Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-08-31

matter, confirms my statement, and affords
very strong presumption that he had received
all the information before referred to.
His attempt to produce an impression unfa-
vorable to me, from the circumstance of my
names appearing on the list OF Directors. is
the more extraordinary, since he himself has
prefaced his remarks on that subject, with an
extract from my oath, from which it appears,
that, though had once been elected to that
station since 1919, | had refused to accept it,"
lie well knows that to constitute Director,
requires the concurrlng wills OF the electors
a,d the person elected; and, knowing had
"refused to accept the appointment" nothing
can be more dislngen uous than to pretend TO
recognize me in that character. Ii he had
entertained the least suspicion that had not
sworn truly on the subject, his whole conduct
! towards me can leave no doubt that he would
have spared no pains to have been prepared
to prove the fact II being, therefore, obvious
that he must have believed my statement, in
this particular at least, what can be thought Of
his effort to nsl al others in regard 10 it
| More trankness a, d caldor surely were due
to the exalted station he occupies.
My names appearing in the list of Direc.
tors, was produced by the following circum-
stances. The election took place, on the 1st
January, 1920, While was attending to my
public duties III this place, as Senator OF the
United States, and, though had positively de-
ciared that would not serve, | was elected
by the influence OF Gen. Payne, of Kentucky,
who held hearty half Of the stock of the Bank,
and hoped that he could prevail upon me to
change my detei minaton, which he, in vain,
attempted to accomplish all of which, have
no doubt, Mr.. Crawford well understood. 1t
was probably owing to this gentleman's intiu-
ence, and that of his powerful connections in
Kentucky, that tins Bank continued SO long
depository Of public money.
From Mr. Crawtord's present attempt, I'M
der all these circumstances, still to implicate
me in the transaction of that bank, it may, we'll
be supposed that his first efforts Tor that pur-
pose, in 1922, which have been Systematically
and pertinaconsly perscvered in, to6he imme
diate cause of the present controversy, have
not left inc without Just cause OF complaint.
Ny conduct, i'll regard to that Bank, has been
fairly stated. IL was the result OF a unsuitable
desire to protect my own Character against
casualties that might have injured it and not
with q view TO inure or give dissatisfaction to
any human beiug. Nor did imagine that it
could have produced any motive, or furnished
any ground for accusation against me. Find
ing, however, contrary to every reasonable
expectation, that "partial information from
the Treasury Department, concerning my
III DiiuBliS iiistt tito
with the Treasury, was extensively used, with
no latle success, for the purpose of producing
Injurious implications against me and thiuk-
lag that ] had Just reason to apprehend they
were about 60 &c presented in more impos-
ing form, l felt myself called upon 10 address,
10 Mr.. Crawford niy letter OF the Ga February,
1922, in which, from desire that my conduct
shoud be fairly understood, and with no IL
Itenton or expectation OF giving offence, re
ferrcd to aud asserted the facts, substantially,
IN relation 10 my publication Of 1872 aud the
Receivers letter, which are contained III ny
oath before the select committee in 1928.
Nothing could have been more preposte
ro,is than my assertion Of these facts, and the
request with which it was accompanied if
mad not supposed tnat all llese documents were
in Mr.. CrlVford's possession. Nor eanany thing
be more reasonable to suppose that, ii they
had not been received by him, he would then
have said so.
He, however, alleges, that "his not having
replied to this, or ANY other matters contained
in those letters, resulted from his having de-
, clmcd any correspondence with Mr.. Edwards
on the sub ects to which they referred, iii con-
sequence OF a menace which the first Of them
contained" But let rs inquire what the me-
mace was
Having stated in nv letter above referred
to, circumstances which induced me to sup
pose, as erH Mey might, that he intended fo
make some use ofmy name, III report nc was
about to make to the House of Representatives,
ON the subject OF the Bank OF Edwaidsville, /
say 81 beg leave, most respectfully, 10 sns-
rest, that II would be bat an act OF Flatiee TO
me to present my publication OF 1912, IN
which declared would be no longer rcspon-
! sible for that or any other bank, III any way
whatever" declaring IN the same letter, that
the object OF il MAS TO manifest my disposition
, or willingness to AVOID The aeces%ty, on my
part, of calling for any information upon the
sub ject, or referring to other matters.
IL is this declaration, calididiy made with
view TO avoid any measure that might be con
strued into all evidence OF hostility, that he Is
pleased to consider % the menace which my
Erst letter contained" As. however, my real
object was what | declared it to be, had no
hesitation in saying, in my second letter, that
81 owe it to myself, aaheSttutiagtg and proafAy
to disavow my intention Of Offering personal
dlsrespect to you, or the station winch you oc-
cupy." The menace then, if any had been
made, was Withdrawn. Still, however, he
did not think proper to deny that the commit
nicatons alluded to were in his possessioh,
which no doubt he would gladly have done, If
such had been the fact,
But he did not, in fact, "decline any cores
pondece with me on the subjects to which my
letters referred :" for, in his answer to my
first one, among other observations which he
made in relation to those +" subjects" he says,
=" assure YOU, sir, it will afford me great plea
sure to communicate to Congress al the itiior-
. nation in the possession OF the Department,
concerning that Bank, your agency in BRING
ing it into connection with the treasury, ana
the representations which were made against
| al, . IISDOsItIun rather to