Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-08-18

Judgment Of acquit,al in the District Of
Columbia arc not idle words.
Tho juries who might be called 10 try
such offences. must be select ted under your
own eye. and by an officer who holds his
office at your will in addition 60 this. you
ho'd The pardou'ng power in your own
hands. Whoever has paid attention 10
state trials. cannot be insensible to the ef.
iect oil these powers. am. therefore, no~
met with an nnsor:hi Offer Of personsl
protection. while carry on public pro
secu'i"n, ~ which the witnesses I might
oiicr arc threatened with the privat,on Of
the means OF subsistence for their families
and some with the addition Of the penal.
ties oil the law. as a punishment for their
generous services IN my defence How
can ! understand such n commune atisu
as expressing a desire for n free, impar.
tal. and untrammelled investigation Of
truth. before n tribunal OF justice. Il is
any thing else rather than this. lit had
been your sole intention. in writing this
letter. 10 deter the scrutiny il purports 10
acquicsce in, il could not have been more
efrctually framed for its object; for you
had Judged rightly in surprising that !
would much rather suffer all the detriment
arisin. from the imputation cast upon me
by your proceeding, than expose 20 mi
~ men who had offered 10 risk their lives
Tor mine. But you have len me no choice
IN an appsaltoa tribunal OF criminal juris-
diction AT the same moment in which
you seemingly invited public attention TO
see "wbat proofs () should be able to
bring in support OF the charges" you
closed the door rs well agains' the wit
nesses as against the effect Of their tesii-
mony. Instead Of accepting my aid for
the purposes OF justice. you have pro.
claimed the acquiitsl Of the guilty. and
LETT nothing for me TO do but aid you in
the arrsignment and punishment OF the
innocent To give the more effect to your
purpose. you allege that you have already
made inquiries (secretly Of counsel and
from the information thus received, de
clare my statements 10 he "unfounded in
fact" and not only denouncc the evidence
on which relied a. "vaeue and false, ~
without having heard il. but TO complete
this course Of proce edinc in manner most
injurious 60 my character and feelings,
yon have even descended from your high
station TO offer me personal taust Such
is the close olthe last scene ofthe political
relation between you and mo
You will perceive that have carefully
abstained from introducing into this dis
cussion any matter to which you have not
invited public attention In your letter Of
the 7th Instant. and in your document OF
the 18th, and which is not necessary to
my defence against the charges therein
made. j have therefore left vast field
wholly UNEMPLOYED, all Of which was fair
ly at my disposal. if could have recon
ciled my feelings. even under such Giro UNI
stances OF injury. 20 do any thing which
might resemble an aggressive controversy
with the Chief Magistrate. lfdefence
-. however, one Of those sacred reserved
rights which IL IS conceded IN ell communi
ties, man has never submitted 10 the entire
control OF society IL is this rigb, alone I can
claim 10 have exerted in the foregoing re-
marks. " have used IL with what any one
may consider an undue freedom, IL will be
cause of regret TO me but having. from the
beginning OF my official connexion until i,
was dissolved by you. devoted all the fscul.
ties Of my mind TO the public SER &c. with no
other view than TO promote the public inter.
est and the character Of the Government, and.
consequently. the fame Of its chief officer, I
have not considered myself ss isboring under
obligations which could not be paid, nor you
IS having any right to infiic' injuries by way
Of adjusting such Q balance With the ex.
ception OF sts'ion, therefore, 7 felt no res.
traiDt which would not be required in any
other case, and " station can be construed
10 confer privileges Of this nature, those
WHO CLAIM them ought TO remember that
ihe established couftcsies of republican
society. NJ Least, protect the inferior mem.
bers from the un Just efforts Of such privilege,
by imposing corresponding restraints on the
superior. But IL should always be kept in
view. whatever this correspondence may
lead 60. that IL has been forced upon me in .
manner which has left NE no choice but to
suffer the effects of your cruel injustice, or
20 use some Of the means which crowd into
NY service, 20 avert the intended wrongs -
I have already sdver'ed to the manner IN
which Our Official nexion has been main.
tAined on my part. The documents before
me show how hat relation has beea maintain.
b ed on your part II commenced ~ suspicion,
and continued under brooding. but restrain
ed hostility was Marked, nesr i's eIose. by
wsnton and desperate design, fosiered N
the breast e your most devoted and conf,
Dental friend, 90 asssil my lie end. falling
! IN this. - is nov terminated 9th . siill more
unfelen'ing snd injurious purpose of destroy.
ing ny repGtsf'ou, and FOhbing NY children
Of their culy hope &c bequcst
have tie honor to be-. respectfully,
Your Obedient servant.
&. ID. INGHAM.
Gen. hSpRrw 1trEsos.
7 Pveas-f u he 4 s.