Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-29
From the National lntelligencer, June 8.

| From the National lntelligencer, June3.
Messrs. GALES s. SEAToN There
having been much speculation in regart
to my willingness to return TO this place
and meet my accusers face to face, beg
leave through the medium Of your very
useful and widely circulated paper, te
state to the public, that countermand
of the orders of the President, under
which l left the city in March last, and
the summons of the committee, having
reached me at Edwardsville, on the al
ternoon Of the 10Th ullimo, instantly
commenced the indispensable prepare
tions Tor my return, left home the next
day and by avalling myself Of every
possible of expediting my journey,
should have arrived here on the 28th
ult. (the fourteenth day from St. Louis)
had not met Col. Johnson, of the Sc
nate, and other members of Congress,
at Washington, in Pennsylvania, and
learnt from them, tina; Congress would
certainly adjourn on the 9Th ult. and
that II was not expected that the commit
tee would be authorized to act after the
adjournment Surprising, in conse-
quence of this information, that had
lost all opportunity of deriving any ad-
vantage from my presence, afterwards
yielded to the claims Of my frail cons,i-
tuition, by travelling more leisurely, but
neverthe less, have performed the jour
ney in less time than, believe, it has
ever been done by any member of Goa
gress, OF, indeed, any other person from
that quarter OF the Union.
Although the promptitude and alac-
riiy with which ! determined to obey
the summons Of the committee, and the
perseverance with which, under adverse
circumstances | encountered the toll
and fatigue OF SO long Journey, in so
short a time, may not afford the most
satisfactory veriticationl Of Certain bold
and confident predictions, that Il would
not dare to show my face here" in vim
dicatlon of my own character against an
ingenious hlof, tha,I shall always be-
lieve was intended to destroy it forever
yet it it will, afford any consolation to
t.e modification, that must result from
this additional proof of the little reliance
that is TO be placed in rash and hasty
conclusions, have no hesitation in ad-
hitting that regard the unfortunate
contest in which have been reluctant
iy involved, with all those apprehen-
sions which a rational man may be sup
posed to feel, who is fully sensible that
he mas every disadvantage, and the most
fearful odds, TO encounter, without any
thing more to sustain him, than the mere
justice Of his cause.
Little, indeed is the merit that I can
justly claim for my for,i,ude in engaging
in this most unpleasant controversy; for,
| am Tree to confess that, if Mr.. Craw-
ford had no, rendered Unnecessary to my
reputation, l should not have had the
temerity to enter the lists with an antago-
mist possessing such formidable and
appalling advantages over me; and do
sincerely declare, that, even after l had
written my Address to the House Of Re-
representatives., l would most gladly have
withheld it, il could have hoped,
by any moro pacific means, to have OBJ
tanned Withdrawal Of his unjust insinua.
ton, or to have parylized its effects. l
had not been such an inattcnsiye and
careless observer Of the current events Of
few years past, (Which the public have
also witnessed) as not 10 have, .forescen
the consequences Of any attempt, on my
part, to question the justice Of Mr.. Craw-
ford's attack upon me, or 10 defend my
self against it. And hence, have pci.
Their been surprized by the abuse, Wifi
cations, and prejudications, that have
been pronounced against me, by gen.
tlemen whose imhartiaHty appears to
have rendered them extremely anxious
to become my judges; nor BY the un-
blushing falsehoods, and other vile
means, BY which certain newspaper edi.
tors have endeavored to forestal and
prejudice public opinion against me,
These consequences l we'll knew be-
forehand ] should have to meet. They
were painful in anticipation; their resli.
cation is excessively 90; but l had NO
other alternative but to bear them, or,
most dishonorsbly, to shrink from the