Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-06-08

the cath there SUI ely was but one day.
NINIAN EDWARDS.
Washington, June I.
MIR. EDWA RDS'S LETTER.
Adkering TO the resolution formed at the
opening of the Investigation of his charges,
we shall studlOusIy refrain from any other
comment N the Letter of Mr.. Edwards, in
the preceding columns, than such as the Let
ter indispensaby imposes upon us the duty
of making.
In this Letter, Mr.. Edwards expresses his
astonishment that we should have stated that
ne remained here some days after the report
of the Secretary of the Treasury To the n ouse
oil Representatives, which is the assigned mo-
tive for his charges against Mr.. Craw ford
ny ms own shelving he remained here two
Gays afier that report was made, viz: from
the 22d TO the cath of March, and we stated,
therefore, nothing bat the fact We will not
permit ourselves to he drawn into a contro.
versy on this subject now (; but we feel bound
TO state, that we had reasons, independent of
our knowledge OF this fact, for believing that
the attack upon MIR. Crawford was in the
contemplation of MIR. Edwards before the
Transmission of thereport ofihe Secretary of
the Treasury to Congress. The disposition
to inJure Mr.. Crawford did not depend upon
ms reporting one thing or another: for we
have the authority of Mr.. Edwards himself
IN hIs Address To the House Of Representa-
tIves, for saying that, more than I2 months
ago, he was the assailant Of Mr.. Crawford
IN an anonymous guisc, when no justification
existed sucn as is now alleged. We do not
now touch the question of the propriety or
improperly of the attack then made upon the
Secretary Of the Treasury, but we refer 10
facts which Mr.. Edwards has himself placed
upon record. 1t was ce.ainly for no purpose
OF u,nd,cdtion Of himself that Mr.. Edwards
accused Mr.. Crdt1ford, fifteen months ago. of
suppression of certain public documents,
&c. &c. which on the late occasion. he de-
sired to he taken as part of his Address 10
Congress. Mr.. Edwards had certainly received
no injury from the humble editors of this
paper, when he at the same time charged US
with crime which, if established, would
have justly damned us in the estimation of all
honest men. His attempt TO injure us, there
fore, by anonymous publications. was without
,heJustificalion ofseIf-defeBce, being political
movement merely, directed against us, because
we were supposed to be friendly TO MIR. Craw.
ford. The knowledge oftnis fact, surely af-
iorded to us, apart from other considerations.
reason to suppose that hostility to Mr.. Cfaw.
lord actuated Mr. T.. in preferring charges
against US. as is half avowed in the first letter
OF A. Is. which induced US to ask the House
oi Representatives to investigate our conduct
- OoiSN'o VI ibdt Itousts we TeDedt. we DO
not NEEDLE with the motive of MIR. Edwards's
hostility To the Secretary of the Treasury-
we only speak of the fac, of its EXISTENCE
Wenever said Mr.. E's letter was not written
81 wheeling. We believe, however, that il
might nave been written before Mr.. E's de-
pdriure from Washington, had he preferred
,haf course, because all The knowledge which
lie could have oftbe report of Mr.. Crawford
ana OF the matters alleged in his letter, were
10 MS possession before he left Wasbipgton.L
when these things are considered, we do not
mink Mr.. T.. has sufficient reason for the sur
prise which he expresses at our having stated
iact, which fact he admits 10 sufficient extent
at least for the purposes OF the argument in
which II has been employed.
We have only one or two general re-
marks TO offer on this subject, and they are
Jusuncatory oil our own COURSE. IL Mr.. T..
mad defended himself only, Which ne declares
10 nave been his object, SO far from COM
pia'ninS of If, every one waald have lent to
MIN kind and respectful attention, and none
more willingly than we. His address TO the
House OF Representatives was, on The con-
'sry, whatever may have been its motive,
one OF the most violent impeachments ever
made OF the condsct Of public man-made
OF moment, too, when that man stood in
the delicate relation Of candidate for the
highest honors of the nation, and was there
lore most vitality vulnerable. We have here
'ofore said; that, dispassonatey and impar,i-
ANY viewed, the Report of the Secretary Of
.he Treasury did not impugn the veraciiy of
MF. Edwards IL stated fact merely, which
DIR. H.. himself had made il necessary TO adj
vert to; and we have seen nothing to change
That opinion.
But we forbear going further into this mat.
ter. We hope there will be- full investigation
ofthe subjects referred TO the Committee OF
Congress, before whom Mr.. Edwards is to ap-
pear, without ourselves attaching to those mat
e's any very great importance--the charac
yer OF the committee is the pledge for IFS fair
IVY ofWm. II. Crawford have nothing 10
YEA, 'esr from any crucihIe Of human fabrication.
We have no beIiefin The perfeciibility ofman--
ne ask for Me-. Crawford 10 exemption from
we errors Of Judgment or ofaccdent TO which