Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-01
INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.
yIRerNA, NORFOLK, January 8, 1884.


Gently held. Ca copy Of which Resolutions have
+ the honor to enclose herewith) you will per-
ceive that it becomes my duty Ito communl-
cate 70 you the thanks Of that meeting, for your
honest though Intellectual effort TO preserve tie
public treasure from the invasion OF the Fede-
raj Executive; and to assure you, thatl the re-
tirement to whichyonr independence has driven
you you possess their best wishes tor your wei
fare and happiness" :,
NV felIow.citizens could not have imposed
upon me any task, in the performance or Wnicn
II could have derived more satisfaction. Al
though personally unknown to you, have
watched with keen anxiety, the course you
have pursued under the late trying clrcum-
stances in which you found yourself most unex-
pectedly placed and let me add, that have Wit
messed the result, so far as this concerns your
character, with a delight proportoned TO the
anxiety which the occasion naturally inspired.
You have set noble example, Sir, which must
be useful in our country. Solitary and unsus-
tanned by any friendly support, yet unmoved by
persuasion, unseduced by hattery and unawed
by power, you have faithfully done whatyou be-
lieved to be your duty, knowing well the fate
which awaited you for the conscientious express
sion of your opinion, in matter confded by
the law to your sole discretion, and deeply in
volving the public faith and the public interest
/ If differed with you In every opinion you have
expressed, ! should still admire the modest but
manly irmness you have manifested, under
such circumstances; and should still applaud
that holy patriotism, which induced you to pre-
fer what you thought to be the good OF your
country to all other considerations. But con-
curing with you as do entirely,S in each and
every one Of the opinions you have announced
as yours although my admiration OF your con-
duct may not be greater, yet the pleasure feel
is much increased The charge imputed to you,
is, that you have preferred Rome to Cesar your
country to your friend. Such an accusation is
| iii no yyofo hayo
served and whatever may be the penalty Of
such supposed guilt, your own approving con-
science and the applauding sympathy OF many
of your felloW-citizens, must give to you heart
felt consolation.
Although this is my own language, Sir, yet l
am very confident that it expresses truly, the
feelings and opinions of those whose organ |
am; who have seen personified in you that proud
independence of thought and action they have
been accustomed to admire, and which they de-
I light to cherish, as the sole means, under the
protection of Providence. by which our rights
and liberties can be preserved
Most cordially, Sir, do unite with my fellow
citizens, in offering you our best wishes for your
welfare and happiness while you may remain
in the retirement to which you have beendrlven
because of the independent assertion of your 1e-
gal rights. am, Sir very respectfully,
Your most Ob't servant,
LITTLETON w. TAZEWELL.
To WILLIAM J. DUANE, Esq.
PHILADELPHIA, January IS, 1884.
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your letter of the 9th instant communi-
eating to me, by the desire Of the Citizens of
Norfolk, their thanks for my conduct, in endea-
voring, to preserve the public Treasure from
the invasion of the Federal Executive"
1t was in the political school in which Virgin
ia had so many eminent men, that was taught,
that the highest human obligation Of public a.
gent is duty to his country: SO that to receive
the appreciation Of any portion OF the people OF
your patriotic state, especially through one OF
its most distinguished sons, is peculiarly CRATE
ful to nay heart for it satisfies me, that | have
not strayed from the path, which has been aban-
dOned by SO many others.
In free State, it is the duty Of every citizen, to
watch the conduct of those, who are invested
with power; and it was consistent with your
character to do so, with keen anxiety, my !
case under the circumstances which follow |
ed my entry into office. Out of my own |
state had occupied no station, in which might |
have had an opportunity to make known my |
principles; and enough, it seems, was known of
the characteristics of Others to arouse the fears
of those who have knowledge of human ma |
ture and of the causes of the decline of repub- |
hes Far from regrettng that eyes, SO compe |
tent as yours were to scrutinize, We're fixed up I
on me, rejoice at your supervision, since am /
indebted to it for the lofty praise that you have
bestowed uponme; praise, which, whilst it great
ly exceeds my merit, consoles me under defa-
nation, as merciless as it is unmerited,
Ofthe extent ofmy information, or the sound |
ness of my judgment, upon the questions, in re-
lation to which differed in opinion from the
President, it does not become me to speak; but {
in the pride of truth may say, that you have !
not over-rated the purity ofmy motives, or the
sincerity ofmy convictions; and | cannot err,
in adding, that further explanation must make I
6 IL. l.
further explanation, many public sand private /
appeals have been made to me, circumstance
at which ought not to be surprised: If | had
felt such resentment, as the course pursued to-
wards me was well calculated to excite | would
have long since arraigned the conduct Of others
and challenged an enquiry into my own: but,
believed, that personal Indignation alone, how
ever just, did not warrant display ofministe-
rial transactions; and that the disclosures of ex-
Secretaries, usually made under excitement,
were not calculated to create respect for our
institutions, abroad, or to confirm attachment