Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-07-07

VI. m, SOL prepared WsscHfof fht ph'P"s'
celoaei N. Towson bal been invited 10 my
Ioa,,,x. AMI wsnt v sh ms uus ned - . Wit |
ness, aud 10 prevent = SURPRISE. Three o'he'
.oans rsen ssre in company. but dfee'en
to Ioiios al .ome Iisfsnrs behind, 10 present
er rss,s an attack by s"rEfior nomnef'. NY
500, being the ooiy person whose HE han any
,,.b, 4, . !, nose ~ such = eorfic', was by my
s+,.. bon, Of Us we'll prepared tor defence. ]
..p,eted an susck IN the pssssge 81 the tfes-
,ofy department.. as Mr.. Eaton had not long
before entered tina, building. and after having
taken so mach psins 10 obtain a meeting,
was scarcely 10 be expected that he would
then avoid IL, ~ my approach could sas"y
have bren observed. We passed IN. however,
ypmoIe.i-d. wen, into the second story TO
the room occupied, AMI finished what ht'ls
business hal To close before hnalig leii the
Office, winch bas besu stlousy hsed for mat
day. learned while 10 my Toom, that or.
Eaton and major Lewis, whoss olhcss were 10
another bnilding, more than quarter OF
mile distant, wen, out ofthe treasury urpat
m.nt Ia u direction towards the pres'dents
mouse where major Lewis lived. | was also
informed ,hst they came OFT OF one oil the re-
g,.er's rooms--nothlng further occurred "or'
,hy oil notice I'LL evening.
soon alter dark 1 was Informed, by several
persons calling III 10 see me, lhai MI. Eaioh
Mr.. Randolph, aud Mr.. Oserton, the latter
clerk ~ najof Lews'oifcf, aud nen' relative oil
nudge Ovsrton, oil Tennessee, who was there on
| a VISIT 10 ihe president, were steD, apparently
| armed, pa. sing TO aud FRO on the street no.
far from my dwelling, anu some'mes passing
| NV door. On Que OCCASION. while thus passing,
Mr.. Eaton stopped at The door aud looked Into
the passage and while standing there prudent
| " he.itatDg ~ his purpose, gentleman IA onn
| Of lhs loael rooms, (Mr y who resided
| IN tne house. stepped inlo the passage IN Tune
| t. see Mr.. Eaton standing at tue door hhu'
| retire from H. lIsceived many tend'is oi
| personal service Tor the night one OF which
! accept d. aud In geh emam slept III tue hou'e
/ sons mr. between ten aud eleven, highiy
| respect abi. ,nhnb,taot at the city informed IN"
| that he met Nj. Eaton and 81. u severn oher
pfr.ons, walking near the presden gais,
whence IL was Concluded thy had fe'irta lot
| III nigh, in roinpsUy with souie oinofs " -
had been navy 10 tho scenes of the day, thong
! perhaps not actors IN tbem. phtt OF tH'b
| co.yp TssiIun was Overheard, which mhy heit=
| after be impaired.
On the lodouIng day hniohed my visits,
| IN order TO leave the city on " edn"sdhy morn
ing, as had appointed, n answer 10 ie'ief
written ~ your coWmnieo a week before.
| Some time on Tuesday eve Mug, the same
men VIZ Eaton and Rand olph. land Il rs be
lisved Oyerton VAS also with ,beW) passed
| and repassed my do"r frequently, lookup
| inpeftlneniiy into the windows. aud esbibn-
| ng o Their signs oil the gasconade they had been
practising. found nigh degree OF excite
| u,eni prevailing IN the city, aud Information
| was communicated 10 nv that sonIe appear
ancs Of preparation had bsen discovered TO
way lay ms on the road TO Baltimore
thaf,iole prepared for tat event, but met ith
n, molegisiion. II occurred 10 me 10 the
et euing, that ! could not rita prop l,ty leave
| h,t,.
b tore The notice OF the president, snd al
dressed him n letter TO that effect. My e.
| gagemcuts were Ssch that | could not remain
10 be present al tho in'esIiga ion he misb'
| dneei, nor was II necessary. | was not Wit
ness to the acts | stated 10 him, though be-
LEVIED them. and still believe them TO be true.
there had been any difficulty in procuring
nished the names OF witnesses 10 any tact
stated. This. however, IL not now nee s'ary.
Tue president has thought proper 10 Call on the
tnree officers OF the treasury dtpar,men,, whom
rspIesented rs having been IN the company
OF the pIncipais on that day,and ihese oihct -
thongh they deny the truth of my statement
in general terms, nav. each admiued its ,rolh
IN every material par,iculai, AS lar rs IL at C.
ted themselves. have state that Eaton and
. Rappolph ai,e,na,ely occupied the treasury
building in the ,reasureI's and registers rounis
/ with . view 10 personal assault upon ne,
which | have termed assassination i3J al
though had received notice nf EbtuH's -
sign, did not believe mat 81 he, ae ur q, ~
dnph wcu attack me, unless thrv cu1a.
get behin1 my hack, or take soms other adj
vantag,. therefore considered tho tin eat
az cover for daslafdIy attempt To ao4as =
sinste. have not said thnt the Treasure,
regis,er and ID auditor we've pr,vy to the de.
Sgo OF Eaton; have only sad thai the rooms
of the two former were occuped by him while
, lying in wait. and that zach OF them was ~
his company Now II Is admitted by Mr.. Ia
ton that he was seeking ap"rsonai rencontre
with ms ON tina, day--sud the rxculpatory
statements OF he officers named, wuhoat even
the a,d OF cross exaInina,Ion, leaves the
. mind hres'subiy 10 inter even more than have
stated.
| 4. l.. Smith, the register. says, he did not
give MD or succor 10 Eaton, but does not de
ny knowing Es'ons object ia coming to III,
treasury department.. ". u. Lewis, The I'd
auditor, says he knew OF no c0RSDHdcy' lie
does not say that he knew nothing OF Ea,on's
. desigu. Mr. Campbell. u. $. treasurer, sa, >
he dld know tina, Il conflict was expected, hui
dni moi believe u would take place ,ha, Gay
perhaps he thought would no, come tn The
| treasury AFTER such para le of a nensced rem
conra, or that II did cume, perhaps he knew
tina; Eaton would copr,ve To keep out of The
way. as actually happened. As 10 K 4uuolnh
he does not deny beng IN The treasury depart.
ment on the same day. ana SAYS he only saw
, Mr.. Eaton ten minutes az time, between MIN,
and three. With such rquiso cst,ons and al.
missions IN prepared statements, what might
not be expected from cross examination nj
all these persons. and tail the persons abou,
the building nave only 10 add, that |
complain OF no injury indicted on mr--I do
not. therefore, present myself as proseeu-
tor.
! believed thata depart meut Of the govern
ment, winch ought to have been regarded AS a
sanctuary, al least az amt the lawirss violence
oil the U. 5. officers, had been violated fo,
purposes OF blood. aud that the majes,, OF the
law had been offended under The eve Of tue
chief magistrate. Ia this aspeei commune A.
ted to the president a sketch of what had oc.