Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-07-18

and to well intentioned persons the most satisfac-
! tory--was reference to the documents in which
my opinions already expressed were to be found.
Such answer | entrusted to my well tried and
| faithful friend Major Gwynne, Letters requiring
more particular attention | answered myself.
Every body who knows Major Gwynne knows
that he is not one whom would employ to write
a political letter. He is sclfmadc mana
soldier and gentleman neither politician
Tor scholar. asked the service Of him, be-
cause he was my friend, and confded in him,
and it was plain and simple. My habit is to re
ceive, open and read my letters myself Such as
may be easily answered by another, hand to my
friend an endorsation indicating where the nfor.
nation sought may be lound--as thus--''reler
the writer to speech at Vincenncs" or-"The
Answer is seen in a letter to Mr. Denny" &c.
But it seems that Ma or Gwynne was Chairman
Of Committee Of the Citizens of Cincinnati or
Of Hamilt Couoty. When the famous Oswo.
so lctt.r was received, it was read, and as usual
with such letters, | endorsed it and handed it to
Major GAynne But, it seems, when the answer
was prepared it was signed also by his colleagues
of the County or City Committee.
OF all this | knew nohng-nor in their ca.
pacity Of Committee had they any thing to do with
my letters. Yet by little mistake and much
perverson these gentlemen have been erected in
to a committee oimy conscience-keepers, & made
to shut me up in cage to prevent me from an.
swerlng interrogaoues." Gen. Harrison re-
marked that, had he indeed called to his assis
lance the services Of friend in conducting his
correspondence, he would have had high author
ty to Justify him in the measure. 1t had been
said Of General Washington that many of the
papers which bear his signature were written by
others and he believed it had never been contra
dcted; and Gen. Breckenridge, Aid to Gen.
Jackson in the late war had represented himself
to be the author oil much of Gen. Jacksons cor
eSPondenco,-But he had not done SO to any
other extent, or in any other sense than as he
had now explained tin requesting Major
Gwynne to refer those addressing enquiries 10 him
to the public sources Of information. And he
would here say, that in all his public life civil
and military, there was no letter, report, speect
or order bearing his name which was not written
wholly by his own hand. He said, to open, read
and anS,Cer all the letters received by him was
thing else whatever. To give his hearers an
idea Of the labor it would require, he said,
gentlemen then present was with him the nom
ing he left Cincinnati, when he took from the Post
office 16 letters-thcre were usually half the
number at the Post.otlice near his resdence-2l
letters per day. Could any man, he asked, give
the requisite attention to such daily correspon
dence, even TO the neglect of every other en-
gagement? Thu. it was, that many communica
tons were sent him which were not entitled tC
his notice-sent by persons who had no other
object but to draw from him something which
might he used to his injury and the injury Of the
cause with which he was identifed-yet there
were enough of those which claimed his respectful
consideration for the sources from which they
came, and the subjects to which they referred, to
occupy more time and labor than any one man
could bestow upon them.
Gen. Harrison said he had alluded particularly tC
this matter Of the Committee because it had 50 re-
Gently been the occasion of SO much animadversioI
by his political adversaries. But it only of
many misrepresentation Of him, his conduct, his
principles and his opinions with which the party
Press was teemng. He said it would occupy him
many hours to discuss them, if it necessary OF
proper for him to do 50. He referred, however, to
the Richmond Enquirer-and expressed his surprise
at the manner in which his name and character had
been treated by that paper. He did so, it aifor
ded an example OF the prostitution of the press to
party purposes That paper, which formerly did him
more than justice and paid him the highest compli-
ments soldier and civilian whose editor at the
time could designate no other man whom he consd-
cred 50 well qualified for the responsible place oil
Secretary Of War was now lending itself to the
circulation of the most discreditabe calumnies a.
gainst him aud enGeayoring to persuade his coun-
| trynen that he a coward and tederalist.--
He alluded to the evidence upon which the Enquirer
sought to fasten the accusation that he a black
cOchdde federalISt--i e.--the remarks Of Mr.. Ran
/ dolph in the Senate Of the United States. lie said
that the attack Of Mr.. Randolph met at the mo-
ment il was made and efectually dsproved. lie
passed a high enCOmium upon the genius OF that
remarkable, man. and said, that those who knew Mr.
| Randolph, knew that he never gave up point in
debate, or receded from his ground any where, until
convicted Of error. The fact that he made no reply
to his answer to the Charge is proof to any familiar
with his character that he himself was satisfied that
he had erred Gen. Harrison explained the foun-
dation of Mr.. Randolph's charge, made at moment
Of temporary rri aon. lie said that old Mr.. Adams
refused to adopt against France the measures which
his party desired and showed himself in that respect
al least, more an American than PartiZan. 1t
was that course Of policy Of Mr.. Adams which COM
manded his appreciation and induced him SO to eX-
press himself, at the time. Mr., Randolph romaIn-
! bered the expression but probably forgot the par
ticular subject Of it, aud tnus the very fact which
proved him to belong tn the Republican party OF
1900 long years afterwards separated from its at
tendant circumstances is used to prove him teder-
aiiSt. General Harrison expressed himself with
| much carnesnesS on The in Justice which was thus
attempted to be inflicted on his character in his ma
| live State, in which, wien truth and virtue and
honor had suffered violence every where else, he
had hoped they would survive.
Gen Harrison alluded to several other instance,
of gross mi representations Or absolute falsehoOd,
-indIstriously aud shameiuiiy propagated by Il
! party press at seems almost incredible, fellow
citizens" said he, "hut it is true, that from long
speech filling several columns OF paper, two short
sentences have been taken from d larent parts Of IT,