Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-30

then threatened by you, as common report, and
Gov. Claiborne, assured me his was SOON after,
But. nv suspicious then were, and your mapy
subsequent acts have established since, tha,
Won made your first entry into this State predi,.
nosed, and determined TO find a majority Of the
LEGISLATURE, with most respectable and patri.
o,ic norton Of the Citizens, ifnot Traitors. a,
he ar doubtful attachment 10 the Union, and
defence Of the State.
UnhappiIy, sir, for the Legislature and for
the Public Funciionaries Of justice, who SUI.
norted with zeal all your measures, except Of
nroscription and denuneiation, they could no,
agree with you that they, themselves, were
,ra;tors:-and more unfortunate till did it prove
n both Gov. Claiborne and myself, that among
both those bodies, we could not find one traitor
10 crafty or alIay your suspicious. Governor
claiborne letter to you, when far away and a
stranger 10 us all, written at a moment Of alarm
and great weakness will not deny,as calcuIa
ed 10 inspire you with some suspicions--Bu,
when at the first moment OF your setting FOOT in
the S,ate;he arrayed himself under your Stand.
ard with the entire and most enthusiastic mass
of both the French and American population.
from old age to childhood, with or withuu,
arms, marching from every corner OF both the
city and the State 10 your support; and you
stood at The Head, Sir, Of . formidable army,
between the enemy and your victims, i'll he.
came you to per,ue in looking for traitors, in
either the Legislative Chambers, upon the
seats of Justice, or among the citizens, and still
less TO pretend that YOU had discovered Trai.
tor in the person Of distinguished aad most
patriotic Member Of the Legislature, whom
YOU had arraigned on trial for his life, before
one of your Military Commissions for having
in newspaper essay, after beaten and dis
hear,ened enemy had He'd 10 their ships, censug.
ed your severe and unmeriied treatment 10
French ci,izens, and denied our right to con
,inue the exercise Of Martial Law over the III.
habitants Of Q civ, who were no where TO bc
found during the Invasion, but before the enc
my under your orders, or under arms for the
defence-of the city, or in the Hospitals, as Mr..
Loualler ever was, when not on Legislative or
military duty. in administering to the wants and
comforts of the sick and wounded soldiers.
With whom, General, permit me now to
ask you could you have found me "engaged in
paralizing your defence Z" With whom did
remain 'scharged with design 10 deliver the
city to the Enemy?" Will you go and say that
it as with the honorable body over which I
had the honor to preside by their unanimous
choice, and from which retired with their
unanimous thanks? Or, was 1t with the faith.
full guards Of the city, in whose ranks, infrm
and at the age Of So, had the honor to serve
each night Of the Invasion, to their entire salts.
faction' But l would not prorogue the lie.
gislaturc !'-Are you Sir, to be seriously ans
wered who have been a.egislator, that the
President or Speaker" cannot prorogue the
body over which he prcsides, but with its con.
sent? Which is the State Of this Union and
where are treemcn to be found, so lost TO
sense Of their own rights and character that
would wish to see heir immediate Representa-.
tives prorogued" but at their own discretion
or 5y the will expressed of their constituents
and not under foul, unfounded suspicious Of
commanding General; nor under your threat to
Gov. Claiborne and myself, to put our Govern.
ment under martial law, as in truth you did, If
it would not adjourn.
The next and last charge against me, and
which suspect, General, you indulgently in
tended as my coup dt.g,ace, ii true am willing
it should confirm the others. ] am not yet able
to look al i,with suitable gravity, though con.
signed to history by your worthy Biographers.
tits clumsy fabrication, conceived in COM
motion of PASSIONS and its meshes have been
worked and put together with the help OF your
Aid and used as Gov. Claiborne's letter was to
veil your premeditated injustice towards me,
and your violence towards so many others.
Invoke again he ,oiting assistance Of Maj. But
Ter, and | will still defy yop to sustain the
charge with better evidence of truth, than your
own desire to find it true, You will never be
able to give il form or likeness But as your
young and confidential Major, you admit fur.
nished you with the palette and the colours,
will furnish the incident, from which he Dor.
rowcd them.
Itwas on one of the nights, about the time
alluded to by Maj. Butler, that returning from
patrole duty from the grand rouni Of the city,
in passing and seeing light, in the house Of
Mrs r. an old and much respected acquant.
ance Of mine and great admirer of yours,
called in to pay her my respects and found with
her another very interesting Lady Mrs. f. who
in the course of her conversation mentioned
report as circulated in the city, and think she
said by Kentuckians just from your lines Of de-
fence, that, if forced yon would destroy, rather
than sec the city fall into the hands Of the enc.
my. Some day or two after, at the request Of
the Military Council of the city Guards, OF
which was member, waited on Major But.
Ter concerning citizen under arrest, and not
directly or indirectly cha rped with any thing