American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1828-01-04
ADDRESS,, &c.

/ hope no apology to the puplic y hecessa'y ~
presenting to it these pages. am deceived u an
ample justification OF the act will not be found 10
the breast Of every Just and honorable man. u an
officer Of Government should not be too sensitive
neither should he be too callcus TO assaults upon
his character. When they relate to the wisdom
or expe,ency of measures which he may nave
originated or supported he should silently repose
in the candor and good sense OF the community,
and patiently await the developments OF time anu
experience But his integrity be vitality assailed
lif the basest and most dishon0rabe motives Tor
his public conduct be aserlbed to him he owes il
TO the country, his friends his family and himself
| to yindcate his illuminated reputation Few
men are SO elevated that the shafts OF calumny
cannot reach them. These ma, securely trust 70
the inyulnerable position which they have attained.
The United States have perhaps hitherto produced
but one man who could look down from his lofty
height, without emotion, upon the missiles ana the
malice OF his enemies; tor even he hau ms enc
mics. If the malignant character Of charges, the
acrmony with which they have been asserted and
repeated Of the perseverance which has marked
their propagation, could ever authorize an appeal
TO the public, think may truly say, that have
his authority. For three years ! have been the
object Of incessant abuse; every art, every spe..
ces Of misrepresentation, has been employed
against me. The most innocent acts-acts Of
ordinary social intercourse, and Of common civil
4
have been nisrepresented and perverted. to my
prejudice, v It'll an unfarness unprecedented. Cir
cumstanccs have been assumed, which had no ex-
jistence, and differences have been drawn from
them which had they been real, they would not
have warranted. Besides, my enemies have them
selves appealed to the public exhibited their charg.
es, and summoned their witnesses to its lar
\ Ready now and anxious as am, and always have
been 10 submit any act Of my public lite to tull
matt hpfnrp lmDartui and sDcCtdUIp
Tribunal whatever surely may expect. at least,
that shall be patiently heard by that which my
accusers have themselves selected. assure tletn
that will present no plea to the jurisdiction.
/ But DESTROYS as naturally am to repel the ca
lumnies which have been directed against me, the
public would have been spared the trouble OF pc
lusng this address, if Gen Jackson had not, IN the
course Of the last Spring and summer, gwen to
them the open sanction Of his name. tn his letter
t. Mr.. Beverly Of the 9Th Of June last, he admits
that, in inferring my prisity to the propostlon
which be describes as borne by Mr.. Buchanan, he
NAV have done me injustice and, in his address
to the public of the 18th Of July last, giving up the
name Of this gentleman. as his only witness, he
epeats that he may possibly have done me injus
tce il assuming my authority fer that proposition.
lie even deigns 10 honor me with declaration OF
the pleasure which he will experience it ! should
be able to acquit myself! Mr.. Buchanan has been
ing that the first impression Of the whole nation
was it is yet that Of every intelligent mnd IN
ha,sed by party prejudice, thathls testimony fully
eyonerated me. and demonstrated that General
Jackson. to saw no more, had greatly msconseiyed
The purport of the interview between them. And
further; that so far any thing improper was dis
closed by Mr.. b. touching the late Presidential
ELECTION, it affected General Jackson and HI
friends exclusively. He having manitestly injured
me, speculation was busy, when MIR. buchanan $
statement appeared, to the course which the Gen
eral would ursue after his gratuitous expression o.
sympathy with me. There were not wanting ma
ny persons, who believed that his magnanlmity
would Immediately prompt him publicly to retract
ibis charge, and 70 repair the wrong which he had
done me | did not participate i'll that Just ex
pectation, and therefore felt no disappointment
that it was not realized. Whatever other merit:
he may possess, have not found among them. il
the course of my relations with him, that Of for
bearing to indulge yndctye passions His sllen
contemplation Of if not his positive acquescenc'
in, the most extraordinary Interpretation OF Mr.
Buchanan's statement, that ever was given to hu
man language, has not surprised me. Ii it hat
been possible for him to render me an act Of spon
taneous justice, by frank and manly avowal =
his error, the testimony now submitted to the pub
lie might have been unnecessary.
Although feel fully persuaded that the commu
nifty, under my peculiar circumstances, will SEE
without dissatisfaction, IL not with cordial appr0
baton, this further effort to rescue my characc
from unmeritea imputations, should nevertheless
have remained silent, and cheerfully abi,ied its DC
clslon. on the disclosures and explanations heret,
fore made, if had no additional facts to offer
its consideration. But body Of highly mpmta,
evidence has been collected establishing some mi
teral cii cumstances not before generally know
and confirming others Of which the public is alre;
dy in possessions; and have thought it due to Il
occasion not to withhold it.
Gen. Jackson having entirely failed to establis