Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-04-27


Instant
Accompanying this intcrrogatory were printed
copies of the United States Telegraph new spapcr
Of the Goth and 18th March, 1892
IaSwcr.-Thcrc were several publications. in
the Tclpgraph some before, and since my
remarks. l alude to those before my remarks.
Question bg the dccused.-Did you mention to
the friends with whom you say you consulted,
to the reply i, would be proper for you to make to
the note Of the accused that you had not intended
| in your remarks to imputc fraud to the accused!
| ins,rcr.-I drew my answer on the same day
which received the note of Mr.. Houston at my
desk, without consulting any person. In the
ing consulted my friends tho subject of the lot
tor, in consequence ofwhich 4 sentence -;rick-
en- out, and other triling modification
made. do not rccollect whether l mentioned to
my friends, that had not intended to charge him
with fraud. l much astonishcd ut getting
| note from him the subject. believed the note
| | received from Mr. Houston was designed to give
him prctcnco to commit pcrso.ial violence upon
me- not to redress any grievance of his, but TO gra
| tify tho vengeance OF others
| Question by tho dccused-Did you state that be-
lief, last mentioned, 10 those fricnds7
Inswer.-I think there was some conversation Of
| the kind
| Question by tie accuscd.-Who were tho friends
with whom you consulted!
| Acknowledgement Vance, Mr.. Creighton, Mr..
| Ewing, of Ohio they not all present at one
consultation Mr. Mercer was present at some
time Mr. Taylor, of New York, was consulted by
me. He was boarding at the same house. Mr..
Ewing considered my confidential friend and
adviser, more particularly. There some CONVEX
| sation also with MIR. Arnold and tho members of
tho mess III which board. They did not all know
1t. am confident there WAS Il conversation with
Mr.. Arnold.
Question by the Gccused.-Why did you not in re-
ply to the accused, state that YOU had not intended
to imputc fraud to him?
Answsr.-fiis letter forbade making such re-
ply. 1t called on me only to know if my remarks
were correctly quoted: that of the reasons
why thought it Il mere prctcncc to give him OPP
portunity TO mako an attack.
Question by the Gccused.-Did YOU in your
vcrsaton with the Hon. Cavo Johnson in relation
to the accuscd's note, state that you had not in
tended to imputc fraud to tho accused-if not,
why did you not?
MIR. Johnson, after what had taken place, TO have
any conversation with me: he ought 10 have address
cd himself to Mr.. Creighton. | had some CONVEX
sation with him however. think in the course of
the conversation with Mr.. Johnson, / told him
that my words did not necessarily mputc a charge
OF fraud against Mr.. Houston Mr.. Johnson said that
MIR Ill. had right to put his construction upon
them.
Question by the accused.-Did you, when you
stated to Mr. Johnson, that your words did not ne
ccssarily inputc fraud to the accused, also state
that you did not intend thcm and if not, why
did you noil
imsrcr.-I did not state to Mr. johnson that |
did not intend to charge Mr.. III. with fraud do
not know what reasons had for not stating it. |
was not called on to give any such reason, and gave
none.
Question by tho accuscd-Did you state to Mr.
Creighton that you had not intended to inpute a
fraud to the accuscdl
AnStrrr.-I do not rccollect.
Question by the accuscd.-You speak of tho &c.
cuscds being several times by you with
club or bludgcon during the time YOU expected him
to attack you. Was it your expectation that he
would attack you with that club or bludgeon.
AnSmcr.-Aftcr had received the note from Mr.
Houston, | noticed that he in the Hall for Sc
veral successive days; and do not remember how
many. He always had the biudgcon with him, and
thought in passing him in the lobby, one day, that
L discovered that ha had pistols under his coat.
saw the marks of the handle; and l expected he
would attack me with the budgcon and that if
made any resistance he would to pis OILS or to
dirk.
Question by the dccused,-Had you not, before
seeing what you supposed to be pistols on the
cnsed, armed yourself in the manner you have pre-
vousy stated?
Answer.-I armed myself immediately on receiv.
ing his note; that is, the next morning. l do not
remember seeing Mr.. Houston before receiving the
note. did not know he in the City, when |
got his note have slight recollection of ha-
wing seen him once before on the Pennsylvania
Avenue.
Question by the accused Had you not, before
or about the time of receiving the accused's note
met him i'll the Wan Office, and did he then offer
you any insult or violence?
AnsDcr.-! have no remembrance of having seen
him ut the War Office. | will here observe that
my acquaintance with Mr. ii. was verv slinht
When he was here iii $780, he was pointed out TO
me; and, probably, at some large party lie may have
been introduced to mo. l remember to have mot
him there.
Question by the dccused-In the attack Won have
spoken of, did tho accused strike you with his right
or left hand?
1Hsrcr.-I do not know; the blow was violent on
my head.
Question by the nccmscd-What was your roa
son for not officially charging tho fraud, which
you state you knew of, upon the parties concern
ed in III
Answcr.-I do not know that il is incumbent
on me, to make charges Of all tho frauds that
hear OF. There other Members i'm this
House, who wish to take the lead in such bust.
ness. am willing to lend my aid to go ahead.
l wish further to state, that at the time / frs,
hoard OF this fraud, considered myself 4 supnor,.
or this Administration, and was not prepared
uAacly then to make an attack upon thcm.-
However, it was the first act that shook nv con- |
idence in the integrity Of the then Administra.
ton.
Question by the accused-Werc you whom met
as you have stated, by the accused on YOUR way
10 attend any Committee of this House, or nny
other official business?
Answer.-l will state that it was on business,
connected with my duties in this House. Mr.
Ewing had, on the same eveninr. called Mt INV
lodgings and informed mo that colleague of mine
(Hr. - in speech in this House had
made severe charges against me- and informed mo
what they were. l was not present in my seat ut
the time they were made Mr. Ewing informed
mo IT was incumbent on me to reply to them The
charges | understood, which were made anainst
me, by my colleague, were in reference TO these
snmc remarks, denying the truth of the CHARGES
had made, and when left my lodgings, | intend.
ed to call on Mr.. Ewing, at his lOdpinrs AT Mrs
DuviS's, and on my way To- Mr. Eyying,s
further had the intention calling on Gen Green
with n view OF consulting with him, as 10 the