Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-03-11

since | became very innocentIy instru-
mental in circulating throughout the
country very great attack apon your
character and virtue as gentleman,
and certainly very heavy one as a
public man, feel exceedingly desirous
TO relieve you, as far as can, from the
SANDER, and my own feelings from the
severe compunrton that ia within ma,
Of having been, though neither directly
nor indirectly your personal accuser, yet
that was drawn indiscreclIy into The
representation Of an attack upon you
1t is altogether Unnecessary 10 enter
into the minute circumstances, at so dis.
tant a period, Of how it happened, and
The particulars Of it all. The pubic
were at The time sufficiently informed
why and wherefore | became the rela-
ter Of the assault 10 which | specially
aIIude.
| did not solicit the account that gave
the gross, abomihlbIe scandal Of you,
but merely asked ifit was, or could pos
sibly be true. 4! had long before heard
of it, and was at the seat Of Government
when it WAS represented to have occur
red. The reason Of my having mentioned
il, upon which the answer was given to
me. was, that bought it an infinite scam
daI.upOn the country, iftrse; & il not true
it would give you fair opportunity Of
excuIpating yourself. bad, therefore,
Two objects IN view, which were easily
seen; aud from either or both | conceive
that | ought 10 be exhonorated at least
from any design to do you injustice
Imagine yourself what motive | could
possibly have had to injuro you gen
tleman with whom have had no differ
ence, with whom ! had been variousIy
acquainted, and, though never intimately
80, yet there was always an urbanty
and an interchange of civIIitlos between
US that never failed to make quite
favorable impression upon me, and, if
it was not reciprocal, ii was my mlsfor
tune. To strew difficulty in your way
with design was utterly improbable, al
least. You. u distinguished man in the
eyes Of the nation what advantage
could | have expected from a derson
Of you? Surely it was very improbab c.
most assurpdly and most certainly
never entertained the smales; prejudice
or unrBvorabIe idea Of you until the aC-
fair Of the Fayettevie letter, that ap- |
peared under my signature; upon which
was founded, am quite sorry to say,
the charge which gaIoped through the
Union against you,
Your memorable pamphlet, and some
letters which came oui in your defence,
were entirely expressive Of the whole
transaction; and although | thought al
the time that you had rot properly con.
ceived me, | StudiousIy Gorbore to say
more than had been expressed in my
correspondence al Wheeling which Mr..
Noah gave.
My entire object now is, n dosire
have to be exhonoraled from the BELIEF
Of any special desire to iujure you; for,
| again declare lhat | never feIt the
smallest degree Of unkindHess towards
you, Other than what was at the time
impressed upon me by what had been
communicated, ! have never since the
affair fallen in company with you but
once and that was Tor moment only,
and it took place in the Hall Of the House
of Representatives, when a ballot was
going on for Public Printer. was
standing alongside Of Governor Branch,
then a Senator Of The United States, |
when you passed on nt my back, and, |
without percrlvng who was before
you got up TOT US YOU asked how the bal. |
lot had gone. Mr.. Branch had not At
tended to it, and had just taken it |
down with pencil. | handed to you
the paper, and after looking aI it you
returned it, bowed, and passed on. Mr.
Branch then asked me if that was the
FIRST time you and had met since the
affair OF the Fayetteville letter. snid
ytS Ht IHulltT lHCU NhHlSntu' anu
have never met with you since
This letter is Intended to show you
that The long lapse Of time, and the ma
ny groWiug circumstances Of he country
and government, have long ago convin,
ced me that The very greatest injustice
was done you in tho charge made. Ind,
too, m opportunity lately ofreading over
very Camly aud dispassionalely fic
ofnewspapers containing the whole af-
fair, and carefully dIIAted upon it. Mr.
Buchanan, who WIS represented to be
your accuser, exhibited no proof what
ever against you; and ho even denied
having ever made the charge upon you.
| have discharged my mlnd in address
sing myself so fully to YOU, und can only
add that it a publication of this letter
can render you my essential service,
(lhough do not deserve It,) you have
lulI liberty from me to lei the public see
IT,
One circumstance beg to assure you
of, that whatever my verbal and written
cYnrrsaions ne you were (und | sunnose