Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-09-07
Ithe official report, as printed by authority,

INC ohhClai Iepofts Us PilhtCo ~ eoehoiiy'
most decisiveiy contradicts your assertion.
Which is to be believed
Blu, it seems that am censurable--so your
remarks would imply--not only for emitting to
state in whose hand this rough draft was writ
ten, but for mentioning the hand writing OF
the other papers.
| will here observe, Sir, that Mr.. Edwards
object in procuring the copies of these papers
as understood it, was to shew, that he had
stated the truth, when he swore, before a
Committee of Congress, that such letter as
hat OF 18th October, 1919, had been written
by Col. Stephenson al his request. With this
10 view, il was certainly natural for me to adj
vert to the circumstances which would most
strongly corroborate that assertion. Accor-
dinghy, when | saw the copy of letter in Col.
stephenson's own hand, dated 22d October,
and referring to that of the 18th as the cause
Of rs being written, conceived it my duty 10
state the fact, deeming it strong, if not concu-
siye PROOF, that the former letter had been at
cast adopted, by hin, as his own act. The
question was not whether MIR. Edwards wrote
or dictated that letter. THIS had been lnti-
mated by him VIXEN he told the COMMITTEE
hat it was written al his request, for the pur-
pose OF giving certain information. But with
this had nothing to do.
With respect to the other letters, there
Here also good reasons for wishing to ascer-
an the hand wiring. That of the Isl No
.embcr, ain the hand writing of MIR. Craw-
ord" contained, as it was folded in the Gle, a
paper which was not signed. THIS paper, be-
ing &c List of Bank notes which Will be re-
ceved by the Bank Of Missouri" and beng
iosad carefully folded within tie lettef OF Mr..
CE.Wturd of LIST November, was considered By
ne as giving Information that had been called
iog in Gel. stephensop's letter OF 18th October,
and no where else. Il my suppositlon was co.,
II CT ofWhicii leave othersto j;IdEt onapertissl
Of the papers, then il certainly was important
to shew that lhis paper was actually received
from the Treasury Department; for being
without signature and date, it might else have
been supposed 10 have originated at aay other
place. When, therefore, discovered that it
was in The samc hand writing Us the body Of
MIR. Crawfol'd's letter of Gin August, and con
sequeuly wrilten by a clerk IN Inc Treasury
Department, it was obviously my duty 10 slate
80 material y TACT, III the ciearest manner.
Your next anmadversions are on the UNDER
scoring OF aparticular clause i'll tie Receivers
! letter OF i2lh October. 70 this / have II short
reply It WAS not done by ne. Nor do |
clearly remember, although have earnestly
endeavored 10 recall to my memory All the CIR
cuhstances Attending the business, whether
il " as dong betre the ailidavits were written,
or not or, iii face, whether ever saw the UNI
dcrscorrg. When the copies were complet-
ed, took them to Mr.. Edwards, who was sur
rounded by papers, and deeply engaged in
preparing, rs supposed, supplement to his
memorial have some indstnct impression
OF his taking enc of the papers into his han,!s
and drawing his psn under one or more words.
r. :ls 4 l.tI M tf a,,f
consequences growing out OF SO sight an act,
pad 10 regard to it. Nor can nov, with
All ny efforts to remember, satisfy myself whe-
ther TINS is IN reality "Reminiscences, or mere
y an act OF the imagination. If il dill take
place as nave suppos d, l can readily believe,
thal Mr. Edwards mind was too inuch occu
pied by ,he 'sdDJect winch he was then con,i
derns, to retain the impressi.'" Of 80 trivial
an ocedrrence. Having already compared the
copies winch mad made, with the papers from
winch 'oak tncn did not again examine
tGcm, when, after Mr.. Dunn's arrival IN ID
waFusviic MIR. Edwards requested me 10 at
Zach tie ahta lis; and therefore, if the an
derscoIing WAS Chen on the letter, neither
say nor thou9ht OF It.
l now Conc 10 what consider grave ard
serious cnargc. For even if had UNDERSIGNED
the passage which appears to be thus marked,
II would not have made The slightest alteration
in the meaning OF the words. IL ~ou.. cniy
have placed tic CLAUSE ii, little botler rcie.,
that It might catch TIE eye more readily. Sat
when you cha 50 me iii one breath with tTo
lnN ntioiai antiquities, either oi which, con
celie, would amount 10 false swearing 10 a
moral, If not legal pom, of view, feel no small
embarrassment, arising from the new and pain.
ful situation IN which It places me. 1t is nior-
I'll! ing to have occasion to tlefeal myself
against an accusation Of the kini. You will
therefore pardon ne, trust, if in the cours, OF
my letter am sometimes betrayed into the
use of harsher expressions thai am wont to
use.
You seem to have discovered some dark,
mysterious and sinister meaning in the ssta-
died and singular pulaseology" OF my affidavit
iuhHed to the letter OF l2tn October; and after
exercising your ingenuity III makIug that dark,
winch was really PLAN aad clear, you tax
your utmost powers Of misin,erpreiaton to
make it speai, II language which it never
meant. In this way you lhsiuate-and must
be permitted TO say that the i,.sinuat0n was
uncaneiid, unyenerous, and un,,is that had
by this "sudied and singular phraseolosy'
endeasored to tell what Was literally true, in
such a manner as to leave u false impression
Because | said that the letter was found on
the iiies appertaining to the Receivers Office,
aid actually in the office at the time il was
tound-you have discovered that kne.u the
pap had been ont Of Tic office. Now, Sir,
although cannot but feel seriously indignant
at an mputa,ion Of this Kind, coming from so
respectable source,y 1t can scarcely repress
a smile at the ridiculous absurt.;ty of the infe-
renee. Had | supposed that my aiEidayits
would have passed under the scrrl,uiyin.r ste
OF so minute philoiogist as MIR. Forsyth, from
this specimen, appears to be, should most H.
dabitaby have endeavored to frame the sen.