L,n1,..a1, tlaa ct,l loci