Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-03-20
Er,n the Cincinnati Gazette.

yICE-PRESIDENT'S PROTEST. No. |.
The occasion that called forth this document,
as we'll as lis positions and argument, strongly
eyincs the facility with which the huma intel
lect is subjected 10 the dominion Of the passions
and even made TO cater for them. l ne hlgh
standing OF Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.. Mc'uhe, Tor
bids the superstition that they would purposeiy
descend TO The low apd degrading vice OF fafse-
hood and Misrepresentation. Their intelligence
is Of that order which, nitwere pnclouded, could
not fail 10 instruct them, that an attempt TO do
so must recoi upon themselves And yet thro'-
out the whole proceeding, there Is disingenu-
BUSINESS as 10 facts, and consequent sophistry
in argument, OF, the mast palpab'e character. 1t
is my purpose 10 detect and expose the most
prominent Of these errors, so as 10 enable every
candid man to comprehend item. And, IN ex-
ecuting this purpose, shall epdeaVor 10 en-
ploy no weapon but truth, 10 repose upon no
argamen, tha, can be fairly refuted
- The Foundation Of this protest is, that, with
the exception OLA solitary question" "thsre
is not one little Of all the incumberins mass OF
documentary and oral testimony, which has oc-
cuped the labours Of the committee for more
than 90 days; tina, has the slightest pretenslons
to the character Of legal evidence
In support Of this allegation, it is objected:
First. To all that part Of the investigation
War had any agency in bringing forward the
charge against Mr. Calhoun.
Second. That "the grea, mass Of the evidence
that so long engaged the attention OF The COM
mi tee, consists Of the private letters OF Major
Handkerchief to Elijah Mix, with the e1plana-
tons to which they have given rise"
We can only properly estimate the character
and force Of these objections, by recurring to
the antecedsnt facts, from which the inquiry a
rose. These were, a letter from Elijah Mix,
published in the Alexandria Phenix Gazette,
with some editorial comments.
The material parts Of the letter are as fol-
lows
aif mathematics is Hsp,ed on the spbiect
concernedin the Rip Rap contract, either di-
rec,iy or indirectly: And 1 have written letters
from Vandeyenter which most positively men,
ton tha, he was engaged in and received some
portion Of the contract"
The editorial comments, which it is necessa-
~ 10 notice, were in these words:
"fhe letter was marked confidential; but
Hancock not choosing to consider it so, COM
munic ated il yesterday to the Secretary of War
who Immediately rejected Mix's proposal, de-
claring him UNIV orthy to be party to con-
tract, and thinking, probably, that such man
might have the hardihood hereafter to make an
- attempt upon his reputation
In his appeal to the House, soliciting an in
quiry, Mr.. Calhoun thus expressed himself:
"In Claiming the insestig alton Of The House,
am sensible, Thar under our free and happy
institutions, the conduct of public servants, IS
fair subject Of the closest scrutiny and the
freest remarks, and that firm and faithful dis
charge OF duty affords, ordinarily, ample pro-
lection against poEtiea! attacks: but when such
attacks assume the character of improbable of.
fences, and become, In some degree, official, by
being placed among the public records, an officer,
thus aSUled, ho,ueUer base the instrument used if
conscious OF innocence; can look for refuge on
ly to the Hall Of the immediate Representatives
ofthe People II is thus find myselfmost un.
expeetedy placed.
"On "Wednesday morning last, it was for the
hrstsime in'imated TO me, that charges of
very serious nature against me were lodged in
one OF the Executive Departments; during the
day rumors from several quarters to the same
effect reached me; but the first certain informa.
ton OF their character was received Yesterday
morning, through one of the newspapers of the
District. II appears, from this statement, that
am accused ofthe sordid end Infamous crime
OF participating inthe profits ola contract form.
ed with the government, through the Depart
ment OF War, while was entrusted with the
discharge OF its duties, and that the accusation
has been officially presented as the basis o,caa off,
sial oct Of The Var Department. and consequently
to be placed among its records, a lasting stigma
ON my character"
BY the letter Of Mix, the editorial comment,
aud the language used by Mr.. Calhoun, in his
appeal TO the House, the following facts are un-
questiouably established.
!. The charge made bv Mix referred 10 the
Rip Rap contract, and Mix himself avowedly
rested il upon letters written to him by Vande-
yenterS
2. The editorial comments treat Mix as un- |
worthy of credit; and represent him to have
been so held at the War Department. And by
adding as one reason, upon which the Secreta. |
~ Of War acted, an apprehension that Mix |
"might hereafter have the hardihood to make an |
attempt upon his reputation il clearly conveys
the fact that the charge was considered ca.
lumny.
3. Mr.. Calhoun asked M investigation of