The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-11-25
Letter from Judge z,rcs.e.

Below our readers will find an interesting let
ter from Judge Dnrrsz, in reply TO the charge al
uded to in this paper of the 18th inst, tina, he was
induced to withdraw from the canvass for COVER
nor last summer, by securing the promise OF Uni
ted States senator from the Springfield clique.
The Judge complains with some justice of the I'M
rcasonablcncss of the cali upon him to prove
negative; but we think he will, on reflection, be
satisfied that the peculiar circumstances of the
case fully justified the call. The charge had been
publicly made and harped upon By the wing pa
pers, and in private it was made use Of by men
Of both parties who sought to injure the Judge.
1t would have been vain TO call for the proof, for
tho only answer would, in all likelihood, have
been retcration Of tho charge, and, while the
Judge and his friends might rest unconcerned
about it, feeling confident tina, the proof would he.
yer be forthcoming, the charge ITSELF in the hands
of those busy in the work Of dctraction, would
be quietly doing its work, and as clfcctually as
though it had been proved, SO long as it should
not be con,radictcd from quarter that would de-
mand attention. Under these circumstances, we
believed that justice to the Judge required that he
or his peculiar friends should take notice Of the
charge, and made the call to which the letter given
below is reply. The Judge has answered the
charge in the only way in which, under the cir
cumstances i, perhaps could have been answered,
and it now remains for those who make the charge
to produce the proof or be branded with filsehood
But whether tho Judges answer is satisfactory or
not, our readers must be permitted to Judge for
themselves, and more particularly the members Of
the legislature to whom the whole matter is en-
trusted for decision.
The Judges disclaimer Of any knowledge of the
existence of such body as "thc clique" may
arise from desire not to stgmatze with such an
cpithct men who have no inconsiderable influence,
and some of whom, perhaps, may favor his pre-
tensions to the senaorship. but the Judge can
not be ignorant Of the fact that there is a SET of
men about the scat Of government of this state
who have not been greatly distinguished for the
purity Of their political virtue, and who have made
it their business, whether successfully in all cases
or not we will not undertake to say, to dole out
the Offices to their particular fvoritcs, and to ma
mage generally, the affairs Of the party at the seat
Of government. IL the Judge is ignorant of this,
the great body of the party arc not for the demo-
cratic press of the state have almost unanimous
Iy and unrescrvedly spoken out upon this subject
We acknowledge, with the Judge, 10 power on,
of the great body OF the party to dispose of Office
or honors, and have therefore, with other demo-
cratic editors cndoavorcd to annhilate the nflu.
enco Of this clique. Whether the attempt will be
successful or not, time must determine; bu, if it
10 not, the Judge may yet, when quietly laid upon
the shelf, be compelled to own to his sorrow. as
others whom might name have been, that there
is such body in existence as "hhe clique"