Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-08-21

nor did ever hear of it being denied
uhui the present canvass. With others
1 heard of. end believed such threats had
oeen made; but did not believe he had
any serious intention of carrying his
threats into execution. until a day or
two after the adjournment of Congress
when | heard OF Commodore Decatur
having prevented him from entering the
senate Chamber to attack Mr.. Eppes
NOT having a personal knowledge of the
transaction, l cannot speak of the fact
iurtherthan that | heard it from several.
respectable persons in Washington. at
ne ttms; and | know, with perfect Ger
tainty, that the whole scene was thus
related as it should have happened, that
Genera jackson went &c the Capitol in
a carrIage chat, as he passed from the
carriage, and near the door of the Senate.
he was met by Commodore Decatur,
who knowing OF, or being Their informed
OF General Jackson's intention to fall
upon Mr.. Eppes. the Commodore, BY
'nireat:es, and strong expos'ulations, in
duoed the General to return to his car
'iage. This vas told publicly, as coming
from the Commodore personally, anc
from this authority il obtained credence
as far as it was heard. | believed it, and
still believe it; nor will | deny that | telt
some apprehensions sor my own person
al safety. could see no good reason
why General jackson should have Sc
iected Mr.. Eppes as his victim, who was,
at bat time, sorely afflicted with dis
ease, rather than the chairman of the
Committee. Impressed with this belief.
| mentioned this circumstance ta Nr.
Crawford, (then Secretary of the Trea
sury, a name | never meation but with
feelings ct the strongest respect) MIR
Crdtrtord told me hat he had heard and
believed in the truth. of General Jack
sons cou,e Tplated attack on Mr. Eppes,
and advised me to be on my guard. The
same advice ~areceiyed from several gen.
tlemen, and took il, 50 far as to apply 10
Walter Jones, Esq United States Attor
ney tor the District of Columbia, who.
kindly furnished me with the means of
defence. And, Is this was the first time
IN my life, when among civilized men,
that bad to resort to such means for
personal safety, sincerity hope il may
be the last, in which a Representative
OF The People, for The homes. discharge
OF his duty, will be subjected to a like
necessity.
II am aware that General jackson, in
a letter to Mr. Grundy, has by an squivo
qHe, d~isingeuuous and nncandid, attic mrt
ed a denial of the outrage designed te
have been committed upon Mr.. Eppes
But this denial relates merely TO the pre-.
else spot, and the manner in which he
was interrupted and prevented by Com
modore Decatur. His previous threats
OF cutting off the ears and mutilaiing the
members OF Congress he never has de
MED, although the charge was made by
me, IN the National inteiligencer, in ny
own name. when zoe teere both IN the cify
OF Washington, and when the facts were
fresh in the memory of all, and when
many were on the spot, by whom these
facts could, and, # denied would. have
been proved Nor has General jackson
ever denied, even in his letter to Mr.
Grundy, his gong in his carriage with a
settled design OF putting bis threat into
execution; and that. between the car
riage and the Senate chamber, he was
turned from his purpose by the strong
and decisive expostulation of Commo
dore Decatur
"That the account Of a transaction so
extraordinary in its character as this,
should have been related as comingfr from
Commodore Decatur-and this, not on
ly in his life time, but Immediately after
it should have taken place-and for
this story to have no foundation in fact.
and to remain uncontradicted by thatl
gentleman. cannot be credited. Those
members Of Congress who remained in
the city a few days after the adj urn
ment, carried the story home with then
and told itas a fact-and all agreed ia
every material tact, and that it came
from the lips of Commodore Decatur.
Such was the statement made hy Mr..
Baldwin, Of Pittsbnrg. He stated the
facts to gentlemen of the first respecta.
bility in the city, nor did he to those gen
tlemen suggest a doubt of the truth Of
those facts. 1t has moreover been re-.
Gently stated in a pamphlet published 10
the city of Philadelphia, that Joseph
HonE.osou Fec and "a. NJ -. |