Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-02-21


fence he, for the first tune breaks silence. de-
taud you, but to who gave YOU every sun.
port in yonr hour of trial in his power. when YOU
were fi.rcaly attacked, if rSt by Mr Crawford him.
self at least by u! his most confidential and in
fucnt;al friends Nor is the manner less remarkable
than thu time. Mr Forsyth Senator from Geor-
{-ia here in his place, writes 10 hlr Crawford, his
letter covering certain enclosures, ard referring
c,rtan correspondence aud Conversations II rc!a-
tion to my conduct in the cabinet deli r2ration The
Seminole question Dir Crawford answers, correc-
ting the staten alluded To in sDElc instances and
Comforting and simplifying in others; which answer
he amthor,zes Mr. Forsyth to show ME, If he pleased
OF all this, Dir Forsyth gives me not the slightest
elimination though tho habit of almost daily inter
course in the Senate; aud instead of showing mo
MIR Crawf0rd's letter, as he authorized to do I
hear oft for the first tiUlc by having copy put in
TO my hand under cover of your letter OF the IS:h
Instant copy with important bGnks, and unaccorn-
panied with Mr. ForsyhS letter, with lis enclosures,
90 which Mr Crawford's is in answer
Why is tins go? Why did no, mr. Forsyth himself
show me the letier-the original letter: BY what au-
thorty did he place copy i'll your hands? None gil
vc1 by the writer Why is your nterposcda Was
it to bring me into conflict with the President Of the
United SateS Iftc OBJ ect ofile correspondence be
tween Mr Crawford and Mr. Forsyth De- to nlpeach
my conduct as it would seem to be, By what rule of
justice am deprived Of evidence material to nv de
fence, and which is in the hands of Inv accuscrs-
Of copy of Mr. Forsyts letter. with the enclosures
of statement of the conversation and correspan-
dence of the two individuals whose names in
blank in the copy of Mr. Craword's letter furnished
rne' Why not inform me who they arc' Their ties
timony might be highly important, and even their
names atone might throw much light this tlysteri
affair
must be fra TX. feel that I an deprived of i'm
portant rights by the nterpositon of your name of
which have just to complain. It deprivcs
me OF impor;ant advantages, which would otherwise
belong TO my pos tion BY the interpnstion of your
name. the communication which would exist between
Mr. Forsyth and myself, had he placed Sir. Craw-
lett in nv ne hn rSoHI H.,
IS prevented, and am thus deprived Of thu right
which would have belonged to me, in that cnse and
which he could not in justice withhold of being pla-
ced in possession OF all the material facts and crcum-
stances connected will, this affair. In thus COM
planning. it is not my intention to attribute 10 you
my design TO deprive me of so important an adyan-
tage. know the extent of your public duties and
how completely they engross your attention. Thew
have moi allowed you sufficient time for reflection in
this case, of which evidence is afforded by the ground
that you assume, in placing the copy of Mr.. Craw-
fords letter in my hand which you state was sub
United by his authority. do not understan him:
the authority was, as conceive to Mr.. Forsyth and
not 10 YOURSELF and applied to the original letter and
not to the copy both of which, as have shown are
very important in this CASE and not matters of
form. have asked the question, Why is this affair
brought up at this late PERIOD and IN this rkabe
manner? II merits consideration, at least from my
self am in The habit of speaking my sentiments
aud opinions freely, and see which ought
to restrain the present occasion. should be
blind not to that this whole affair is political
anoauvre in which the design is that YOU should be
the instrument, and myself the victim, but in which
the real actors carefully concealed by an artful
movement. naked copy, with the names referred
to in blank, affords slender OF detection; while
thecontrary, had been placed, ought to have
been in possession of all the facts which was enti-
tied to be, but little penetration would probably have
been required to see through the whole affair The
names which are in blank might of themselves
through their political associations point directly to
the conteivers of this scheme wish to be mis-
understood have too much respect for your char
acter to suppose you capable Of participating in the
slightese degree in .ltical intrigue. Your char
actcr is of too high and generous to resort to
such means either for your advantage or that of
others This the cenirvers OF the.pot well knew
but they hoped through your generous attributes
through your lofty and jealous regard for your char
acter to excite feelings through which they expected
to consuTmaie their designs. Several indications
forewarned me- long since, that blow was media
ted against me; viii say from the quarter from
which this comes; but in relation TO this subject
more than two years since, had a correspondence
with the District Attorney for the Southern District
of New York. on the subject of the proceedings of
the cabinet on the Seminole war, which, ihoagh it
did not then excite particular attention. has STAGE in
connection with other circumstances, served TO direct
my eye to what was going on.
OF Mr.. Crawford speak with pain, and ouly in
self-defence; but, that you may m re fully realize
the spirit which him. and how little scrupu-
lous he Is OF the means that he where am CON
cerned, would refer you for illustration to facts in
the POSSESSION OF one VINO stands to the Tpl:-
ton OF constitutional adviser, and who, from bis
character is entitled to your entire confidence;
mean the Post General. No one knows bet
Ter than yourself how sacred thn electoral college for
the choice of President and Vice resident sho,ld
ne considered in our system e government. The
electors are the trustees of the high sovereign power
of the people of the States relates TO The choice
of those magistrates; and on The degree of fidelity
with which The trust may be discharged depends in
great degree, the successful operation Of our sys
is Drac lie
itical intrigue the operation Of extraueous ntlu-
euce on the choice Of the electoral college, it is pro-
yded that they shall in their respective States
and that they shall vote throughout the Union on
the same day, and be selected within thirty four DAYS
OF the time designated for the elections thus exclud-
ing with the greatest care all other influence on
the choice OF the electors, except the will Of their
constituents; but where the object was to inIure me-
the sacred character ofthe college insufficient
restraint. Mr. Crawford wrote to Major Barry in
October 1928, IA copy of whose letter he has fur
nshed me at my request,) requesting him earnestly
20 his influence with the electors not TO vote for
Wire President fhourh no cpuld uof no