Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-12-01
MONDAY, DECEMBER !, 1898.
To the Honorable R. Y. HAYNE,

published in the Mercury OF the 10th inst. you
have endeavoured TO identity me with the wri-
Ter under the signature OF "Union"-to make
me the author Of this letter-to hold me res.
,onsibe for the conduct of my friends-and to
minute 10 me the attacks which have been
MADE upon you by different Editors in the y,
States. To have written that letter would have
been no great effort-but TO attach TO one, so
Dure and elevated as u Senator Of The I'm
tied States should be, the odious crime oil a
design TO dissolve the Union, and 10 induce the
Printers Of the United States 10 expose & de-
nounce him for l. ARE charges which will gain no
credit with those who are acquainted with my
ypry limited capacity. Suffer to say that
II YOU are innocent OF the charge, you need not
dread its effects that il is not in The power OF
any editors, or Of any animation of talent and
maIice-muoh less Of so poor a worm as my
self to fix it on you-you would find in your
own virtue shield o! protection, and IN the
sympa,hies Of your countrymen a supporting
so,ace. But while disclaim all knowledge OF
your views, am forced TO say that your address
is unfortunate 1t betrays a sensitiyeness-an
imDatience-a confusion which does not usual
Iv belong TO the calmness Of conscious limo
cence. He who descends TO srurrious abuse &
emp.oys sophis,ry and evasion for sound argu'
ment, can have no great reliance on the good
ness of his cause.
For nv own conduct, am surely response
bic but i, is the frs. time have ever heard
that man was bound TO answer for the con-
duct of his friends. You mistake me, sir-l am
no Autocra, CO not govern those around me
with despo,ic sway. My friends are my equals
in civil aud poIitical righ,s-many Of them my
superiovs in riind and moral worth and all OF
Them exercising, 10 an unlimited extent, thai
freedom Of opinion, which they consider the
choicest privilege Of our blessed Constitution.
If in my intercourse with them, communicate
the political principles and political acts OF
yourself or any other public man, aud suspi
cions are excited by them, am to be arraign-
ed for il! If, with that boldness and indepen-
dence which belongs to republicans, they choose
10 express those suspicious, and call on you, AS
one of their servants, TO remove them and rx-
plain your conduct-am 10 be punished for
i;2 Or have you attained such pich of po>
!iical greatness, that like The King, you can do
no wrong and il is treason To imPutr IL to you?
You forge, Yourself, General. The intoxica-
lions of uninterrupted success have disordered
your understanding.
I repeat i'll am no volunteer in this busi-
ness On the a2prarJnSe of your letter in the
Winvaw Intelligeucer denying the charges OF
"CnIon" and apparently con radicting State
ments which had made 10 my constituents, /
through the same organ, full and precise expo
sition OF wha, had said. Silence my part,
would eli her have Indicated fear Of confron,-
ing YOU, or the guilt Of misrs representation. And
in spite Of all your insnuations and surmises, |
defy YOU TO prove that ever have, on any oc-
casion, at any time, or to any person, made d
statement of facts different from the exact ten
or and Substance Of my letter. At the same
time hold, shat had perfect rigt, to pub
lish, in 4 circular 20 my constituents, the poll
teal acts and opinions of the members Of the
delegation; 10 state to them every thing viii h
was done and SAID to that meeting; and to ex
plain 10 them my views'of the characters and
designs Of my colleagues, or any other pub.
lie man connected with me. A meeting oil the
delegation is more than the meeting vi a
committee, and " hen was il ever considered
indicate or improper to expose to the house
and the nation, not only the opinions hu' the
acts Of its members? Depend upon 1t tina, The
excitement which you show in your frs: para.
graph, al the disclosure OF the proceedings OF
this meeting, is more calculated TO injure you;
10 make you an obJeci OF odious suspicion to
the People; and Is severer libel on the dele
CATION, than any thing which could or have
said.
Further 10 c:imiuate me, in your second par
asraph you say, she has not told us how il has
happened, that during his late canvass, Cir re-
ports speaks true, his own claims re cleo
tioR were openly supported on the ground, that
he alone had been faithful TO the Constitution,
Will. most OF his colleagues were plotting "a
gsins the Union" This must be frabrica
ton Of your own brain. deny that either my
friends or myself have ever heard ii before;
that il ever wa. whisperedin the Congressional
District during the canvass. and its only effec,
will be TO shake, in the minds OF my constitu-
ents, the credit of your whole publication. On
the contrary, l we'll knew that nv most power
full enemies were violen,Iy opposed TO you, that
nothing would have recommended Inc more TO
them thsn an exposure Of your course al Wash
inston; anG ,ba', If had chosen to lend myself
to cir passion,, might have insured my cleo.
,io.,. Tne rapid and spontaneous circulation
of my letter Of The SO OF November; the avidity
with hich il has been read; and the p!audits
which i. has received from my most Determined