The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-09-22
crn uARRIsoNs MORAL CHARACTER
a. - ~. r,dilnr Of Lhe Ne,o HampsLire Gaaetle.

r rsn "aI -, public dinner given Henry Clay, many
wears go ia Cincinnati, guiliy of such gross
profanity, that he (Mr RooQ and another clergy
man, Rev. J. l.. Wilson left the table;
Mr. Root also gave me number OF the DoVer Ha
zet,e LEGO Foco paper, containing charge OF Sc
duction against Gen Harrison, which he stated to
be- the substance Of tho story upon winch MIR
Browns charge Of adultery was predicted.
On the goth ult. appraised my friend WILLIAM
GREENE, Esq. for The last twenty years resiue".
OF Cincinnati, with the foregoing facts, ana now
offer YOU his reply for publication merely remark
IN q that his opportunities for thorough ana ihu-
mate acauan lance with General Harrison, nave
been equal to those of any man in the country,
while his high carscter for integrity makes nm as
unouestiona6e witness as can be produced from
either political party For the truth al me last re-
mark, would refer those in this vicinity, VINO
have no knowledge of NJ Greene to tho hon 20
seph Lyman, Hon |. G. Bates, Charles Z. Forbs,
Esq. Respectfully yours, "c. v,N
Cincinnati Aug. 10, 1870
My Dear Su:--l received On Thursday last your
valued favor of the 20lh ult. Your statement, that
you had had an interview with the Rev. Mr. Root,
in which he admitted to you that he had, on sew
eral occasions stated that Gen, HARRISON ut pub
lie dinner gwen Henry Clay many years ago IN
Cincinnati, so proiane that he (koot' and an,
other clergyman, Rev. J. LWilson, left the table,
induced mo 10 call on Doct. Wilson for n confrma'
ton or denial of Mr.. Roots assertion. The ans
wer was important and to the point. He recoilec,s
that he was at dinner given to Mr. Clay, but has
remembrance o: SucN an lDclHent dS ulat mem
tened by Mr.. Root, nor even that General llarri-
son was there. But DR.. Wilson, (who,hy ;he way
ia one Of the oldest and most respected Presbytcr-
an clergymcn IN all our country, and whom AN ac-
quainiance Of nearly twenty years has taught mo
10 respect the best and sinceicst OF mcu,)
states to further, thus:-'i have known General
Harrison now for twenty eight years. have met
him III public and in prl' ato--when IN ne army
and out ofit-in almost every relation Ut socia!
life that could be supposed, and have yet to hear
from him the first proiane or Indecent expression.
The miserable charge of seduction quoted from
the Ohio Statesman by the boyer Gazette, copy
OF which you sent me; is just groundIess as the
one ofprofanity, which Mr.. Roots witness has, as
above, summarily and conclusveiy disposed Of.
1t 50 happened that ut the time this charge of Sc
duciion was made--the winter Of 1924 and lo2o-
Gen Harrison was candidate for the Senate of the
United States, in opposition to my friend, Govern
ar Brown, whose election, at that Time, l would
have supported at almost any hazard, The charge
was Of such a character demanded instant inves
tigaiion. That inves CATION was had. The lady
implicated, was member, in full communion, Of
,he Rev. Doct. Wilson's church. He, with Or
Samuel Ramsay, member Of his church also, uni
versally known and respected, and the Hon jacob
Burnett, Of the most eminent citizens Of the
West the founder and fatheI of the Rev Mr. Roots
church and man whose integrity and truth that
gentleman will admit TO be, proverbially, in all
This region, unerrng the magnet, these gen te
men put themselves al once to the work ofprobng
the whole matter TO its very The result was,
as both DIR Wilson and Judge Burnct (Dr Ramsay
heng deceased) have solemny assured me, tho en-
IRE ucQultlal o. Hen HARRISON from tle smallest
sclnbance of guilt. The lady herself, so far, from
being monument of ruined virtue as the paper
YOU sent me most iniamously states her 10 be, has
for many years been most roputaby married, and
now, she always has boon Of the most
respected Of her The following correspon-
dence between DR.. Wilson aud friend If his at
the South, ought forever to put NJ rest the whole
matter. cannot better redeem the confidence of
my venerable friend, which has placed ,his CORES
pondence at my discretion, Than by transferring il
to your hands for publication in the East, if you
shall think il necessary.
REV. JOSHUA l.. WILsoNi
Dear Si,:-The name of Gen William n Harri
son being before the American people as n
candidate Tor President Of the United States, his
character is undergoing very rigid scrutiny by
those who opposed TO him in politics. l being
neither his friend nor his enomy n partizan feel
DESTROYS 10 know of him as much as | can, that
may be enabled to form an opinion for myself of
his public and private worth charge Of seduc-
ton against the General is going the rounds of the
administration papers bnt III such way as to leave
the public mind in doubt rs to its correctness. IL
such charge has any foundation in truth, you will
be good enough to so inform nae, which commu-
ncation shall be received by me strictly conf
dental, 50 far as your shall be concerned.
lit be untrue, you will inform me ~ in that event
your name shall be withheld, unless by your con.
Should compliance with The foregoing be
Incompatible with your duties, inclination or inter-
est, please redues some acquainted with The
case SIN whom You have confidence, to answer me
DR.. WnsoN's ANSWER.
DEAR SlR.-G our letter from receiv-
ed yesterday, in which you ask Of me infor nation
respecting a charge Of seduction brought against
Gen. w. Ii. Harrison, (which you say sis going
the rounds of the nstration papers but in such
u way 10 leave the public mind in doubt as to
its correcness. You remark that 'the character Of
the General is undergoing very rigid scrutiny; by
those who opposed TO him in politics. aud I
am happy to add that he and his friends have no
desire to shun investigation. The gold sustain
no loss by passing through the crucIblo
lnrePiy to the enquiry, whether such II charge
has foundation in trnih,' can only express NV
own bell # that ii has not. The political opponents
of Gen. Harrison have no doubt investie a,ed this
matter, and if the charge were founded in truth.
the administration papers would leave the pubIic
mind IN no doubt as to its correctness. This accu.
sation was brought against the General sixteen
years ago. He has outlived the SANDER; and now
it Is revived in doubtful form for potical effect,
Could malice do more? Let him that is withou,
fault cast the first s,onet Let the friends of the
administration look at their own favore Colonel
have known General Harrison nearly thirty
years, and consider him scholar and gentleman
"A soldier and ctizen-a statesman aud a prac.
teal farmar-a patriot and the poor mans friend
worthy the confidence of the nation, and qualified
TO fill the highes, office in the gift of the American
people.
1 have no desire for my name TO appear before
the people in this polical sontest We, Is VIM