The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-07-13
RECEPTION OF Mr.. INGHAM In PENN.
SYIVANIA

sCtiptiou OF Inc friendly reception OF Mf. ing
ham by the citizens of Bucks County, on his
arrival from Washington. They appointed
committee to meet him in Philadelphia, and
conduct him to the county. He was met in
Montgomery by a body of gentlemen from
Bucks, on horseback, and at the line of his own
county he was received by large concourse OF
his fellow citizens. A cavalcade was formed,
which proceeded TO the Bear Tavern, where
others of his fellow citizens were assembled.
! He was conducted to the head of large table,
! spread under the shade of venerable trees, and
| the party sat down to a sumptuous dinner. At
ter dinner, formal address was made 10 him,
to which he made a reply, in which he alluded
to the circumstances of his dismissal from Of
| fee. We have not room for his whole speech,
but we give the following extracts from 1t.
"You have been pleased to express a strong
desire for some " explanation of the extranrdl.
nary measure which has shocked the public
I mind, and broken up the elements OF party
| th!oughout the country" abiding, as under
stanG, To the dissolution of the cabinet. II is
reasonable to suppose that there was an adc-
quate cause for proceeding unexampled IN
the annals of gu: country :-measures OF tins
kind are not very uncommon in those govern
ments where 1t is held that the chief magistrate
" can do no wrong but this doctrine does not
belong to our system, and it must be an extra.
I
expedieut. OF this, however, the people must
be the judges in the last resort and, before it
is drawn into precedent which might be used
for underlined and dangerous purposes, they
have right Ia be fully informed. | do not,
therefore, object to your request as improper
but when it is considered that the proceeding,
/ so far as | am concerned, was exclusively the
act of the President, who alone can perfectly
explain his own motives, it might seem improp-
/ E,r I'll a
which, as none is above the reach ofpublIc opln
! ion, he will no doubt think it his duty to make
/ of these ansactians to the American people
/ But il it be thought that | have incurred any
responsibility in this proceeding, have only TO
say, let the facts be investigated, and the veil
which now envelopes this matter in so much
mystery, be completely removed. Ifall is right,
the public mind will be satisfied; if any thing
is wrong, the people only, who are sovereign IN
such cases at least, can apply the remedy. 1t
! is the bnast OF our system that none are above
the power or beneath the protection of this tri
puhal. Upon their intelligence and virtue de-
ponds the maintenance of all the preservative
principles ofour government. Ii is their sacred
duty, well as right TO scrutinize the acts, and
scan the motives of oil who are connected with
the pmlbllc service, and guard with vigilant
anu Jealous care against every exertIon OF pow
er, which, by weakening the influence of vir
tue and patriotism, may impair the moral ener
ges of our republican system. Entertaining
these views but for the reasons ! have mention.
ed. / would unhesitatlngly have responded to
your request, and communicated to you, while
time and strength permitted, all the lights
which | possess as to the whole subject. But
| am the more reconciled to declining com.
pliance with your wishes, seeing that so many
channels are open for communication between
the people and their agents, through which
! they may have direct access in this to the
responsible agent have only to add that as
to myself personally, neither seek nor avoid
the scrHtiny-if done at ali, it should be on pub
lie account, and The object should be the public
interest. When this is undertaken, God forbid
that | should lnterpose any obstacle TO scrutl
ny in which the purity and integrity of public
men are to be called in question. Unless these
virtues are cherished, this beautiful fabric of
government will become q melancholy
| ruin, and the execrations o!millions yet unborn,
will, while the page of history lasts, be poured
ont on the heads of those who shall have con.
tributed TO its destruction"
When Mr.. 1ngham had concluded, Judge Fox
rose, and addressing Mr.. Ingham, said, that
many Of his fellow citizens present, had great
desire to know the facts connec. ed with the at
tempt to assassinate him before he left Wash
lngton, and as there was much anxiety to pos
sess correct information OH the subject, he re-
qdested him to relate to his friends assembled.
such facts, as would enable them to disseminate
correct information on this interesting subject
Mr. lngham, in reply, observed that he.could
not refuse TO comply with the request, but he
j would much rather for the character of the
government and the nation, that he had the
! power TO bury the whole transaction in oblivion
! This was not now practicable, and he would
state the material facts as infinitely and briefly
as he could
On Friday evening, the seventeenth, about
! ten O'Clock received note from Mr. Eaton
by the hands Of Mr.. Randolph, then chief clerk
in the War Department, demanding an avowa
or dlsavnwal of publication in newspaper
without any other connection with the paper
being suggested, thrp that it was supposed to
be friendly to me, and was published in the city
where | resided. | could not doubt that such
a demand was prelude to a wanton and pre-
| medltated quarrel, and although did not un.
derstand whether 1t was the fnct stated in the
paper, viz: that my family had refused to assn-
ciate with his, or the authority to publish which
was called on to disavow | chnse to avoid
prolonged correspondence, and gave him my
answer in each alternaiive-You have probably
seen the correspondence and need not be more
particular. On the same day that my note was
delivered ! received a CHALLENGE, VIZ about
three O'Clock, by the hands of Mr. Randolph.
the chief clerk. now acting Secretary of War
Having company to dinner and until late in the
evening, sent answer that night the next
marnlng, Sunday, the same Mr.. Randolph in
uuoed himself into my ROOM and threatened
personal violence if did not answer the note
informed him should take my time to do it,
and showed hun the door. On the following
morning | replied to Mr.. Eatons note, and
went out to take leave of some of my friends
in the city, which occupied me till after one
o'clock
lille proceeded to give narrative ofthe med
liated assault upon him by Mr.. Eaton, and con-
Guided with tine following remarks j
have remarked that the note Of Mr. Eaton
indicated predetermination for quarrel
ms IS clearly proved by his Selling as pre-
TEX :or 1t, newspaper statement of a fact
which had been notorious in the city of Wash.
'hgion Tor two years past, viz that 1ny family
refused TO oisl his This fact he well know
! could not disayow. He did not even alIege
had Ii. Al