Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-01-05

tntTedt tho uucuttOn VI our rehutIs 10 TN
Address Of our Representative in Congress
the Hon. Richard Fletcher, which appears
in our paper of this morning.
The Address shows in the clearest ant
distinctest manner, that the impression, sc
generally prevalent, that Mr. Fletcher in
tended, in his remarks 10 The House Of Rep
resentatives on the 18th ult to discredit the
report of his Faneui Hall speech, which
originally appeared in this paper. was an
impression which Mr. Fletcher never de-
signed 10 make. So far from such design
he did expressly sustain the substantial accu.
racy oil that report and, as appears in his
Address, he was so understood by the per.
sons who replied to him on that occasion. -
Unfortunately. however, for all parties, this
false impression was very Nensively made.
For ourselves. we resisted il as long as we
could, without subjeciing ourselves, as we
thought, TO charge which would have
been fatal to the reputation Of this Journal
for honesty and truth and which would
even have cast deep stigma upon the whole
Wing party of Boston.
The whole OF Friday,-and while there
was nothing to so upon but the bIief sketch.
es IN New York papers, we resisted with
vehemence the idea that Mr. Fletcher could
have discredited the report Of his speech
But on Saturday, when the mail brought
full report OF the remarks ia the House on
the l2th,-remarks which seem very gener-
ally TO have produced an impression they
were not intended TO produce, which, upon
examination, they will not warrant; and
when, at the same time our exchange pa.
pers began TO taunt us with having manufac-
tured a speech for Mr. Fletcher which he
never delivered, we fel, bound TO meet the
charge at once, with an explicit and indig.
nant denial. The distinctions upon which
MIR Fletcher went in his explanations.
though sufficiently just in themselves. were
yet OF kind likely 10 be Inexperienced
by has;y readers. In matter which touch.
ed our veraciiy and honor, we felt obliged
10 receive ms just what seemed TO be pre-
vulenl impression. Under such circum.
stances, we were in no state for deliberate
analysis; and we could hardly stop TO make |
il, without subjecting ourselves, by our ST.
ence and delay. to the mos. injurious impu-
atoms
We were the more confirmed in the in
expectation so commonly put upon Mr.
tletcher's remarks, by two very natural
Mistakes as 10 matters Of fact
The foreman OF our printing Office, most
'espectable man, assured us, that il was his
Instinct impression. that the corrections in
he first two or three sheets OF the copy of
he report Of the Faneul Hall speech, as
'iven in this paper. were in handwriting
With which he was not familiar. and which
he concluded to have been Mr. Fletcher's.
This assurance, in connection with the cir.
umstance. tina, ne knor that the manuscript,
lad been submitted 10 the inspection OF MIR
:. Enough ii appears, from the testimony OF
he gentleman who took il 10 him, that Mr.
;. was TOO much occupied even TO glance
yer NJ led us to make the assertion in our
wn defence, and in defence OF the report.
that the speech as reported in the Atlas was
cen by him Ii. e. Mr. Fleicher) previous 10
IS appearance in print; und was by him
anially revised and corrected" We are
ow pefectly satisfied. and upon the most
evidence, that every corrvc.
ion IN the copy OF the report, was made by
gentleman connected with this Office, twho
vas absent from the city at the time our
Extra was issued, and is still absent. though
re have since seen and conversed with
lm;) and we are perfectly satisfied. that in
oint Of fact, Mr. Fletcher's assertion re.
pecting this matter is mos, completely and
terally true,-that he never saw the copy,
or made single correction in il, nor could
e have read line Of the report, ill after il
ppeared in print. Ii gave us the greatest
AIN TO come into collision with Mr. Fletcher
to this matter Of fact, and j, gives us the
lncerest pleasure 10 be able TO make this
As to the pamphlet edition of the speech,
re are also satisfied that il was already in
'pe, before Mr. Fletcher knew Of its in t
'nded publication, & was no, revised by him. S