Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-31

that. BY such general prescription, and the
requirement of successful military service as
the only condition of civil preferment, the in
ev;table effect would be the ultimate estab-
Gsbment of Military Government
Jf the contents of the letter to Mr.. Swart-
wont were such as justly to excite surprise,
there were other circumstances not calculated
70 diminish it. Of all the citizens Of the Uni
ted states; that gentleman is one Of the last to
,',hoT, Il was nece ssary to address any vindica-
t;on of General Jackson. He had given a.
hnndant evidence of his entire devotion to the
cause ofthe general. He was here after the
election. and was one ola committee who in
v;ted the general to apublc dinner, proposed
n he piye1 to him in this place. My letter to
Judge Brook was published in the papers Of
This city ON the 10Th of Feb. The Generals
note declining the invitation of Mr.. Swart-
won't and Others, was published on the l4th
in the National Journal. The probability
therefore is, that he did not leave this city un-
til after he had full opportunity to receive,
in personal interview with the general, any
verbal observations upon it which he might
have thought proper to make. The letter to
Mr.. Swartwout bears date the 23d of February,
If received by him in New York, it must have
reached him in the ordinary course of the mail,
on the 25th or Goth. Whether intended or
not as a "private communication, and motif
the spublic eye" as alleged by him, there is
much probability in believing that its publica-
ton in New-York, on the 4th March, was then
made, like Mr.. Kremer's address, with the
view to its arrival in this city in time to affect
nv nomination to the Senate. In point offact
it reached here the day before the Senate act
ed on that nomination.
Fellow citizens, am sensible that generally
public officer had better abstain from any
vindication of his conduct, and leave 1t to the
candor and justice of his countrymen, under
all its attending circumstances. Such has
been the course which have heretofore pre-
scribed to myself. This is the first, as hope
it may be the last, occasion OF my thus APP
pearing before you. The separ ration which
has Just taken place between us, and the We
nom, if not the vigor, of the late onsets upon
my public conduct, will, hope, be allowed
in this instance to form an adequate apology.
1t has been upwards of twenty years since
first entered the public service. Nearly three
fourths of that time, with some intermisslons,
have represented the same district in Con-
gress, with but little variation in its FORM
During that long period, you have beheld our
country passing through scenes OF peace ana
war, of prosperity and adversely, and of party
divisions, local and general, often greatly ex-
asperated against each other. have been
an actor in most Of those scenes. Through
out the whole of them you have chung to me
with an affectionate confidence which has
never been surpassed. have found in your
attachment, in every embarrassment in my
public career, the greatest consolation, and
the most encouraging support. should re-
gard the loss of it as one of the most aff1ct-
ing public misfortunes which could befal me.
That have often misconceived your true in
tsrests is highly probable. That have ever
sacrificed them to the object of personal ag-
grandisement utterly deny. And for the
purity of my motives, however in other re-
spects may be unworthy to approach the
Throne of Grace and Mercy, appeal to the
justice of my God, with all the confidence
which can flow from consciousness ofperfect
rectitude.