Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-02-14

as intended to br INCLUDED in the ehar6e CUP
pose neither Of those persons 10 oe one OIL you.
You however have given th'm ho'ice, ina.
have no evidence against them, oy whicn inc
charge is proveabie in court OF law-and you
know that 1, as well as yourselves, am amena'
BILE to the laws of the land. Does your SELL
respect convince you that the persons so nam
ed, If guilty, would furnish the evidence against
themselves, which they have been notified that
do not possess? Are you sure that the'cor'
respondence which would prove their guilt may
no, in the lapse Of Is years have been commit
ted to the flames! In these days Of failing and
OF tire &C erous memories, may they not have for
gotten that any such correspondence ever ex-
listed! And have YOU any guarantee to Offer,
tina, should not be called by summons more
imperative than yours, TO produce in the tenn
pie Of justice the proof, which yoa say nave
not, OF be branded for foul and malignant
slanderer Of srotless and persecuted virtue! Is
il moi besides imaginable that persons may ex-
ist, who though twenty-five years since driven
in the desperation Of disappointment, 10 the
mediation and pre- paration OF measures tending
TO the dissolution Of the Union, perceived al
forwards the error Of their ways, would now
gladly wash GU, from their own memories their
participation in projects, upon which the stamp
sihle that some Of the ns2irators have been
called to account before a higher than an
earthly tribunal for all the good and evil Of
their lives; and whose reputation might now
suffer needlessly by the disclosure OF their
names! | put these cases 10 you, gentlemen,
as possible, 10 show you that neither my sense
Of Justice nor my self-respect does require oi
The to produce the evidence for which you call,
or 10 disclose the names Of persons, Tor wAom
YOU have and can have no right 10 speak.
These considerations appear indeed 10 me so
forcihle, that it is not without surprise, that !!
I'm compelled 10 believe they had escaped
your Observation ! cannot believe OF any oil
you that which ] am sure ntver entered the
hearts of some of you, that you should have Sc
ltc,ed the PRISE moment, for the purpose OF
drawing mc into controversy mol only with
Yourselves, but with others, you know not
whom of daring me to ;he announcement oil
names WHICH twenty years since declined COM
INVITING to the ear OF confidential friendship;
aud 10 the production Of evidence which,
though perfectly satisfactory to my own mind,
aud perfectly competent for the foundation
Of honest and patriotic public conduct, was adj
equae in court Of law neither to the convlc-
ton Of the guilty. nor to the ju siihcaion OF
the accuser, and so explicitly pronounced by
myself.
You say that you have 10 design nor wish TO
produce an eject ON any political party or ques-
tiou wha'ev,r-nor 10 enter into any vindic alton
of the measures publicly adopted and avowed
by the persons agains, whom the above charge
has been made But can you believe that this
sub ect would be discussed between you and me,
II s@ H. sud sa pSSdSer an sset on any po
zeal party or guesfion2 Wrh regard 10 the
public measures Of those times and the sue
crediug, which you declare 10 have had your
sanction and approb,'ion, II needs no dis
closur- now, that 'adical and irrec"nciable
diff renee Of opinion b, tween most Of yourselves
and me existed. And can you suppose thai
in disclosing names and stating facts, known
perhaps only to ms II, could consen, to sp.
ara,e them for IN sc public measures, which
you so cordially approved and which so dep
ly Iamen,ed? Must your.own defence against
these charges forever rest exclusively upon a
solemn prot alton against the natural infer-
enc- from The irresistible ,endenc, of action to
the seer, intent Of ,hr actor! Tha, a States
man who beiie.es in human virtue should be
slow TO d aw It's inference against such SOL
emn asss, ions, readily admit: but For The
regulation Of ,hr conduct Of human life, the
ulrs Of evidence are widely different, from
those, which receive or exclude testimony III 4
cour, Of law Even there, you know, that vio'
len, presumption is equivalent, in cases affect.
my life i'self, to positive proof, and in success
ion of ,ol'ucal measures through series of
gears, all ending 10 the samr result, Sere is
an internal evidence against which mere dsni-
al however solemn, can scarcely claim he Gre.
dence even Of the charity that beleve,h all
things.
Lee me add that the statement authorised
BY me, as published in the National Intellis sens
Ger, was made, no, only wi,hou, The ih'en'ion,
but without The most distant imagination OF
offending you or ofinjuring any one OF YOU
Bn,, on he contrary, for the purpose of ex
pressly disavnwing charge, which was before
the public, sanctioned with the name of the
late Mr.. Jeffrr sou, imputing to certain CITIZENS
of Massachusetts, unreasonable negotiations with
the British government, during the tcar, aud ex-
pr. ssly stating that he had received informa
ton OF this from me. On the publication Of this
letter, deemed II indspensaby due 10 myself,
aud TO all the citizens Of Massac husetts, not
only to deny having ever given such informa'
ton, bu, all knowledge Of such fact, And
,ae more so, Because that letter had been pub