The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-06-25

f 'ssIs"sa0.i " say PtCSS W party puf
: poses. That paper, which formerly di,
: him more than justice and paid him tn,
2 highest compliments as a soldier anr
civilian-whose Editor at one time coult
designate no other man whom he con
;. sidered 50 well qualified for the respon
+ slble place Of Secretary Of War-wa.
now lending itself to the circulation q
the most discreditable calumnies agains
: nm and entleavoring to persuade his
I coun.rymen that he was coward and 3
tederalist. He alluded to the evidence
l upon which the Enquirer sought to fasten
the accusation that he was a black-cock.
I ade feaeralist--i. e.--the remarks Of Nj
Randolph in the Senate of the United
States. He said that the attack of Mi
Randolph was met at the moment it was
made and .ef1ectually disproyed. He
passed high encomium upon the genius
OF that remarkable man, and said tina,
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. General Harrison
explained the foundation Of Mr. Ran.
.dolph's change, made at moment Of
temporary irritation. He said that old
Mr. Adams, refused to adopt against
France the measures which his party
desired and, showed himself in that res
pect, at least. more an American than a
! Partizan. 1t was that course of policy
of Mr. Adams which commanded his APP
probation and induced him so to express
himself, at the time. Mr. Randolph re-
membered the expression but probably
forgot the particular subject Of it, and
thus the very fact which proved him
TO belong to the Republican purity of
1850, long years af,erward, is separated
from its attendant circumstances and used
to prove him Fetleralist. Gen. Harri-
rison expressed himself with much earn
estness on the injustice which was thus
attempted to- be infected on his character
in his native State, in which, when truth
and virtue and honor had suffered vio-
lence every where else, he had hoped
they would survive.
General Harrison alluded TO several
other instances Of gross misrepresenta-
tons or absolute sehoods--illustrio
ly and shamefully propaga,ed by par
ty press. slt seems almost incredible,
followcitizens," said he. /" hut it is true
that from a long speech, filling several
columns of a paper, two short sentences
have been taken from different parts it,
these two sentences, separated from
their context are put together, my name
attached TO them, aud published through
ont the land as an authentic document
He deplored that state of public senti-
ment which could tolerate such svs-
tenn Of party action and trusted for the
honor of his country and the hopes. OF
liberty tina, the reformation of such abuses
would soon be wrought out by the force
Of a pure ard healthy public opinion.
"Why, fellow-citizans,''s said Gen.
Harrison. IL have recently. in that House
!. (ponting to the State Housed been char
ged with high offences against my coun-
try, which if true, ought to cost me my
: life. Yes" continued he, ..accusations
were there laid to my charge which be-
ing established, would subject me, even
now, to the severest penalties which mil
itary law inficts--for, | have always
held that an officer may not escape the
responsibilities of misconduct by resign
ing his commission. These charges are
not made by my companions in arms, by
the eye-wilnesses Of my actions, by the
great. and good and brave men who fought
by my side or under my command.
They tell a different story. But Mei,
evidence. clear. unequivocal and distinct
1.-The testimony of Gov. Shelby, the ven.
cradle hero Of Kings Mountain. Of the
gallant Perry, and of many brave and
generous spirits who saw and knew and
participated in all the operations con.
, nected with the battle of the Thames
the evidence of impartial and honorable
! men, the concurrent records Of history
] and the authority Of universal public
. opinion, are all cast aside, in Difference tic
the reckless assertions Of those who
y were either not in being or handled in the
; arms Of their nurses! Gen. Harrison
: said, he acknowledged that these calum
. MES were disagreeable to him. His goot
name, such as it was, was his most pre-
c cious treasure-7and he did not like to
: have it mangled by such calumniators
$ Were it his land which they are seeking
|, to tlestroy----were it the title deeds t
his farm that they are entleavoring to mu
tilate,--he could bear their efforts witt
i patience and smile even at their success
. But he confessed, notwithstanding hi:
t perfect confidence in the Justice Of hi
\ country and the decision of all impartia
t posterity, that these ruthless attacks up
I on his military character affected hin
+ unpleasantly. This policy of his ad
: versaries Constrained him to conslde
' himself as now on trial before his coun
: try. He was not reluctant to be triet
!, fairly. The American people being hi
= Court and Jury-his adveraaries held t
/ those rules Of evidence established by
y "a Il