Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-06-08
MIR. EDyyARDS,S LETTER.

WAsHINGToH June 3.--Adhcring to the rcso
luton formed al the opening OF the Investigation
of his charges, we shall studiousIy refrain from
any other comment cn the Letter of Mr.. Ed
wards, i'll the preceding columns, than such as
the Letter indispeusably imposes upon US the
duty of making.
In tii5 Letter, Mr.. Edwards expresses his as
constituent that lcc should have stated that ne re-
maincd here some days after the report of the
Secretary of the Treasury to the House of Re-
personalities, which is the assigned motive for
ms charges against Mlr. Crawford. BY his own
showing, inc remained here two days after that
report was made, viz: from the > ID TO the oItl.
of March, and we stated, therefore, nothing but
u'c fact. We will not permit ourselves to be
drawn into a controversy on this subject now;
but we feel bound to state, that we had reasons,
independent of our Knowledge of this fact, for be-
llcylng that the attack upon MIR. Crawford was
in the contemplation of Mr.. Edwards before tbs
transmission OF the report the Secretary of the
Treasury TO Congress. The disposition to in
jurc Mr. Crawford did not depend upon his re-
porting one thing or another: for we have the
authority of Mr.. Edwards himself, in his Ad-
dress TO the House of Representatives, for say
ing that, more than 2 months ago, he was the
assailant of Mr.. Crawford, in an anonymous
guisc, when no Justification existed such as is
now alleged. We do not now touch the cues
ton of the propriety or impropriety of the at
tack then made upon the Secretary of the Trca-
sury, but we refer TO facts which Mr.. Edwards
has himself placed upon record. 1t was GER
tainly Cor no purpose of Uindication ofhimscT,
that Mr.. Edwards accused .Ur. Crarford, fiE
teen months ago, of a suppression of certain
public documents, &c. &c. which, on the late oc-
caSion, he desired 10 be taken as part of his Ad-
dress to Congress. Mr.. Edwards had certainly
reccivedno injury from the humble editors OF
this paper, when he at the same time charged lis
with crime which, if established, would have
justly damned It's i'll the estimation OF all honest
men. His attempt 10 in lure us, therefore, by a
anonymous publications, was without the iustifi-
ton OF scif-defcnce, being political movement
merely, dircctcdagaihst us, because we weresup-
posed to he friendly TO Mr.. Crawford The
knowledge of this fact, surely afforded to us, a.
part from other considerations, reason TO sup
pose t'iat hostility 10 Mr.. Crawford actuated Mr.
Edwards in prefcrring charges against him, as is
half avowci III the first letter of a. Il. which in
duccd us to ask the House of Representatives 10
investigate our conduct as officers of that House.
We repeat, we do not mcddlc with the motive of
Mr.. Edwards's hostility 10 the Secretary of the
Treasury. We only speak of the fact of its ex-
i5tencc. We never said Mr.. Els letter was not
written at Wheeling. We believe, however,
that 1T might have been written before MIR. Fps
departure from Washington, had he preferred
that course, because all the knowledge which he
could have of the report Of Mr.. Crawford, and
of the matters alleged in his letter, were in his
possession before he left Washington. When
these thing arc considered, we do not think Mr.
T.. has sufficient reason for the surprise which
he expresses at our having stated fact. which,
fact DC admits 10 u sufficient extent at least for
the purposes of the aTguneutin which it'll. ~,
employed.
We have only one or two general remarks to
offer Oh this subject, and ;;cy are iustiicatoyv
Of orr own course. If MIR. Edwards had mr.
tcadea Himself only, which lie declares to have
been his OBJECT, 50 far from complaining of il.
every ono would have lent TO him kind and rcq-
pcctful attention, and none more willingly than
VIC. His address to the House Of Repr essen
tativcs was, ON tic contrary, whatever may have
been its motive, one Of the most violent i'm
pcJchmcuts ever made Of the conduct of \ nnb-
iic mau-madc at amofneut, too, when that man
stood in the delicate relation Of a candidate for
the highest hCnors Of The nation, and was there
fore most vitality vulnerable. We have hereto
lore said, that, dispas>ionatcIy and iinpartialIv
viewed, tie Report of the Secretary of the
Treasury did not impugn the yoracity of Mr..
Edwards: it stated a fact merely, which Mr.. r..
himself had made il necessary to advert 10 and
&C have seen nothing to change that opinion
But we fOrbcar going further into this matter.
&c hope there viii bc Il CtU investigation of the
ubjccts referred TO the Committee of Congress-
1ciJre whom Mr.. Edwards is to appear, without