Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-10-18
800 y.' 49,, ~ - EtI''.s', t"'v-sr Is
CASE OF JONATHAN RUSSELL.

political readers Will remember the principal points II
Tits charge the ,iencc establishing its utter false
ROOD being excluded by its great length. We huye
only room for tho explicit clear and interesting clsrvc
given by Judge Edwards t" tsc jury, who were only
ont fifteen minutes.
judge Edwards niircssrJ tho Jury ut som" length.
lie explained the law, ard afterwards wen, 10
CVmmcmt II tho facts
The charge made s5ains, MIR. Russell. is, that
while COMMISSIONS Client. he entered into
secret arrangcn'cr.: with mercantile house i'll Lon
don, TO furnish information for til" purpose Of spccu-
lntiou--1 corrupt agrccu"ut entered INTO between
Mr. Eus-', and that house, tint he WAS to sar. in
the profits OF the spccu,atous that NIGH, be made,
The publication certainly Il hb"l--inr the law
presu'nas malice upon the publication of libel. T.
was competent Tor the defendant to prove that his
motives were not malicious: III other words. that
II published with COOL motives and for j,stitiah1p
ends. On .''c trial, II dscovcrcd hat all tho
proof consists IN the correspondence Of Mr.. Muilet
with Mr.. Russell.
The first letter was dated Nav 1871 l. and addressed
by Mr.. Mul,t to jonathan Russell. 1t containcd
tins expressions: 'I canuo he long before YOU know
whether the pvcbranch Is to flourish. tho torch
ofwar to hiazr.-Whcn YOU feel ct liberty to give
hunt on this subject, lot me know" On the
other hand TIM letter nainy relied upon bv the dcon
dant, Is thu one dated the 18th Sep;enber. 1t was
written by Mr.. Russell and after expressing his hope
that Mr.. Nluilc' might live to the return OF peace
said, elf thsLrraycrs heard and answered, you will
nave some chance OF living n good old age" This
however. explained bv the testimony: l. also
appeared that the propositions Of he British
rnlssioncrs were made on tho 9th A"Cys. ans; that
the Ancrican minister's refused them thu eth. IL
runauurci abr Dad carlv in September that these
propositions had been rejected. This letter was
written on the 18th Sept. Ii far got ont that the
public know it. the information thus communicated
cnu'd not be important III commercial view. But
ne charge was not simply giving information: il was
also thai ne participated III the profits OF such spcc,i-
l"tIons-ha amount nj the whole being, that he en-
tered INTO a correspondence with corrupt plrposcs
TO ecray his trust Ii Mr.. Russell had any corrupt
vi"w would ne havc rested tiirfu-Sercn DAYS before
nc wnnii have InlNrlucd that house Of the fact.
would he have Delayed, until the whole mercantile
world knew the rejection Of the terms proposed bv
ihc BrtlS'i' " appear singular, that an ir,ri-
can Commissions should have correspondence with
a Commercial House ill London-this is explained
however, by tn" evidence Of Mr. Russell
When Mr. r. WAS chang Atfaircs, Mr.. Mullrit
s"igit his friendship. Because a man is an Amrri-
can commissioners, 1t is not to BE- expected that hc
would lay aside the ordinary cv,lities of n. 1t NAV
nave been an ndlscrctlon OF Mr. r. TO have touched
inc subject at allbut that is not the ocs: ion. II is
"i1 ne enter into corrupt nnmnnt?-'rhc letter
81 Mr. Hasscll is the only piece oftvid,nce tendinr
20 es,ahish the charge Nlr. Russell uneu,ivocallv
o'ncs that he entered into any s;!ch ycnlnu
also seems thst these the onI:, icttcrs-Ncgoc-
atoms from that period to December became vcrr m
'.r"sin!c' 1t such arrangements had been ulai-
wou'd hot Mr.. Russell nave; continued his corresron
dn;cn l., be sure Mr. AIullct died. bet the son re-
manned. But the testimony OF r. Muiict puts !; BE-
Hond controversy. H.. denies that they cn;cre! into
any spnc"lti,nS based on the communications Of Ny
Russell.
The next question 70 arrive At ar, Tho -nn-,as
which acta rHd Mr. Hunt. VA there any maIlcinus
intent The character Of public servant is oran for
l'ldici,''ls ptnijc examination.
Ii a chairman ola political uloc-irr sierS = manor
containing libel it is excuse in law and ac is la
BILE to be indicted Il appears iro-, the evdcncc that
inc Whn!e charge was an ,ntcTcncc the part of
OF his information lie TINT he was informed NV
an individual closely connected with the house in Lon,
don mt docs not appear that this assertion borne
out lie may have been Informed but ii is an on
Ir,r