Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-01-18
(ons,,nieafed for the National htciigc.cer.

GENTLEMEN:-My attention has been caiieu
by the Kindness of d friend, to publication IN
the Georgia Journal, signed by the honorable
4. $ CLAYTON, which feel constrained to no.
tce. The following extract from that Puciica-
ton contains all that has any relation to me;
"Messrs. Etftors:-While my review of the
Bank report was publisling,l received an anon
ymous letter from one of our COMMERCIAL CUES,
informing me among other things. that scarcely
particle of the Report on the Bank oil Inc Chitea
States was penned BY Mr.. McDuthe. but penned
by those Immediately Interested IN or employed
by, the Bank;' and that the following lndivid-
uals ca,, tell who penned that document: Lang
don Cheves, N. Biddle, Mr.. ingersol', &c. &c. ,
Now concerning this matter Continues Judge
Clayton) not only know nothing, but believe
nothing: give the fact as received it. Ii true,
1t speaks Volumes; if not true, the honorable
Chairman of the Committee. Or tine gentlemen
abovenamed, should promptly disabuse The pub
lie mind as to the alarming suspicion which such
! circumstance is calculated 10 inspire. For the
sake of the purity of their deliberations, Congress
out to inquire into it, If there is the slightest
foundation for such belief"
1t is equally due to myself and to all concern
ed that should state explicitly, that in the
whole of the foregoing statement OF Judge Clay
toms anonymous correspondent, there is not " a
particle or shadow of truth.
The entire Report Of the Com. OF WAYS and
Means, to which reference is made, is compos-
ed and written by the Chairman of that Com
mite; and, of course. not i sing lie sentence OF
it was penned by any ether human being. Ii
the reference made to Mr.. Cheves, Mr.. Bldd!e,
and Mr. Ingersol, was designed to convey the
idea that these gentlemen, or either of them.
"penned" any part of the Report in question
they .'can tells judge Clayton that his Cor
respondent is 4 random and reckless calumuia-
tor.
am not disposed to complain of the course
pursued by Judge Clayton, because | do not as
cribe it to an unfriendly, and much less to ma
icous motive. | cannot but remark however,
that he has permitted himself to be drawn, by an
arlful and insiduous libeler, into a situation of
extreme awkwardness, at least; involving all the
legal responsibility, without any of the moral
guilt, OF publishing false and malicious libel
That this is a base and Infamous libel the Judge
will now doubtless perceive and admit. 1t Is ap-
parent also, that he is the sole publisher, how
ever inonensve his intention: and ne has been
too long at the bar and on the bench, net to know
that his legal responsibility for this publication
cannot be evaded oy stating ,thathe received the
information from an anonymous correspondent,
and neither believes nor disbelieyes it. do not
make these remarks for the vain and idle purpose
of reading to the Judge lecture on the law of
libel; but to admonsh him of tho extreme impru-
dence of publishing grave charge against Com
mittee Of the House of Representatives, deeply
affecting in his own opinion, the purity of the ma
tional legislature, OIL an irresponsible authority,
stamped with suspicion upon the very face of it.
If this charge had been published by an anony-
pss tsE should a5S sEs hsib before The pubic
from so respectable source, even with very
equivocal endorsement, l have felt that must
either give countenance, by my silence, to a
false and disparaging imputation; or adopt the
suggestion of the Judge, and ''disabuse the
public mind as to the alarming suspicion" which
his own publication has been the sole and exclu-
sive means of producing.
GEO. Mc'UFFIE
-ssa5esea-
The following is the list of Churches in the
City of New York:
PRESBYTERIAN in connpyion with tho