Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-07-23

ato'' Dut, That ever said any thing IN,
couiu oe considered as equivalent to a denial /,
4 "ueuors.',p OIL these publications., for the pu,
pose Of avoiding any kind of resnons;h;I;,,pi ~
10 gam any point whatever, do most nos;i;ve
, oehy. In TACT, no man who did not cboos
10 give his name to the public on sucb am co..
Son. could have taken less pains to conceal
tiiah have uniformly done in this case. an
heuce' thcrc IS reason to believe that nine tenth
" congress, and almost every one else VIII
n;s.. .,,esc publications, and knew the genera
circumstances OF the case, considered nf ne IN
author OF them. In one of them offered to :,
vow my real name, provided the House of Re
P'e'1n''tiFes, then seeming to threaten ia do so
"ouiu 4uopt any measure TO operate directI
upon me IN consequence thereof And r. NM.
oe known TO several of my friends, that in
.1''oea 10 avow myself the author of s,,cl, n
.nosc publications as had then written. if tb
question had been put to me las ,y,s ~
oy 1pe committee before " HON was exa,nina,
t'n- eoruary, 1923, ana that had pre,,raJ ~,
Preiacc-ior my deposition, wIficr is DESIGNATE q,
NO. III the documents acco,npauyino nv oil
dress TO the House, for that and other objects.
1hat had Justifable cause, as well from
private, as public considerations. for wr;,;n,
! these publications, shall ALWAYS he ,blo :,
prove whenever il may become necess,ry. 4,
| PRESENT. Will barely ask, whether the pubI;r
attempt that was made in several respectable
newspapers, and even OH the floor of tho IIouso
OF Representatives, to inplicate me j., Tho s,,n-
PRESTON, alluded 10 in tire first of those m,bi;-
cations, did not justify me in cndcayorinr r.
SHOW ihat snch charge was Ridiculous and
ansura: MS IS luiiy shown lii the subsequent
publications; and, containing nothing hut tho
truth, expressed in decent and respectful terms.
what could there be in them to be ashamed of,
no attempt, that have ever seen, has been
mafc to prove, that they contained even an in
VIGOROUS expression, IN regard to the Secrcta-
~, or thatthc facts they allcge were not true.
AS 10 suggestion which has been made, that
Il taey conlained.any thing which, in my opr-
ion, was wrong IN the conduct, of tl.c Sccreta
~, 1T was my duty, as 4 Senator of the IInitcd
states, to have noticed it in different way. 7
nave only TO remark, that il may be seen that
tDey treated OK 'suppreiscd doctflnentsD and il
VIII, l think, hardly be contended by apv re.
ilccflng and well informed man, that It was INV
auty, asa Senator OF the United States, to have
nouced, olucialy, contempt, offered to the
House OF Representatives By the suppression of
information, called for by that House; the more
especially as the House itself had taken the SUBJ
Ject under ITS own consideration.
hat denied my authorship Of those publi
cations for the purpose of obtaining a coniir,na
ton OF my appointment as Minister to Mexico.
IS certainty but poorly supported by proof, (if
adthittei TO ITS fullest extent,) that such denial
was made or known to one Senator only. who
had previously taken an active part in nv favor
and vho swears that he was wholly uuipfluen
ccd by that consideration. CONSIDERING tbe
tne and circumstances when, and under which
tois controversy commenced, and that all the
Senators were then present, i. is hardly to be
presumed that, if such an attempt had been
made by me, or such denial had been known
to any other Senator, further proof could NOT.
have been produced.
If, however, the committee should supnose tboro
is proof enough before them to support this i'm,
putaton, ask it of their Justice to afford me
fair opportunity of producing testimony to the
contrary, which only want time to do. This
being granted me, il it shall appear, or there
shail De tae least reason to believe, that | OBJ
tuned confirmation of my nomination by such
means, l pledge myself instantly tosurrcndermy
appointment.
Inc committee having requested me, since
tire foregoing was written, to reduce to writing
my motion TO have Mr.. Crawford examined as
witness, that there may be no mis,nlerstand-
ing on the subject, proceed to comply with
iheIr request, and to explain the grounds of
this application.
doducc my right TO claim the benefit of his
testimony from the precedent that has been es-
tablshcd by the committee in my own case
Legal principles have been pretty rigdIy IN
sisted on, III ONE instances, in the course of the
present investigation /; and, although arn moi
able TO point ont the legal principles, or usarc.
that justifcs this precedent, presume 1t will be
sufficient to entite me TO the bcnt Of it, to show
strict analogy between the case to which il
has been applied, and the one to which now
respectfully propose TO apply it.
L am considered by the committee as Mr..
Crawlord's accuscr. i might rely upon his re-
port and his subsequent communication TO the
committee, 10 show that he has made himself
mine. But also wish to prove that such was
his iutention. If, under these circumstances eli
tlier he himself or the committee, have a riplt
To make me witness against my own consent,
III order TO inquire into my motives, and yari-
ETY. of other matters not iuc!t,icd in either of my
six charges against him, or any oftheir speciica-
lions, Justice must accord to me the same priy,-
icge, IN regard TO his implications against me-
claim the same right to examine him, and with
equal latitude, in regard to all the matters con-
tanned in lis report, and subsequent co;nmuuica-
ton, which inplicate me, that has been demand
cd of me in relation to all the matters contained
in my address 20 the House.
1t is true that myself such course
either III his or my own case, as equally contra
ry to all former usage, and inconsistent with well
established and iucoDtcstable legal principles
But, il have been mistaken, or d new rule IL
to be adopted, all ask is, that, while it is APP
piled against me, IN one instance, may not be
denied the privilege oft in similar one.
had supposed that neither ofus couI1 either
| rs accuset OF accused, be required, contrary tc
our consents, to become a witness, or TO testify
for OF against ourselves, The rights of pro.
sccutor and defendant, in this respect, arc the
same, in any form Of trial that has been adopted
in This enlightened country. Either has righ
| r., dpri1o E,r himself t,r.,f, haeu