The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-19

Before proceed to examine the evidence addu1ed
by he Hon. Mr.. Boris, touching my political opin-
ions, consider itpoper to advert to the following sub
jects more Immediately personal to myself.
Mr. Boris expresses great indignation at the re-
buke he received for having disclosed in the House
Representatives pirate conversation supposed TO
have occurred between himself and me. bis resent
ment at the charge is admission that the rebuke
well deserved ii the fact were as supposed II
To be. Ii is certain that understood him TO allude TO
private conv ersation, and it is equally certain that
he understood by every one who has expressed
any opinion upon that point in my hearing The
construction thus put upon his language Is, IN my
opinion, clearly warranted by 1T but whether II is or
nt, each who reads it will decide for himself As
Mr. Boris dscaims this construction, have diff.
Gully in believing his disclaimers doubtless he knows
better than any oso hat his allusion In
this state of the case my rebuke has no application
him; am eased however, that he has avalled him
self of the to express his own views of such
betrayals otprivate confidence shall have occasion
to invoke the authority of his opinion upon this point
in another part OF these remarks.
To the CONNEXIONS of Mr. Boris, desire to say
that they do great wrong 10 me- and great injustice to
themselves, if they interpret any thing in my letter to
MIR. Wise designed TO dispardge them. l know
them to be respectable and entitled to high
position in society those of any other man, and 1t
is certain that have not even insinuated much less
asserted, the contrary,
Totne associates Of MI. Bolts desire to say that
do not know who they are or have been and there
fore had no right tosay, and have not said that they
were inferior to my own | said that "all Virginia
knew that they We're wholly different from mine, and
said this in order to show, by alluson to known
facts that they dfer Mt than those ofequals
in society generally are He was a young man, v-
ing near the city of Richmond lover of the sports
of theturt and personally engaged in them and
clating of course, with those of similar taste through
out the sporting country; was much older man, a
retired farmer otthe Eastern Shore seldom from home
except when engaged in official duties. No two men
could be less likely to meet and properly relied on
that Renaissance ground toi believing that the
conversation for hours, to which he alluded, could
not have been held with 1t is not wonderful that
should not recolect casual conversation which, a
it now appears held, if held at all, in a common
passage boat, and with man who was almost stran-
ger to me. ~H
Ifthere be any censurc implied in the simple deca-
ration that my associations different from those
of Mr.. Boris | do not know the individual in the
world to whom Imyselfcan apply it.
have thought it due to myself TO discaln the mis-
construction which has been put upon my Ian
guage affecting persons whom do not know, and
have no motive to offend have "assumed" nothing
in point of social position Mr. Boris or his con-
nexions, and the charge that have done so, is tse
an assumption purely gratuitous As to his associates
at the time alluded to, their position must be assigned
to them by those who know them and SO must his and
mine.
desire also to say that if regarded this as an 'is
sue of veracity " should consider il necessary to say
very little upon the subject. And if the matter in.
volved myself alone and my political opinions,
should leave in perfect silence to the corrective o
tine, But actor has appeared upon the stage
who has given new character to the drama. II now
involves the principles OF whole political party ant
the motives and conduct ofdistinguished political men
As have been attacked through them, it becomes ne
cessary to give them opportunity to say how far
can Justly be accused of designing dsunion fnrhavlnE
defended their PRINCIPLES, Their conduct, and their de
signs
1t is necessary also, to ascertain the true point
inquiry before we proceed to the evidence relating
to it, | have mol said that never had conversation
with Mr. BORIS on the contrary, ] have expressl,
refused to say so. My words these 4" will no
assert that | never held a conversation with Mr.
Boris" But did assert, and now assert, and vii
prove as far as any such case admits OF proof tina
no conversation which have ever held with him, o
with any other man, can fairly bear the construction
which he has put upon it. In doing this, shall con
fine myself to the single inquiry whether or not Mr.
Boris has proved, as he undertook TO prove, that
was at some time or other, g an OPEN unqualified
undsgtised and boosted advocate for immediate dso
luton of the Unionn These are his own words.
The proofs which he has offered are the certificate
of Philip Harrison, of Richmond, Carter Braxton
who | believe nor lives near Richmond, Virginia
and Edward w. Johnston, now in this city, and un
derstood to be one of the editors of the Independent
and to these added extracts from, and criticism
upon certain published essays under the title of IRE
voluton IN Disguise VI each Oh these IN us urn
| Mr.. Harrison is lawyer of good standing, far ad
vanced in life, and is considered a very respectable
man but in this matter, he is neither an impartia
nor an ingenious witness. He is the warm friend o
Mr.. BORIS; his guardian and relative as | am in
formed and one of the executors of his father, apC
he is my inpeerae enemy This is not the first atacl
which he has made upon me- although 1t is the trs
open one. OF his hostility have full proof at my com
mand, although have only suspected it till within
the last few days. His certificate itself shows thu
spirit in which it was given While he processes per
feet freedom from all connexion with politics. anC