Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-01

lost the appointment. AS tnIs case Is strungry
marked by certain characterised traits, which
tend to illustrate the objects, and design of
this peR-hmed attack upon me, I refer, for a
further explanation of it, to my letter to Mr..
Crawford on that subject. a.
In the latter part of the week previous to
my departure from the city, on calling to take
my leave of the President, | met with Mr..
Dlckins, to whom, in a short conversation with
HIM, communicated my intention OF leaving
the city on the Sunday following, Zone day be-
fore the date of Mr.. Crawfortl's communica-
tibn,) and but for an accidental engagementef
the Secretary of State, which prevented his
signing paper that it was necessary for me
V carry to the Treasury Department, till after
the hours OF business in that Department had
Elapsed, should have departed from the city
before Mr. Crawtord's communication was
made and probably should not evenhaye heard
of ii, till after had left the United States
! But independently of what stated to MIR.
| Dickins, my intended departure was strongly
| indicated by the hiisiness L ulas Angos.d in
| trahsacting IN the public Offices |, WAS gene
rally known: and if ii had not been, it was
very naturally to have been expe ted.
Deprived of all opporunit, Of defence,
victory over me, might. indeed, have been
cas-, but surely, the triumph would have oeen
most ignoble.
By way OF availing m, self of further charac-
terstical traits, beg leave to state, that, an
inspection OF the public documents is sufficient
to show, that in repeated instances, Mr.. Craw-
ford's replies to calls upon him by the House
for information, &c. have been so tardy and
protracted, as to prevent the possibility of in
vestigating them, dul ing the sessions in which
the calls We're made, and to require great
degree of charity tossibiy however, not more
than is justly due, TO resist the belief that he
has been as much disposed TO evad /, as to n-
vite scrutiny into his conduct.
Even the correspondence which accompa-
MED the report in question, though required
by resolution OF the 9th of May, 1929, to be
lad before the House as early as Practicable,
after the commemorate Mt of the then next sue
ceedng session, has been delayed TO so late a
period of the present session, as 10 render an
Investigation OF IT, betare tile FIST .uonday in
ID ce'nber aert, impossible
| Notwithstanding all these circumstances, it
may be that Mr. Crawford did not intend to
take an undue advantage ofny absence. He
| must well know with what indignant condem-
nation such an attempt would be denounced
| by every magnanmous and generous bosom.
| What surprises me most is, that Il Just appre-
hension OF so degrading suspicion, had not
| induced him to have exhibited his nsnuation
a hthe sooner, or to have declined it altoge-
ther. Bit whatever may haY, been his inten-
tons, could not have been mere disadvanta-
geously affected by any colitrii afice or strata
gem that he could have adopted, to deprive
nc of fair opportunity Of defence.
| Scarcely conyalescent from long indlspo.
sition, exhausted with tbe fatigue Of travel
| log, a".i r~q~.red 70 projected on my journey
with all convenient despatch, ] must leave
HIM unanswer d, or content myself with such
a defence as, with all these disadvantages, a
very short time of necessary delay on my
journey may enable me to present But
what regard with the most concern is, that
writing, as do, without having it in my power
| to refer to, and re-examine certain docu-
ments, | shall not be able to avail myself Of
some important circumstances which they
would establish, and may be betrayed into
some slight inaccuracies to which all men are
liable, who have to trust to memory alone |
promise, however to be more accurate than
MIR. Crawford has been, in cases in which he
had before him every means OF being entirely
so.
Having endeavored to establish my right to
make my defence before your honorable bo-
d,, and taking it for granted that request SO
reasonable, under all the circumstances that
have been mentioned, will not be denied me,
| presume shall be INDUCED IN every legui-
mate right of defence that belongs to my
case.
Among these, it will scarcely be denied,
that haze right,
LIST. To corroborate my own testimony.
2dly. To show, by any means in my power
that the statements made against me are incon-
elusive; and, particularly to avail myself OF
any circumstance that is presented by the
documents in the case in which was called