The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-03-04
From the Washington Globe
poJNDEXTER.

rrICD
as dav;,s referred TO in the correspondence; ana
TN, the subject may be precisely understood by The
,hI;c we add a narrative OF some circumstances
connected Win IT.. ,:.; rl
dav or two after the attempted ASSASSINATION OF
the President. The Honorable Joel IL. Mann men
,;oacd 70 some members of Congress, that gentle
man who boarded in the same house, informed hin'
hat Mr.. Poindexter had interviews with Lawrence
hut a few days before the attempt on the President
life This information produced considerapie seh-
sat;on. A Captain of high standing IN the Navy
had previously stated i'll this city that rohdeA.er'
on his voyage from New Orleans, had threatened 10
demand satisfaction for the remark made about nm
hv,bc President. as reported in an anonymous let
tsr 70 the Baltimore Patriot saying If the President
f,so that he would shoot him wherever he saw
him This threat of Poindexter's was vouched up
on such authority to give considerable uheasihess
40 several of the Presidents friends, and among oth-
ers to the Rev. Mr.. Hatch, Chaplain to the Senate,
who called on the President to put hmoh his guaru
against Poindextcr. Mr.. Ward, another gentleman
oftbe Navy, who had probably heard ofthese threats
was Mt Mr. Stewards Ca respectable mechanic OF this
civ whose business brought him into an acqualn-
lance with Lawrence,) on the Sunday after the at
tempt of Lawrence, and Mr. Stewart mentioned to
h1in the circumstances ef seeing I"wrence IN con-
yersation with Poindextcr The Tuesday prece-
ding the event which happened on Friday. MIR.
Ward mentioned tito the honorable Joel X. Mann,
and from the interest taken in il by several to whom
he mentioned it, Mr.. Ward was induced to call on
Mr.. Stewart to be that he had no5misunderstood
him. Mr.. Stewart assured him that what he had
told was true, and although he expressed some APP
preheusion that the publicity of his having made the
statement might effect his business injuriousIy, yet
declared his willingness to make oath TO ii. He
was advised to do so by several of his friends We
have been informed that Duff Green and Senator
Ewing, both called upon him, and endeavored to
induce him not TO promlllgate the fact. He, how
G. - Il ,,, hoI tod tI,. .ir
cumstances, on his authority, give the statement
a definite aud authentic shape, aud he voluntarily
made and sent the affidavit given below to the Pres
ident.
Mr. Foy had, also, Immediately after the event at
the Capital, mentioned to some of his acquantances,
that he had seen Lawrence go repeatedly to Pon-
dexters residence; and we understand, under The
advice of Mr.. Coltman, "a member ofthe City Coun-
cil,) gave the fact the form of affidavit, and had
it delivered to the President the person in
teresed in the evidence.
These circumstances, which were known to many
persons in this city, Qor many called on the Prcs-
nent to see the depostions, and they were shown to
all who desired to see them,) found their way into
the news given in The letter-wrers in this city to
the journals in the neighboring cities, Mr. South
worth, correspondent for a Newly ork print, had
heard the r,,nors repeated by Mr. Pearce of Rhode
Island, and he communicated them in a letter This
led TO the correspondence which is given below and
explains itself-and upon which Mr. Poindexter
has founded his application for a committee to make
a report upon the subject.
With regard to this procedure, we have opy TO
say that it is certainly unusual, if not absolutely
without precedent. The implication, which it seems
Mr. Poindexter fears may affect him personally, has
not the slightest reference to him officially. If the
facts given, tend in the slightest degree bring
picion upon him, as having stimulated the assault
on the President, as Mr. Clay supposes il is a mat
Mr J.,,.. A.
which he is answerable before the judicial tribunals
and not his official conduct for which he is respon-
sible to the Senate. Mr.. Poindexter must have
known that it would necessarily be fully Investigated
before the court which sits in this city next month";
when every fact that shed light upon the act of
Lawrence will of course be adduced II is evident,
then, that Mr.. Poindexter resolved to bring the
esprit de corps of the majority, with which he has
co-operated in the Senate, to bear upon his case,
and by getting if possible favorable report from
that high court, to forestal and fown down the ac-
ton OF another and less imposing tribunal. What
lends countenance to this supposition is, that some
hours beiSre the motion for committee was made
ballots for the members 20 compose it, were dstri-
buted among that portion the Senate with whom
Mr.. Poindextcr has been politically associated that
he himself went from seat to seat and held CONVEX
saons, tete tcte, with them, and that the first bal
lot resuteds In n committee, majority of which
are the personal and political friends of Mr.. POM
dexter This result, which at first blush, looks so
decidedly favorable to the production of report
conforming to Mr.. Poindexters wishes, certainly
does not harmonize well with that rule of parlia-
mcnary proceeding which requires a majority of u
Committee of Investigations to be composed of per-
sons prcdisposcd to press the inquiry with the ut
most scrutiny. We are bound to believe, however
that the Committee raised on this anomalous affair
will probe the subject the bottom if they shall fee
it their duty to enter on the inquiry aud that, al
though selected against rule, they will show them
selves superior to the influence which, it was sup
posed, would govern their conduct.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20h 1885
Hon. GEORGE PoINDExTER: Sir-Your note o.
to-day has been put into my hand by Judge Black
who has given me the name of the gentleman who
wrote the letter published in one of the New York