The Arkansas advocate., 1833-01-02
inc Edaor ef Me .41rocafe.

l 4 Hee GdlfOf 0f fte .1uuocafe
 fslf:-i have reviewed my letter to
 you, under date Get. 18th iS.52. and fhnd nothing init toregret ;notwithstand- ing Mir. Cummins has bestowed on if . ieoplous eomnentary That gentleman may be well assured, that whenever
 Nm. Tfimble feels himself supported by d sense of moral justice, no circum- stances, can make it too deagerous. too troublesome, too dfsagxecadle, or too s,ais- sloas, To ilimsclft 10 speak the ffuth; and when moral justice fotbids, no danger shall induce him 10 speak.
 Mr. Cummins say $ that Ca true and dlsifterested statement would not have placed that person (. c. mel in the atti- Jude oi either defence or accusation. y did not say that it would; nor IS il q question that l will now argue; but Will leave him to enjoy the credit of the proposition, and the triumph of tlle ar gumeid. My objection was 10 the at. utude in which my nan1c was placed before the public without my consent. and not 10 it's attitude after having made statement. l did not object to an. sWer, because that answer might place me fn the posture of an accuser; but l did object to the right of Mir. Cummins to place me in the attitude of an .aceu- ser, and then call on me as a witness. Mir. Cummins says shat Ca mere wifi ness neverassulnes either of those rela- tons q. Q. of accusation or defence \ is Mr. Cammins-so little acquaisted with newspaper controversies, ,as not 10 know. that when <, person is referred to in one. that he immediately becomes the au- thor, and he vino makes the reference but the rehearser.of the accl,satian. And sir permit me to ask why flse hum bie name of Wm. Trimble was the on y one that found a place in Mr. Cum. mns list of eharsese
 1T to be governed by Il sense of nor al justice in refusing 10 become volun- tMy witness. IS an incumbrance then indeed am incumbercd, notwithstand- lng It may be regretted by Mir. Cum mins.
 The pfopriety of Mir. Cummins' course, itlregard tootlscfs, formed no part of the question decided by me-
 That question was, whetherunder the circumstances, would become a .xolln. tary witness; having decided that efues. ton on correct princiI les, I was content. II Mr. Gummins sees any thing in the principle on which that decision was made, which hseemstoeensnre lis course. inc may have the benefit of the discoye. y, but the principle is not the less cor rect on that account.
 When NJ Mi Gii5ijsiiis says that ffa.,. .cled myselfa Judge, am not sure offis meaning. If lie would taunt me with a predeliction for the character, or the prescription of the times, shall not en- " his imaginationor his feelings. The man who feels llimselfspoised on the in- tegrity of his purpose, looks quietly on, and sees such shafts fall far short of their aim; but fl he means to deny my right ojudge whether ought to testi- fy, on hisdemand, then it is no fancy.
 lie may without murmur on my part, assume the guardianship of the public right, he may fancy himself the ieprc- sentative of the people, he may imagine that the public good rests on his cxer, tions; but. the right 10 jndge whethef he will be witness at the call of Mir. Cummins. (humble as he may bel Nm. 'frimble will not yield without sirug- gle.
 In all judicial investigations. there is a tribunal 10 decide lhe legality of tes- |timony but in a matter like the one yf,- der consideration, every principle of moral right forbids that either the ac- cuser or accused should have the DOW |erto control the testimony or the wit ness; who then shall decide, assuredly he who is called on, may or may not speak, as his sense ot moral justice may dictate: The right is his aud his only: And this is the right which claim, and will not surrender to any man, though it be claimed in the imposing name of the people.
 He who assumes the right to speakin |the public name, does it at the suffer- ancc of the public will; and Mr. Cum mins should beware how he makes too free use of tine public name, least [they should'suspect, thatits value nignt become cheap in his hands, ard the Esanctity of it's character be prosfratcd fto unworthy ends.
 Mr. Cummins has referred fo Col. Sc, viers' letter of 3lst Oct. Col. Scvier
 has mistaken the point and purport oI lmy statement, alluded to- What Ither
 stated does not touch the matter te