Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-03-19
TO MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE
FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

the purity OF MS MOVIES, anu tio lilcSily VI
his public course directed by their interests and
instruction) brings your representative before
Won for justification or condemnation OF that
course. under circumstances of unusual provo
cation and necessity.
II must be known to all of you, that have
been wantonly assailed by a committee oppos-
ed to the present administration of the Govern
ment deputed in great part, from neghborlng
Congressional District; and that at public meet
inc convened without the limits OF my district,
upon the report of this same committee, With
out even the means or opportunity OF nearing
on the part of myself or friends, that meeting
has pronounced me sHbSerrient and unht to be
the representative of free and enlightened
people This denunciation it will readily be
perceived affects you as we'll as myself, and If
they generously concede to you, the same mea-
sure of light and freedom of which they boast
themselves, it will follow that am not worthy
of the high relations in which, am placed TO
you and that the judgment pronounced on me
IS lust, provided the facts and premises upon
which then are based are true; and here you
have precisely the issue between these gentle
men and myself as it is my intention to show
to YOU. that where they even stated any thing
that approached the truth, they have managed
to distortit and that in other instances they have
stated what is entirely unfounded.
In this appeal of necessity and self-defence
on nv part make no claim upon your known
generosity / appeal to loftier and more NOR
al feeline-your sense of justice; and upon the
statement of facts | shall now lay before you,
compared with their own report upon the SUD-
ieCt, decide, between these gentlemen and your
representative. | was elected by you, as
friend of the administration of Gen. Jackson,
and as an opponent of the existing bank of the
United States. 1t cannot be assumed, that this
was unknown to any of those gentlemen 1T
must likewise be borne in mind, that had the
strongest indication of the sentiments OF the
people by the vote of meeting in my district
convened without regard of party, approving the
course of the administration In the removal OF
the depositeS from the bank OF the United States.
All this was matter of publicity in Baltimore;
none of the committee were ignorant OF it; and
the first intimation | had OF their arrival In
Washington was through Mr.. John b. Howell,
who with his friend Mr. Shelton, from Cuba on
Monday evening the 10th Feb, called to see me
at my room, Gadsby's Hotel, and were receiv-
ed in the room in which the ladies Of my fami-
ly and myself were. After the usual salutations
and Inquiries, l asked Mr.. Howell, if the commit
tee for Baltimore had arrived; he answered in
the affirmative and said, that he wished to con-
fer with me on the subject of presenting the
memorial
told him that as the greater portion of the
signers to the memorial resided in the district
represented by Mr.. Heath, it might be deemed
improper on my part to present it, particularly
as | understood that Mr.. Heath concurred in
the views of the memorialists and would sup
port Them and that as | believed a majority Of
my constituents were opposed to the Bank, |
could not give it my support; yet, if the COM
mittee of which he was member, wished me
to present the memorial, | should certainly do
so; that should feel it my duty to say to the
House, on presenting the memorial that the
signers were respectable and incapable of stat
ing any thing but what they believed to be true;
but that could not, in discharging what consi-
dered to be my duty, give the memorial my sup
port At this Mr.. Howell seemed to be some
what surprised, under an imp eSSiOn, on his
part that my mind had not been made up on
the subject submitted by the memorial. re-
minded him, then, that my election had taken
place after the order for the removal of the de-
posites, and by majority of those opposed as
| believed to the Bank that therefore consi-
dered myself bound to carry the will and wish
es of my constituents into effect, that should
be traitor to them, if having been elected to
support the President and his administration, !
could abandon the solemn pledges gave to do
so; and | did intimate, perhaps warmly too,
that | would risk my life and fortune rather
than betray the trust which they had delegated
to me. These are, | am sure, the sentiments
expressed at that time. MIR. Howell being an
old friend and neighbour | invited him and his
friend, Mr.. Shelton, (who was present, and as
lpresume heard the conversation to dine with
me the next day; which invitation they accept
ed and took their leave
On Tuesday morning, Feb. II, about 10 o.
clock Capt Graham, the only member of the
Committee from the district represent called
at my room; received him as an old acuuaint-
ance and townsman, and invited him to ioin
Mr.. Howell at dinner, which he declined. He
took occasion TO say TO me, that great MANY
of those who had voted for me had signed the
memorial. In reply, | reminded him of the
large meeting which had taken place at White
hall, at which resolutions had been adopted
against the Bank, and in support of the adm-
nistration in its course with regard to the depo-
SITES He appeared to regard this meeting as of
little importance. do not recollect that Capt.
Graham said word about presenting the me-
mortal Being myself under engagement to
meet the Committee of Ways and Means that
morning at 10 O'clock Capt Graham left me.
Atthat moment MIR. Hugh Birckhead, another
of the committee came into my room, said his
visit was intended for the ladies, and while re-
manned with him not a word was said about pre-
senting the memorial. | also requested MIR.
Brckhead to dine with me that day but he said
he was under prior engagement. then went
to the committee room, and Immediately after
wards into the house.
MIR. Howell and Mr.. Shelton dined with me
agreeable TO appointment and trust that shall