Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-11-22

others, that he could con,roul Mr.. Scott. His
effor, to do so was OF no Common character
How accurate the parallel:
"rhen, and not ill then, long cherished dis.
trusts were naturally forgot'on; Oft expressed
opinions were practically renounced, and ad-
verse principles openly ab2ndoned. 3Emphatl-
cally MIR. Benton becanss ,be ar,iGcer of that
mans promotion, whose depression, up to that
time, had been chief object ofhis exeition."
That, as matter offaci, all this Is most strict
~ applicable TO Cen Jackson and MIR. Benton,
cannot, win no, be denied. Tina, it has any
lust application 10 Mr. Adams and Mr.. Clay, is
unequivocally negatived, by the solemn asser-
ton OF the latter, and by the uninterrupted in
,ercourse tina, continued between them. What
can an honest and unprecedented man say IN such
a cast? IF un,ru,h be promulgated, 20 infer
from il presumption Of guilt, does not truth
furnish resumption much stronger? If the
argumen, Justify belief OF crime on one side,
though false in fact, the same conclusion must
follow where the facts are indisputable, and un-
| disputed
| The fabric ors and all the promulgators oil
the slauder against Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Clay,
manifest distinct consciousness that they can
not make good their accusation, by testimony.
Hence we have had various singular versions oil
| the law Of evidence and Of crime. In The doca-
mcnt before US we have one Oh truly original
character: 80.
"ro believe when proof is insufficient, is not
| greater folly, than TO doubt when II IS coHylnc-
| ing: and when circumsiantial evidence Is con-
elusive, positive testimony, which is always lia-
bic to corrective collation. with circumstance,
is rather curious than valuable. It.was but the
other day that an arocious murder N the en-
lightentd state of New York, was detected and
punished upon circumstanial evldcsce; and
surely process Of reasonjng, which viii sane
ton the destruction OF one mans lie, IS rigor
Gus enough TO determine the conduct OF ano-
| lher. Those who demand stronger evidence
of an improper understanding between Mr..
| Adams and Mr. Clay, than that afforded by
their combination ITSELF must be prepared to
contend, that it is not in the nature of things,
Tor circumstances to evince guilt, and must be
disposed TO suspend their judgments unless the
parties confess their crimes I"
When intelligent men advance unsound and
mischievous doctrines, il is part Of their pol
| lev to blend them with good portion of cir>
eumoculory nonsense. Oliver Cromwell left
an example of this, which is pretty generally
initiated. The paragraph just quoted is an a.
musing one, for the ingenuity with which, in a
single period, il subverts the whole law of evil
denoe |, is disgusting ons, for The easy as
surance with which II asserts palpablc UNI
truth
"ro believe when truth is ms fficien., is not
greater folly, than to doubt when it is convinc-
! ing: and when circumstahtial evidence is con-
elusive, positive testimony, which is always liza
bic to corrective collation. with circums,an-
stances, is rather curious than valuable "
According to this doctrine, belief depends not
al all upon evidence. II is enough if the barly
| predio ate his belief upon has own convictions:
and if his convictions are ssaedcdupon circum-
stances, why "then positive proof is rather Gu
rious than valuable" IF, however, the positive
proof should happen to be in conAicion with
belief founded upon circumstances il is then to
be corrected and made conform, in the words
Of the paragraph, is "labe 10 corrective col
laton with circumstances. Positive proof, in
accordance with the conclusions deduced from
circumstances, is rather curious than valuable;
! but If not in accordance with such conclusion,
then it must be corrected by collation. with
| the circumstances it contradicls. This absurd
method Of reasoning is very convenient in the
case where il is used. But can easily state a
case, in which the sage of Tennessee will no,
SO readily assent to its correctness.
a man is jealous of his wife, and in conse-
quence, quarrels with her, and with the object
of his jealousy. Wishing however, 20 secure
her fidelity, he parts with her in Kindness and
seeks for home in different country, where
she would be removed from the object Of his
jealousy. When he proposes that she shall Join
him, she refuses. and, oace, To avoid his soil.
citations and his authority, she determines 10
journey iulo distant couniiy, and tha, she may
travel in safety, AID with credit, the object of
her husbands jealousy accompanies her. Her
husband charges her with adultery, and obtains
a legislative act, predica,ed upon that chargr,
authorizing him to sue for a divorces and before
divorce is obtained, she is found living with
the person Of whom her husband was Jealous,
in the character Of wife. Now the cilcum-
stances of his jealousy, of the journey to avoid
her husband, ofthe company IN which she jour
neyed, in ordinary cases; would be considered
entirely Conclusive" that the husbands ea>
lousy was we'll founded. The positive factthat
the parties were seen TO lodge between the
same blackets, would certainly be "ra,her curl
than valua,i - mi ia Sc olIec III