Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-02-12
POLITICAL.
WAsmINoroN. Fch. Z.


WAsnINcroN, Feb. T.
Every hour brings some proof to show that Law.
renee mas Deen operated on to seek the Presidents life
precisely as we had supposed, from the moment we learn
cd That ne had been attendant on the debates in Con
gress His character and motives have been fully rn
veaied IN the conversation which he has held with two
gentlemen, among the most INTELLIGENT nbvs;c;ans -,
our cty-Doctors Causn and Sewall These gentlemen
are OF opposite political parties and visited him for the
double purpose of ascertaning how far his mind is a
iected and under what state OF feeling he attempted 10
perpetrate the crime he contemplated II will be seen
on reading their joint statement that his mind has
gwen way under the political excitement created y the
aarlss IN Congress, who, for season. threw the whole
country into CONSERVATION, by their dreadful predictions
ana unntermttng imprecaons against the President
ms executoner OF the denuncations first uttered b
the orators, and which then teemed from The nrcs AMI
cherished and fam. ar sentiment
perate man in the country. frnlfS EI[F
braced the conviction that the loss of his IS aid
all the mistortunes ofhis own wrechcd CO In were
produced by the President. On perusal He state
nent of Doctors Causin and Sewa it vii a seen that
he reasoned altogether upon Tie decisions of The urf
panic, and that the remedy with him was in effect
somewhat that of the politicians who desired to put the
President out othe way by DESTROYING him politically
while their weak-mnded partzan looked upon the
destruction of the Presidents life as a more direct and
certain mode OF accomplishing the object He supposed
tat II the President dead, Mr. Clay Mr. Webster
or Mr. Calhoun would succeed and then that all the mis-
chiefs they deprecated would be at end
No one can read the paper furnished TO us by Dire
Causn and Sewall without perceving that the assassin
mind was precisely in that morbid state which urncd
me dreams OF the excited enemies of the Administration
lnfo realities While Mr.. Calhoun proclaimed A REyo-
LUTON this suffering proselyte who could not nav his
board went roundly to work, TO produce it, The only
difference between the Military Wing Association of the
last WINTER which proposed to encamp on CAPITOL Hill
10 drive Congress to submit to the dctaon OF the feel
ing produced in Baltimore by Mr.. Bnney S and Mr. Web.
sters appeal to revolutionary measures and the Stood
was tnat those who composed it, quite so in.
sensible to consequences insensble to fear as the
deeP,broodng fanatic, who dared TO execute what he
dercd TO will 80
We publish additional scraps which mark the
fury OF those OF the Opposition who looked upon as
sane by their friends The public win iudge bn,, e.:
tnelr feelings fell short of those of individuals whom
they would excuse on the score of being nnad-GIoJe
Inc undersigned having been requested by the siar
sinai OF the District of Columbia visit Richard Law
renee, now confined in the Jail of the countv of lY,sb
Ington for an attempt to assassnate the President of the
oed states, with view TO ascertain far az practi-
CABLE the present condition of his bodily health and st,
OF aiilid, and believing that detail of the examination
VIII be more satisfactory than abstract opno upon
the subject therefore give the following statement
On entering his room, engaged in free Conversation
with him. in which he participated apparently in the o
artless and unreservcd manner The first nerrogatorv
proPounded was as to his age-which question alone he
spoFuvey declined answering We then inquired
into the condition of his health for several v,ors
past-to which nc replied, that it had been uniform
~ good and that he had never laborcd under anv
mental arrangements did he admit the exstenca NJ
any OF those synptomsof physical deranpenent which
usually attend mental alienation e said he was born
IN England, and came to this country when twelve or
thirteen years OF age, and that his father died in This
District about six eight years since; that his atbc
he
was not professor of any religion, but sometimes read
the bible, and occasionally attended church He stated
that ne was painter by trade and had followed that oc.
cupaon to the present time but of late could not find
steady employment-which had caused much pecuniarv
embarrassment with him; that lie had boen oenerally
temperate in his habits using ardent snrfe r,olra,
when at work but for the last three Of four weeks had
not taken any that he had gamblcd and in other
respects, had led regular, sober life
Upon being Intercepted the circumstances can
neeted with the attempted assassination he said that he
had been celebrating it for time past and tat
ne mad called at the Presidents house about week pre-
fous 10 Inc attempt, and being conducted 10 the Presi
dent apartment by TIE porter found him i'm conversa
ton with a member of Congress whom he believed to
have been Mr.. Sutherland ofPennsvlvnnio tia, Lo
ed to the President that he wanted money 10 totc L
TO England, and that he give him check on the
oanK ana tS.Lnd gent remarked that he was too much
engaged to atNe~St hm--he must call another time
for Mr.. Dbbe was in waiting for an infervie, Wien
asked about the pistols which he had used he stated t
ms father left himaPar bot noticing like about years
since ne exchanged one for another which xactlv match
60 the best OF the pair these both flint locks which
eceniy had altered TO percussion locks bv Mr. Bote
ne had been frequently IN the habit ofloading and
nose pistols atnass and that he had never kno.en1
tIipto Vii gSing off on any OCCASION and that
at the dsfHce Of ten yards, the bail always passed
hr2ugh an inch plank lie also stated that he had
loaded those pistols three four days previous with
ordinary care, for the purpose attempted; but that he
used pencil instead Of rsm-rod and that durinp that
period they ut ~ times carried i'm his pocLcg and
when asked why they fiilqd to explode ne reped Inc
knew no cause. When asked why he went 10 tbe "a
Ptol on that Day he replied that he expected that the
n.
in the Rotundo when the President arrived and on beng
asked why he did not then attempt shoot him he re-
pied tat ne ud not wish to interfere with the funeral
ceremony and therefore waited ill il was over lie also
observed tba ne didnO cnerthc Hall but looked trouob
a window from the lobby and the President seated
with membeSs Of Congress and he then rcfurnnd 10 The
Rotundo and waitcd OIL the President again onfS5cd H.
and then passed through and took his position in the east
Portico about two yards from the door drew his pistols
from his inside coat pocket cooked them and held ono
IN each hand concealed by bis coat lest be should alarm
the specatorsand states, That the ono in the
right hand missed fire, he Immediately droppcd or ~ I
chang ed IT, and attempted 10 FIRE the second before he
was seized be further stated that he aimed pistol NJ
the Presidents heart and intended If the first pistol had
gone on and the PRECEDENT had fallen, 10 have defended
himself with the second If defence had been necessary
On beng asked he did not expect to have been killed
on Tie spot If he bad killed the President be replied
ne did not and that he had doubt but that be would
nave Deen protected by the spectators. lie fre-
queny questioned whether he had any friends prosonf
rom whom he expected protection, To this he re.
pied mat nc never had mentioned his Intention 10 any