The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1839-09-25

his was said 10 be The removal Of some Of
he rails on the railway. There was mech
excitement in PbiIadelpha on the reception
of tho Governors orders, and the rumors
assumed the complexion Of the political par
ties who originated them. had been In
formed by Gen. Patterson tina the persons
who were to have removed the rails were
prevented from SO doing by the interference
OF some of the officers Of the volunteers
themselves, who represented to them the in.
jury that would result to their friends from
the execution Of such an intention.
Q1estion' BY Mr.. Barclay. Please 10
s'a'e whether you had any conversation with
any OF the Van Buren, members Of either
branch Of the Legislature as to what the
van buren, party, or any portion of il. de-
signed to do IN order to prevent the troops
under Gen. Patterson from reaching Harris
burg? ---''''-
Ansrer. On the 20th of January la.,
called to see Col. M'Elwee, a memhe, r.
the House of Representatives from Bedfo,s
on some public business at his lodcino. 5,
the evening. He was IMPRESSED and sho !.
going TO bed, but entered into conversa,;s.
with me on the subject of my business: il
the course of which he referred TO the cha.
acter Of the volunteer troops from Philaal
phia, who had been in service in the preca-
dingimonth of December at this place. H.
spoke very favorably Of them, and said ,h..
| it sros ,reu for them that so MANI of H.
acre Democratic as Otherwise then ,s,,....
ponId kaUe iped TO haze reached Hcr~;.
burg. He then stated that on the announcs.
ment here that the troops from PhiladeInb;,
would march to Harrisburg, II pas agreed
By himself and tsco or three Others ,ckom 10
did not name, to Prcrent their arvipol At ~.
place at all hazards, supposing at the mn.
ment that, as the troops belonged to Ph;la-.
deIphia, they were all wings, and favorable
to the State Administrative. TO carry on,
this agreement, be said it was determined
to remorc a fen fthe rails on the rail rood
at the most dangerous part of ii, and ol.o
to form a mine under the erposed Dart TO he
filled cikh gun poirder, so thai in The conf..
sion ,rhich ,rouldj arise from the train of
cars containing the troops being operthross
By thus running off the track, the mine might
be sprung. and the schole body of them
blopi into the a;r together For this purpo.e
he himself purchased three barrels of pm
porder, and said that he had paid forty dol.
lars ost Of his oDn pocket for the purchase.
To convince me that he was serious in what
he stated to have been their design, he fur
Their said that his associates therein were
men OF tried courage, and having been Off
GERS of the army during the last war, knew
how to execute the project they had con-
ceived.
i This design was abandoned by them in
consequence of information having been
received subsequently, to the purchase Of
lgunpowder, that the troops then on their
route from Philadelphia were not all Of the
same political party, a large portion of them
belonging 10 the Democratic party, TO which
Coi McElwee and his associates in this de-
sign also belonged. He further saidahat is
i was to this circumstance alone that the arri.
val of the troops from Philadelphia at Har-
risburg without injury or loss was to be at
tributed. The design was abandoned be-
cause It would have been impossible to haYe
separated the democrats from the wings in
execution; and protected them. from the
danger of the explosion.
| A. J. PLEASONTON.
lCoL. PLEAsoNToN, IN explanation
/ deem it proper to stale to the commit
tee, lest some persons might suppose that
had been instrumental in causing my testi
mony. on this subject to be adduced, that
have never mentioned this conversation be-
fore my examination to-day to any but one
gentleman from neighboring State, who
was casually here ia attendance on public
business. and with whom was in the habi,
Of daily intercourse.
When on the. eve OF his departure from
Harrisburg, he incautiously repeated the
subject of his conversation to a member oil
the Senate, and mentioned my name, as
that OF his authority for the statement. That
Senator caused me to be subpnned as wit
ness before this committee. When learn.
ed for what object had been thus srbpa-
ned, declined to give my testimony until
had stated these circumstances to Col. Nc
Elwee. This Il did this morning. Col
M'Elwee made no objection to my giving
his conversation in evidence, and according
~ have answered the question which the
committee have proposed to me.
A. J. PLEASONTON.