Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-06-30
From The uarri,bure Democrat.

CHAMBER kEFUTED.-We invite atten-
ton to the following speech Of DIR. Dick
erson, OF New Jersey, made in the Senate
of the United States, on the Gath of March
1918. II is complete refutation Of the
charge of cowardice, made against Gen.
Harrison by the friends of the peace party
candidate, Van Buren,. MIR. Dickerson is
now a member of General Jackson's ca.
binet
GEN. HARRISON AND GOV. SHELBY.
Remarks Of Mr.. Dickerson. in the Senate,
.March "a, on the resolution for cote OF
thanks TO General Harrison and Governor
Shelby.
Mr.. DICKERSON, agreeabIy to no.
tice given yesterday. asked leave TO intro
cuce resolution offering the thanks OF
Congress to Major General VIM. Henry
Harrison and Isaac Shelby, late Governor
oil Kentucky, for their distinguished bra
very and good conduct 10 capturing the
British army, under the command OF Maj
Gen. Proctor. at the battle Of the Thames
IN Upper Canada, on the 9Th Of October,
1918.
! should not, said Mr.. Dickerson, at this
late day. highly as think Of the merits Of
those officers who, in co operation with
the hero of Lake Erie, turned the tide oil
war in our favor, bring forward the pre-
sent resolution, if no similar attempt had
heretofore been made in their favor, but
would leave their fame 10 rest upon the
testimony of impartial history, which has
already done ample justice to their char.
acters.
Two years ago. resolution like the
present, was reported TO this house by the
chairman of the committee on military af
fairs, by direction of that committee. This
resolution was opposed on two grounds,
applying solely TO General Harrison, as |
have been informed (for had not then the
honor Of being member of this body
the hrst that an enquiry was at that time
depending before tue House Of Represent
atives, into the official conduct of General
Harrison, as commander 10 chief of the
Northwestern Army. upon charges which
IL well founded were calculated essentially
TO inlure his character the second, that
a rumor prevailed, that General Harrison
had discovered some reluctance in pursu.
ing Proctor and his army, after Perry's
victory on Lake Erie, and that he had
been forced to the pursuit by the remon
strances Of Gov. Shelby, and, that this in
formation had been derived from the de-
claration of Gov. Shelby. These charges
utterly uniounded, as they turned out to
be, were deemed sufficient reason for
posipehlng a decision Of The committee
until the result Of the enquiry before the
House OF Representatives should at least
be known. The resolution, after some
discussion was referred 10 the committee
~ to
report thereon. As the session was near
10 ITS close, no further report was made,
and indeed no further report could with
proprlety have been made, until the In.
vestigation before the House of Represen-
tatlyes should be brought 10 termination,
This did not happen till the Esd OF Janua
ry 1917, little more than a month before
the termination of an important session,
when the public business of the most pres.
sing kind, required the entire attention of
Congress, SO that this subject could not
with propriety have been renewed until
the present session of Congress.
As the irleuds of Gen. Harrison have il
IN their power completely TO obviate eve
ny objection heretofore made by the pas
sage OF this resolution, il is their duty TO
oring this subject again before Congress,
more especially as the journal of this
House, If left unexplained, would imply
cepsure upon the conduct Of General Har.
rIson, which certainly was never in tended
L viii confess, for one, from a perusal of
the journals Of this House, the military
reputation Of Gen. Harrison. sunk 10 my
estimation; and believe this confession
might be made by three fourths Of the CT
tlzens of the United States, who read the
proceeding of Congress, who had unt an
intimate knowledge Of the character and
condact Of Gen Harrison | should re-
proach myself for having suffered S, ch an
impression 10 DO made upon my mind, if
The means OF CORRECTIVE it had also been
found upon our journals those journals
did not then afford the means Of correct in
formation upon this subject, nor do they
till this day,
AS to the first objection, that an inves
hgaton was pending in the House of Rep
resentatives, into the official conduct Of
zen. Harrison, the result of that investi-
CATION was in the highest degree honora.
ole to his character. The committee 10
whom the subject was referred, were unan
tmonsly of opinion that Gen. Harrison
s'oou ABOVE suspicion OF being implicated
IN the charges exhibited against him. and
that IN his whole conduct as commander
10 Chief Of the northwestern army, he was
governed by laudable zeal for, and de-
votion to, the public service and interest.
The second objection made to the pas
sage OF the resolution, if well founded,
was calculated to give to Governor Shelby
Tue entire and exclusive merit Of having
Gree9 'he pursuit ofProctor and his army.
but smelly; generous as he is brave, dis
claims this exclusive merit. and in letter
which will beg leave to read. denies in
the most positive terms, having used the
language imputed 10 him, and gives credit
to Gen. Harrison for his promptitude and
vigilance in pursuing Procto or for the
skIll with which ht arranged hi. troops
ior meeting the enemy, and for his distin
guIshed bravery during the battle. He
states that the duties Of Gen. Harrison. as
commander. in chief of the north. Western