Litchfield enquirer., 1831-08-18

ss''i fslao irSue. between unysslf and the com
 paniOns of Eaton and Randolph: whilst at their rendezvous; whereby you might osten- sibly impeach my veracity, without contra dieting one of my assertions. Mot content with framing such an issue thus calculated to do me injury, and to defeat every purpose Of justice, | flnd in your letter and with deep re-
 gret feel myself obliged % expose it, indubIt- ablc evidence of the deploFabla bias ot your mind. As an apparent cause tor the embar- rassment interpOsed, you. have made gratgI. tOus offer 0f your protection to me lt snoulo engage in.thOse prosecutions. But not hay- ing sought such prOtectiou. nor deemed It de-
 sirahIe, 1t removes none of the difficulties pre-
 viOusly and subsequently, thrown in the way. asked an assurance of protection tor the witnesses who might hold offices atyonr dis posal, from injury in consequences of giv- ing testimony but this is given in form
 which they will regard as threat rather than
 an assurance of protection. As no witness would be required to incul-
 pate himself by his own testimony, the cOndi- ton annexed to your assurance, that cit must not he construed as affording impunity for
 their own misconduct, which the investigation
 might uphold" could have nO meaning that can imagine, unless intended for menace. have also observed in your letter another ob- ! stacle to any scrutiny before tribunal of the District. It is stated by you that, '' should
 any person be found to have formed a part of
 recruited force to engage in hostilities of any
 kind within the precints of the Department.
 or elsewhere, (yOu) will feel it to be (your)
 duty, in addition to the penalties of the law.
 forthwith to dismiss the offender from public
 services" and in the next paragraph you pre- judge and promulgata the acquitta1 of the < Acting Secretary 0f War, and otheis' (al- ledged to have been charged by mel of any 0f- fence whatever, having previously justified the officers whose rooms were occupied by rendezvous, on the ground that lit was their duty to be elhere and that any body else had a righ! to come there." If a free and nDtram-
 melled investigation had been gone into, as
 requested, had determined to call upon you as the first witness. Notwithstanding you say in your letter to Messry. Campbell, Smith,
 Lewis, and Randolph. that MT. lngham's letter,"' (received by you at o'clock on the
 morning of the 22d of June) gave lyou) the
 first information that lyoul had on the subject
 of his diiiculties,' yet 1 risk nothing in saying
 that your examination, with the other testi-
 mOny in my power, would have afforded ann plo proof of the extraordinary fact that you
 were wellsapprised of what was going on an- teriop to that date. The feelings which gov
 erned you on this occasion may be understood
 from the fact that you have justified Major
 Eaion's medtated assault upon Ine, and from
 the declaration of one of your devoted friends, that in conversation he had with you before the intended assault: you informed him of the controversy between Mai. Eaton and myself and said that, |" if there was tO be any more writing, 1t would be in red isk." Your course On this subject, is the more extraOrdi-
 narys and the more worthy to be specially re.
 marked, inasmuch as the persons principally
 interested are Known tO be of your most con. 6dantial ffieDds. and believed to be partakers
 of your most secret councils; who were in l habits of daily intercourse and consultation
 with you, and whose devotion to your wishes
 authorized the belief that they would do noth- ing of importance against your appreciation. Of the principal offender no notice is taken, as
 if there was no such person on the stage of acc
 ton. All the rest engaged, or supposed to
 have been engaged in the intended assault,
 are completely exculpated, and a virtual ann
 nesty given them, while the words of your lst-
 ter appear guardedly arranged to convey de-
 nunciation of "the penalties of the law,'' and dlsmissiOn from office, against those who are
 armed in my defence. It should be observed
 that your denunciation of the penalties of the law. and your judgment of acquittal in the District of Columbia, are not idle words. All
 the juries which might be called to try such
 offences, must be selected under your own eye, and ny an officer who holds his office at
 your wilt; in addition to this, you hold the paidoning power in your own hands. Who.
 eydr has paid attention to State: trials, caunUt
 be insensibls to the effect of these powers. | ans. therefore. now met with an unsought of.
 for Ofpersonal protection, while carry on a
 public prosecution, in which the witnesses l might offer, are threatened with the priva- ton Of the means of subsistence for their fam.
 flies. and some with the addition of the penal- ties of the law. as punishment for their gen. | otis services in any defence. How can un. derstand such a communication ms expressing | desire for free, impartial. and iuntrans msl- l ed investigation of truth before tribunal ofl justice. 1t is any thing else rather than this. Ill t had been your sole intention. in writing this letter, to deter the scrutiny t purports to ac- quiesce in, 1t could not have been more effect | ually framed for its object; for you had judged rightly in supposing that | would | much rather suffer at the detrinient arising | from the inputaiion, csst upon me by your proceeding, than expose to injury men who had offered to risk their lives for mins.. But | you have left me no choice in an appeal to n | tribunal of criminal jurisdiction. At the same | moment in which you seemingly invited pub | hc attention to see !" what propfs (I) | should | De able to bring in support of the charges," you closed the door as well against the wit. | nesses as against the effect of their testimony. n vnM MFN aAEA =. -I