Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-08-04

devotion TO your Wishes authoiiLea 'io o. -
th,y would do nothing OF Importance asa'ns. your
apnroba,ion OF the prncipa. offender 10 ho. ~.
IS taken, as If there Was no sueh person on I
s,.naof ,cf;on. All the rest engaged. or supposed
-, ave heen engaged in the intended ASSAULT are
oor,nie,elv cycaigated, and virtual amnesty
r,vep them. while the words of your letter appear
oo,,,Jediy arranged TO convey denunclatIon of
:. .he nan,lties Of the law" and dismission from
office. AGAINST those whp we're armed III my &c
cence II should be observed that your uehu"-
c;,ion Of the penalties Of the a", AMI your Jnus
n,snt If aron,ttal in the District q! COiuhbla-
are nytzidie words.
lid ij5its who nigb be called to Try suco Snehces
mist No selected under yourown eye, ana Dy an
officer who holds his Office at yOnr viii; IN ada'
ticp to this, you hold the pardonng power IN your
own hands. Whoever has paid attention 20 s'a'e
trials. cannot sznesnsiDie to the effect OF these
mowers | atn S6re, now met with an I'M
soueht offer N shal protection. while carry
IN = nublic prosecution, in witch the witnesses
minht Offer are threatened with the priyat0n OF
the means of subsistence for their families, ana
some with the al 80 of the penalties ct The law
as punishment r generous services l" my
defence. How acknowledgement such co"'nu
nicaion as EXPRESSING desire fora free, impair
tial, an untrammellcd inys Hlion of truth be-
fore tribunal ofius'ce. py thing rise "a
Their than dfs. II i, bad III sole Intention,
in writing this letter, tVdcteFMe scrutiny II ruf'
ports to acquesce in, X could no, have been more
etfectually framed for lis object; for you bad
Judged rightly in suppOsng that would much ra.
lher suffer all the detrimenl ising roin the IN
putation cast upon ne by ynaf proceeding. than
expose TO injury men who had offered to FISK her
lives Tor mine Bat you have left me no choice in
\ trji. IF iinl al 10
AZ The same moment in which YOU seemingly invit-
ed pui,ic attention to see "what proof, j. Should
be able 10 bring il support Gf The charges" you
| closed the donr as well against the witnesses as
against The effect Of their testimony. Instead Of
accepting nv aid fur The purposes Of justice, you
bayc proclaimed the act aittai CT the guilty, and
left nothing tor me TO do but aid you in the arra9n-
ment and punishment Of the innocent 10 give
the more eAectto your purpose, YOU a'lese that
! have already made Inquiries secretly OF course)
! Gul irGm lhe Information thus received. declare
nv statements 10 be 'unfoundcd in tact;' and
/ BOT Gnly denuunce the evidence on which relied
as vague and false without haylHg heard II,
but. 70 complete this course OF proceeding IN
manner most injurious TO my character and feel
'iras, vou have even descended from your high
station ~ CAer ne personal taunt Such Is tie
close Of the asi scene Of the political relation be-
tween you and me.
You will perceive that I have carefully all
stained from introducing into this discussion any
matter to which you have NOT invited p"blc at
tenon in yOrr letter Of the Ith instant, aud
In your document Of the Ith, and which is not
NECESSARY 10 NV defence against the charges
therein made. | have therefore left vast EclJ
who'll. Npiored, all OF which MAS tairly at my
disposal. il coGd have reconcird my feelings.
even under such circumstances az ~ Jury, to d.
any thinc which might resemble an aggressive
controversy with the Chief Magistrate. Salf-de-
fence is. however, one ii those sacred reserved
rights which, it Is conceded in all communities,
man has never submitted 10 the entire control Of
society; II is this rig hit alone claim to have
ertcd in the foregoing remarks. II have used 1t
with what any one NAV consider an undue ffee-
dom, it will be cause ofrcsrct to me; but hasing,
from the beginning Of my official coHnexion untii
it was dissolved by you. devoted all the !Acul-
ties Of my mind to the public service with no
other view than to promote the public interest and
the character of the Government, and, conse-
quentv. the fame of is chief officer, have not
considered myself as aboring under obligations
which colId not be paid, nor you as hayin. any
right to inllict injuries by way Of adjusting such
a balance. With the exception 81 station. there
fore, felt no restraint which would not be re-
qured in any other case. and if station can be
construed to confer privileges of this nature. those
who claim them ought to remember that The es-
tabishcd courteses Of republican society, at
least, protect the Inferior members from the uD-
Just effects Of such privilege, by imposing cor
responding restraints on The superior. But II
fshnuld always he kcptin view, wherever thlsc
rcSpondence may lead to. that it has been forced
upnn me in a m9nner which ha, left me no choice
bat 10 suffer the effects Of your cruel injustice, or
TO use some Of the means which crowd into my
service, to avert the intended wrongs. have
already adverted TO the manner in which our Of
ticlal connexion mas been maintained on my part.
The documents before me show how that relation
has been naintained on your part. 1t commcnc-
ed in suspicion, and continued under a brooding
bat restrained hostility; was marked, near its
close, by wanton and desperate design, foster
ed in the breast CT your most devoted and most
confidential friend, to assaii my life; and, failing
in this, il is now terminated with still more un.
relenting aud injurious purpose of destroying my
reputation, and robbiug my children Of their only
hope OF be1uest.