Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-03-17
WASHINGTON, March 10, 1884.

My DEAR SIR:
| have read with much surprise the report
made by the Committee to the meeting at Mon
ument Square, in the City of Baltimore, on the
5th instant. The report does me great injustice,
and does not present the opinions which ex-
pressed to the members of the committee with
whom Iconversed.
i must begin by observing that Mr.. Birkhead,
Mr.. Shaw, Mr.. Graham and Mr.. Howell, whose
names are signed to the report were not pre-
sent at any part of the conversation, and can
have no personal knowledge of any thing that
was said did not see either of them while
they were in Washington. Mr.. Patterson came
in near the close of the interview and was in
the room but few minutes.
The only persons who were present through
out the conversation were MeSSrs Brown,
Crawford, and Gather. My acquaintance with
the two latter was a very slight one. But cir
cumstances had often brought Mr.. Brown and
myself together while lived in Baltimore and
we had, for several years past been on terms of
familiar and friendly acquaintance. He in
trOduced the conversation soon after they came
into the room by giving me to understand that
they had called on me as members OF the com
mite, and that they wished a free and friendly
conversation with me, not only in my official
character but as a citizen of Baltimore and as
one who could not be Indifferent to the welfare
of community of which had so long been a
member. Itnever entered my mind that a con-
versaton so invited by Mr.. Brown was design
ed for publication; much less that detached eX-
pressions were to be selected separating them
from the connecting observ ations, to Gre
ate an impression entirely different from the
one intended to convey.
The common principles Of fair dealing be-
tween man and man would seem to require that
when such a design was entertained, | should
have been warned of the intention, in order that
others might be present to hear what passed, as
we'll as the persons, who, it now seems were Sc
cretly awaiting some phrase or expression which
they might note down and publish to do me in
jury.
The conversation was chiefly carried on be-
tween Mr. Brown and myself The others oc-
casionally took part in it. He reprobated the
conduct Of the Bank of the United States in
strong terms. He said that it had abused its
power by willfully expressing the community,
and that it ought not to be rechartered on anv
terms. He admitted that the deposites ought
not to be restored and that the restoration would
not relieve the pressure which he stated to exist.
But he and the other persons present with him
drew strong picture of the distress in Balti-
more, and represented that the commercial COM
munity there was in danger of general bank
ruptcy unless something was done by the gov
eminent to relieve it. His plan of relief was a
new bank, and he left with me draft of his
project He urged me to consider it. saying if
was the plan Of one of my friends in whom he
knew had much confidence. But he did not
name him.
In reply to these statements, l told them that
I was opposed to the recharter of the present
hank on any terms-and that If it succeeded in
its present attempt to coerce the renewal of its