Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-03

spring oi ioVO, anu TO explain Deyonn tie reach oil
cavO q dispute, the time, nature and import Of any
possible conversation which General jackson may
have held with Judge Williams, in relation to al
commission, connected with any designs view |
o! Col Burr, we give extracts from letter writ !
ten by him TO Gen. jackson, dated, 2lui March,
1890, Washington city.
Aiier speakngot soIlc general political s,is cts,
aud OF the strong probability OF IA rupture with
Saain---" IL these approximations (soys he) should
De justified by events, military force on our part
would be requisite and that force mig lat come from
your side OF tho mountains. II is presumed that
west Tennessee could not spare more than two re-
sineh,s. " take the liberty OF recommending
10 you TO make ont list OF officers, from Colonel
.'wn to Ensign, for two regiments IL
you VIII transmit to me this list, Will, in case
troops should be called }or recommend IL 10 tie
Experiment n IFdr, and have reason 10 believe, ,
tnat on such an occasion, nay advance would be
listened to-" General Coffee says that in conse-
quencc OF letters, from Col. Burr TO Gen Robert
son aud others OF similar import, meeting was
held in Nashville 10y General Robertson, General
jackson, aud others of the most respectable men,
amt list made out OF suc en- enterprsins voting men
as II was believed, would love The country well.
| In ,hc impending contest with SPAIN"
ms brings US naturally to The consideration OF
!udge Williams statements-and here we cannot
Tor car Tor one moment, to remark on the danger
the Jolly, and the wicSedness Of attempting TO be-
reaye man OF his fame, aud Charge upon
nm one OF the fouiest crimes known to the law
upon loose, vague rccollec,ions of casual conycr-
sation, said have taken place upwards of TWEEN
~ years ago, without any statement oil the CONVEX.
sauon IN context with il; without any date exc ept
WIN reference 20 range Of nine months OF lime.
without any relation OF the circumstances which
leu 10 an insulated remark, strange and ncredi-
bie,n taken in the sense attempted to be attached
10 IL oy Judge Williams and many of the admins
Uauou prints; statements made by man who by
| his own admissions, his own showing, and vet
more. oy Uhot zoe shall shotr, is subject TO the
most inaccurate recollection; when the charge or
omission, or addition of single word, or the ma
ture oil The preceding or succeeding remarks, would
entirely change the whole meaning and sense of
what Il stated In have been said.
That ample justice may be done to Judpe Will
ans mind, conSisten y, and conduct, we now re-
publish all that lac has written or published in
relation 10 this conversation and to General Jack
| son, anu also what has been published to be the
substance OF the letter written by him TO his fiepL
III Virginia, as copy of tina, letter has been as we
understand, called for, and withheld from pubiica-
| ton.
Taking the whole OF these documents we have
| some data from which estimate correctly, how
lar the cicarness Of Judge Williams mind, and the
impartiality OF his feelings, qualify him for depos
ing accurately and fairly. We viii, look at them,
ance is to be reposed il; the accuracy and fairness
OF his statements and memory; and then, in prose
cution o! the same inquiry, produce some addition
al evidence. Secondly; we shall shew tho extreme
,impro5abiliiy, from Williams own statement tina,
Gen. Jackson could have made any PROPOSE
ions 10 him, in reference TO any illegal
BILE project; and lastly, the fallacy OF the inicrences
which his pretended friends, attempt 10 dcduce
iroia what he has said : and show what Judge VIII
Hams has really stated Gen. Jackson's CONVERSE
ton with him, and what the conversation Of i'm
deed, there ever was of any such na,ure)
related 20.
In his letter 10 Mr.. KerrG Judge Williams says,
the conversation occurred upon his examination by
ten jackson, then Judge to his fitness 10 re-
ceiYe iicencc to practise law; but when he dis
ed by the records of the State,t that it would
DE proved, General Jackson was not, ar. had not
| been Judge for several years before this time
The conversation is Invested OF this circumstance in
! ms subsequent statements. In the letter TO Mr.
herr, Judge Stewart is said TO have heard this
conversation as TO the offer of a commission; but
when Judge Stewart not only does not recollect
any such conversation, but is sire none such was
held in his prcsence;i the scene OF the convcrsa,i
on is then rcco!ected by Judge Williams to have
been solitary ride from Gen. Jackson's to Nash.
vile. In his letter 10 Gen jackson Williams
says " Gen. Jackson, in reference to that conspir
cy, or what 1cGS ajiertcardS called by Others n
conspiracy, said 10 me, that could IL would &C.
cept 1t, obtain commission Of captain In his
last statement made, and published in the Enox-
VILE Enquirer OF August 9Th, 1928, he says in
riding from Gen. Jackson's house to Nashville
near the Clover bottom, he spoke to me in relation
to commission in Burr's army" leaving on, The
material idea OF reference to what was afterwards
az he says, called conspiracy; showing thereby
that IN these statements, Judge Williams does not
pretend TO detail with accuracy the words or terms
used IN the conversation, but only the general i'm
pressions, < that those impressions are indefinite
& re,y hague, & the mere floating and broken
"reminiscences o. feeble and shattered memory
Judge iliiams says, that from the best Of his re-
collection, MIR. Smith, Mr.. Curry and DIR. Wat
kins, among others, were present, when Burr's ef
hgy was burnt. Mr.. Smith says he was not pre-
sent either at the ball the burning OF the eff
hgy. Mr.. CurryS says that he was not present
at the ceremony OF burning Col. Burr in efIicy
and considered 1t disgraceful act; and he also
snys in further confirmation of Judge Williams
ieebieness CT memory, and the probable recent
ness OF ms present Impressions, that 4" Mr. Will
hams called on me frequently after Burr became
an object OF suspicion, and ed freely on the
subject, and as then thought withheld nothing.
yet he never told me that Gen. Jackson wanted To
enlist him TO hight Spandrds, nor ever IN Itiored his
name is connected with, or knowing TO any of
Burr scnenes."t These and other cont aGiction,
and discrepancies, referred 10 in the appendix are
mentioned not 10 shew any wiiiul OF corrupt mis-.
statement on the part Of Judge Williams (,ow far
hey may tend to that point we leave others TO in
ieD put 10 sheW how little credcnce or trust can
Oe placed on the recolIectons (even If stated in the
utmost good faith Of memory mistaken in 90
many circumstances, and persons and things
whcn IL comes to detail conversation, in which a
single word would wholly transform lis meaning and
construction But 10 dispose Of Judge Williams at
once, ana 10 sheW what degree Of confidence is
due TO what he may relate either as 10 facts or the
conversations OF o,heis-wheter this vsut of con-
Haehce arse from great tHs0undRess Of Dre-poru
or other causc-dnd also TO show how far Jud1e
Wilkins feelings as TO General Jack son. cnttie
hin TO the chagacter Of cool and iupsrtiaI ,.i,
ness and also III still further elucjdation nj Jud,o
Williams candour and consistency: and to sbn,v
how Tar his declarations in his letter that "Gen
may be assured Qhe PTcsideyaf,al question n.
side) no man can Jeei more bound tn Cen Jgek-
so" tban inyseH, 'or the great honor conferred bv
him on my cOtintry"-Uas q tue Tepresc,fofson
Of tCh1t he didfeei. we call the atlantic, eC .