Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-06-30
mo. 20.

I IN thtir capacity oi committee had They any
! thing To do with my letters. Yet by ltt.e
mistake and much pcrversion these gentlemen
have been erected into committee of my con-
cicnco-kccpcrs, aud made TO shut me up In q
cage, to prevent me from answering iniorrog-
atorlcs. Gen Harrison remarked that, had he
indeed called To his assistance the services Of
/ friend IN conducting his correspondence, no
would have had high authority 10 justify him
| IN the measure.
| II has been said OF Gen. Washington that
many Of the papers which bear his signature
were written by others, and he believed T. he'd
never been ooniradicicd and Gen. Brccken-
ridge, aid to Gen. Jackson IN the late war, had
represented bimselfto be the author Of much
of Gen. Jackson's correspondence. But no
""a nv, so"-e %" "a any estsnt. o. IN any other
sense than as he had now explained tin re-
questing Major Gwynn 10 refer those prcferring
! inquiries to him, to the public sources of in
formation And he would here say, that in
all his public life, civil and military, there was
no letter, report, speech or order. bearing his
name, whish was not written wholly by his
own hand. lie said, TO open. read aud an
swcr all the letters received by him was ply
sically impossible, though he should do moth
ing else whatever. To give his hearers an
idea OF the labor 1t would require, he said a
gentleman then present was with him the NOR
ming he left Cincinnati, when he took from the
post office 16 lcitcrs--thcre were usually half
the number at tho post Office near his resi-
dence--2i letters per day. Could any man,
he asked, give the requisite attention 10 such
a daily correspondence, even To the neglect OF
every other engagement True II was, that
many communications were sent 10 HIN which
were not entitled TO his noiicc--sent by per-
sons who had no other object but to dra. from
him something which might be used 10 his in
! jury and the injury Of the cause with which
he was idcntifed-yct there were enough Of
those who claimed his respectful consideration
| for the sources from which they came and tho
subjects to which they referred, W occupy
more time and labor than any one man could
bcstow upon them.
Gen Harrison said he had alluded particu.
larry TO this matter of the committee because
i, has so recently been the occasion Of 90 much
animadversion by his political enemies. But
it was one, only Of many misrepresentation
of him, his conduct, his principles, and his
opinions, with which the party press was
teeming. He said il would occupy him many
hours to discuss them, if it were necessary or
proper for him to do so. He referred howev-
or, to the Richmond Enquirar, and expressed
his surprise at the manner in which hin name
and character had been treated by that paper.
| lie did so, as il afforded an example Of the
prostitution of the press TO party purposes.
/ That paper, which formerly did him mora than
justice, and paid him the highest compliments
/ as a soldier and civllian--whose editor, at
/ one time, could designate no other man whom
] he considered so well qualified for the respon-
sible place OF secrctary OF war, was nc v lend
| ing itself TO the circulation OF the mo~t discrc-
dtable caumnies against him, and endeavor-
/ ing to persuade his couhirymen that he was
coward and a federalist. lie alluded TO tho
evidence upon which the inquirer sought To
fasten the accusation that he waa = black
cocade federalst, !. e. the remarks OF Mr..
| Randolph in the Senate Of the United States.
| He said that the attack OF Mr.. Randolph was
met the moment il was made, and eiocfually
disproved He passed high encomium upon
| the genius Of that remarkable man, aud said
those who knew him knew he never gave up
point in debate, or Teceded from hls ground
! anywhere until convinced OF error. The fact
that he made no reply TO his charge Is, sufii-
cent proof to any who are familiar with his
character, that he himself was satisfied that no
had erred
Gen Harrison explained the founCation Of
Randolph's charge, made at the moment Of
temporary irritation. lie said that old mr..
Adams refused 10 adopt against France the
measures which his party desired, and show
ed himself in tina, respect, at least, more sh
American than a paftizan. IL was that course
Of policy OF Mr.. Adams which commanded
his app obation and induced him 50 TO express
himself at the time. MIR. Randolph remem-
bered the expression, but probably forgot tho
particular subject Of il, and thus the very fact
proved him to belong 10 the republican party
Of 1900. long ysara afterwards, these circum-
stances are eDdeayored 10 be used 10 prove
him foderalist Gen. Harrison expressed
( himself with much earnestness on the iDIus-
lice which was thus attempted 10 be Inflicted
on his character IN his native State, Ia which.
when truth and honor and virtue had suffered
violence every where else, he had hoped they
would survive.
Gen Harrison alluded 10 several other in
stances Of gross misrepresentation or absolute
falseboods, indus,Iionsly and shsmefuly prop
ogated by the party press. at seems almost
incredible, fellow citizens" said he, "but IL
is true, that from long speech, filling sever
al columns Of paper, two shor sentences
have been taken from different parts Of IL:
these two sentences, separated from their
context are put together, my name attached NJ
them, and published throughout the land Is
an authentic document" lie deplored that
state OF public sentiment which could tolerate
such a system Of party action, and trusted for
the honor Of his country, ard the hopes Of lib
euy, that The reformation Of such abuses
; would soon lie wrought out by the force Of q
! pure and healthy public opinion.
"Why fellow ciizcns," said Gen. Hsrri-
son, IL have recently ia that house, point
/ ing 60 the Stale Iiouse.) ''been charged with
high offences against my country, which, u
I true, ought 10 have cost inc my life. Yes
/ continued he "aecusaiions were there la'n 70
my charge which, being established "Cuid
subject me even now 20 ihe setefesi penalties
! Which ,n,l,,ary law Indicator | have always
held tina, an officer may not escape The ne
4 .i.ll.,.,. ~ nuixrOisduct by IesiRDlng has