American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-04-13

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previously concerted plan.
Under these circumstances the petitioners >,
present that the courts Of single county arc y
adequate to the emergency, and ask the ,ntora.
sition of legislative authority, to procure fu +.
vclopment of plot so base in design, So fe.sa
! in execution, and fraught with consequence
dangerous to the liberties Of our people,
| Your committee have delayed their report viii
the expectation that the promised testimony wo.ls
be furnished to substantiate the charges cons;nss
in the petitions.
Within few days several affidavits have h..,
forwarded to your committee, none Of which re..s
the most severe allegations Of the petitioners.
| From the testimony adduced, no doubt remain.
in relation to the unlawful seizure and remoy. u,
Morgan, for which offence several persons ws,s
arrested. and having plead guilty to the ind;ct
ments found against them, are now SUFFERING tbs
penalties OF the law in the Jail of the county If
Ontario.
The situation oe this unfortunate man after le,v
ing Canandagua, so far as legal proof has been
furnished, is still left to conjecture; but By The
affidavts presented, many circumstances Ar.
brought to bear upon the allegation that he VA,
taken TO Niagara, whatever may have been Ri,
subsequent fate.
The strongest proof in support Of this position
is to be found 10 the affidavit of Paul .Hosli,r
which, though resting principally upon information
derived from others, when not under oath, carrie.
to the minds Of your committee belief of its gen.
eral correctness. This affidavit is particulsry
corroboyated BY the certificate Of A. @. Human.
justice Of the peace Of the county Of Niagara se
ting forth the proceedings had before him against
one Eli Bruce, Of said county. An affidavit Of
Darid .Mar,ceu, is also presented, which may B.
considered as having collateral bearing upon this
point, touching the probability OF Morgan's re-
moval towards the Niagara river.
An attested copy Of the affidavit Of one William
Terry, Of Niagara, Upper Canada, has been pre-
sented to your committee; much as this deposition
may be calculated to create the dreadful belief
that the life Of Morgan was taken al Fort Niagara,
the statements contained in 1t are too underlined in
their character, to warrant your committee in act
ing en- them: The names of his informants are not
given, and it would seem by the affidavit, that hs
information was principally derived from residents
of the Province of Canada, beyond the reach Of
our judicial authorities, and Of any power that our
| government could create.
| Much animadverson has been had upon the
statements made by said Terry, and as some pub
lie journals have pronounced him unworthy Of BE-
lief, the committee feel it due to him, and to those
who procured his testimony, TO state that certG.
Gates have been furnished on this subject which
satisfy them that the imputations cast upon the
character Of that gentleman were unjust. You,
committee have now given concise reference to
that part Of the testimony presented, which they
consider of character sufficiently definite to bear
upon the allegations contained in the Petitions
II is also shown to your committee by the aflida.
Wit of the wife of Morgan, that she knows nothing
OF his fate other than what is known generally,
and that she ha. not seen him nor heard from hin
since the said 18th Of September.
The committee also present to the house maNy
other AfA vita raintion fhis auhpct hut they
are OF description 80 vague, resting Of. en upon
slight circumstances, and in some cases without
giving even the names Of those suspected, that,
however unpleasant may be the impression made
by them upon the minds of your committee indi-
vidually. they not of character which in their
opinion would justify statement Of their con-
tents IN report to this house.
I After full examination of this subiect, your
committee have found themselves surrounded By
EMBELLISHMENTS upon every side
They have endeavored to devise tribunal fol-
the investigation of this transaction which could
have jurisdiction co-extensive with the section
Of country through which this conspiracy is chars
cd to have extended which would possess power
to force the attendance of witnesses from every
part Of that country, with right to mprison those
who should refuse to answer questions legally pro
posed which would secure the arrest and 1elen
ton for trial Of those against whom proof should
be made, and yet which should not infringe upon
those chartered privileges that secure to every Gil;
zen the right Of trial BY jury, according to ths
course of the common law, privileges to which
free people should cling as to the last rock Of he
political safety.
Upon the deepest reflection, your committee
are of opinion, that such tribunal, while it woul,
be doubtful in principle and dangerous in prece
dent could not materially add to the powers vestce
in our existing courts.
To arrest the progress Of such glazing crime; L
surrender to the injured and insulted laws of on
country, their 50 wanton viulators to protect ou
people in the enjoyment " of life, liberty and thu