Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-02-17
rHE VICE PRESIDENT.


one of the papers accompanying the Report OF
the Committee to whom was referred the letter
of the Vice-President:-
To the Hon. JOHN FLoyD-
S1R: The Committee OF Investigation oUr
which YOU preside, having announced to meas
the friend and representative of Mr. Calhoun,
that they have closed the examination of all the
witnesses they deem it necessary or proper to
summon before them, should be equally in
sensible to the claims of private friendship, and
the obligations Of public duty, were not to en-
ter nv solemn protest against the extraordl-
nary course, and not less extraordinary conclu-
sion of proceeding singularly destitute OF al
most every attribute of legal Investigation.
Even if it should be considered that this Com
mittee was instituted, not for the exclusive pur-
pose of sitting in Judgment on the spechc
charge submitted to their examination, but for
the additional purpose Of exercising, to certain
extent. the functions Of an inqusitorial COM
) mission, cannot conceivethat there would be
any thing in the character Of such commits
sion. that would authorize il to depart from the
Fundamental principles ofjudicial investigation,
and the established rules OF judicial evidences
and after wandering at large, through the per-
picking mazes of suspicion and conjecture,
guided only by the bewildering lights ofincom-
petent and inadmiosibie testimony, to select the
precise point where suspicion ends, and legal
evidence begins, as the conclusion OF their In
.ouiries But, confidently believing that 1t was
the intention Of the House that this Committee
should assume the solemn character OF judi
ciai tribunal, and that the facts and opinions
which they may report to the House, VIII be
consequently regarded by the public, as having
the stamp of judicial authority, feel comPell-
ed, by profound sense of the duty which owe
TO Mr.. Calhoun, to the country, and even to the
Committee themselves, 70 state briefly and dis
tinctly, my objections to the course pursued, be-
fore it shall be too late to correct or Palliate
its Injustice. And in the very outset OF my re-
marks, cannot but advert to the fact, as strlk-
ingly illustrative of the anomalous character OF
this proceeding, that, with the exception OF the
solitary question as to the fact Of Mr.. Calhouns
participation, which every witness has prompt
IL and uneQuivocally answered In the negative,
there is not one title, OF all the incumoerinS
mass of documentary and oral testimony which
has occupied the incessant labors OF the COM
mittee for more than twenty days, that has the
SLIGHTEST pretension to the character OF legal
evidence, whether we regard it as applicable to
the present accusation, or to any other accusa-
lions against the private integrity or official pu-
rity Of MIR. Calhoun. In order 10 demonstrate
this proposition, l beg leave to present for the
consideration Of the Committee, descriptive
ard ANALYTICAL review Of the recorded testi-
mony.
It will be recollected that the first three or
four DAYS Of this inquiry were devoted to the
examination of witnesses, professedly produced
for the purpose of e1culpating the present S'-
cretary of War from the imputation OF having
any agency, either in bringing forward the
charge of peculation against Mr.. Calhoun, or
in the Infamous publication of the equally infa-
nous letter of the yet more infamous instru-
meut of this dark and nefarious conspiracy
It is not my purpose to complain OF the course
pursued by the Committee, in this respect, ale
though il might seem to indicate more anx-
ious desire to exonerate one against whom no
imputation had been made, than to administer
speedy Justice to the second officer OF the go
vernment, when actually on his trial upon a
charge Of official delinquency, calculated if
true TO stamp his reputation with indellible in
fany. But, as the committee have thought
proper to make the conduct OF MIR. Barbour, in
this transaction, distinct subject OF inquiry,
feel constrained to remark, that, although 1
readily exonerate him from any Intentional par
moral and political assassination; yet it is cir
cumstance much to be regretted, that In the
EDITORIAL commentaries by which the pubiica-
tom Of the letter of Elijah Mix, in the Phenix
Gazette was accompanied, the name, and Office,
and Official decision of the Secretary OF War,
were SO artfally associated with the charge a
sainst Mr.. Calhoun, as to give 1t additional So
iemnity and importance; and that no measures
were taken TO have this injurious association
disclaimed, through the same channel. It's
fact, equally to be regretted, that the Secretary
should have retained in his possesslofe ofheiai-
", for three days, the letter containing the
charge against Mr.. Calhoun, without CRYING
him the slightest intimation oft. And even
the verbal declaration made by the Secretary
to Col. Johnson, that he believed the charge a.
eainst Mr.. Calhoun to be an attrocious oalum-
nv, was not made until = day had elapsed after
the publication in the PheEix Gazette, and was
only communicated to Mr.. Calhoun after he
had prepared and sealed his letter to the House
:. of Representatives, and placed it in the hands
of friend. And must also state, as a fact
worthy Of notice, that, neither in the Pnenix