Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-02-26
TO Tire PUBLIC.


derived fror, conversation had held with him
some wears a.o; and, if he denied il, could prove
IT, These facts were communicated 10 hun, 10y his
friend Mr. wise, in letter bearing date 2Sth Janu
nry; to which MIR Upshur replied in published
card on tho next day, giving the mos, positive and
unoualifeS denial 10 the assertion | had made,
couehed in terms that thought arrogant and often
sive. rep led 10 II, accepted the issue Of veraciy
he had presented and upon the terms he had him
self proposed, and promised, as soon as could coll
lect the proofs, TO lay them before the public On
the Sth OF February did so, and established, by
the mos; conclusive and irresistible evidence, the
truth of what | had asserted. On the next day
Judge Up3hur published a card invoking a sus-
PENSION of public Judgment for week or ten days,
prcsuming, us he said, that the public curiosity
could be kept alive, and promising 10 make very
plain that was quite as far from sustaining my
charge as was before the publication OF my letter.
We'll, his ten days have elapsed, and he has pub
lshed what | suppose was intended as his defence
and proof that mad not sustained my charge
This letter propose briefly to examine.
am gra,ihed to find that the honorable Secre
tary has descended from the high qualify" estate
he had at FIRST assumed, condescends now 10 be
ranked among the mortal men Of earth, and writes,
II not in 4 tame, at least in subdued tone. His
first letter was in bad taste, temper, and most
prcsumpluous style. have already answered that
IN tone and spirit satisfactory 10 myself; and tince
he now chooses TO be courteous in his manner, |
rhal onieavor 10 show that he cannot excel me in
that line; and IN dong this, hope shall nantes,
IA becoming disposition 10 give the Secretary his
choice OF The weapons with which he will conduct
the war. My purpose shall be not to use another
offensive remark, but TO review his letter briefly
and in detail; and such (as it strikes my min6) is
tho absence Of oil ingenuity or FEASIBILITY of the
defenca he has offered, that | should no. have
deemed il necessary TO add word - what have
before Sid were it not for the gross and nun fest
injustice he has done TO most 10 sorable and inno-
cent gentleman, whom have dragged before the
publ; eye, aud whose character and reputation
choose TO defend. AS am led to urdert' Ike this
much, however, will examine his letter and proofs
generally. pass over the FIRST part of MIR Up
shur's letter, which relates TO my connexions and
associates, of whom he now speaks with becoming
respect, y it'll the single remark, that II he meant IN
his letter TO Mr. Wise what he now says was IN
tended he was sinsulary unfortunate in so express
sing himself, as That no. one man IN ten thousand
would ever have coniectured what he did mean.
The FIST passage in his letter that struck me with
sYrpriee was that m which he says
IIe.irc a, % y that II regarded this as an Issue Of
v,Iiry, should cons der necessary say very tie
on'hc s1bi,ct; anilth matter involved myself alone
ls1cc On The correction OF lime But actor has Sp.
parci upon tho stage who has given new character 10
ihe donna lEow iavoves the principles OF whole no
luca nary, AL the motives and conduct otis,ingushcd
f5Hcs men As hav. been aitac kei through ihen, n
tar AN Justly 90 accused Of designing dsunion.
defended thc principles their conduct andthtir
Now, ii don't deceive myself, this will strike the
reader with az much surprise as 1t did ne
Ms Upshur emphatcnlly denied the truth Of
statement had made 10 Congress- and asserted that
could not prove II by man of truth. repeated
III, sa'ement-accepted the question Of veraciiy he
m-e'i bod rased-he suffered the question 10 rest
suspended, WIKI all the consequences attending is
Horror TO he visited upon ne, II should fail 10 Cs-
t1b'iSh what had asserted. published my proofs,
which were concusive-he asked for an arrest Of
Judgment, a suspension Of public opinion, and that
rullc curiosity might be kept alive, until ne could
have an opportunity to collect his proofs, with which
D., pr0Ss TO annhilate me, and 10 show that |
was as FAR ever from sustaining what had as.
ugd. He col ects some 90 or 80 letters, from diff
-cat sections OF Vrginia-als, utterly and entire
y lai.s 10 establish n single pom; he hac attempt
81 % make maniest-rather strengthens than di-
'-rl-hcs TIE force Of my testimony 10y portion Of
A.s rVn-and then comes forward and says, that q
mr-s question OF veracty "a small affair." to be sure
wol hardly have merited his notice, and that he
should have left u IN perfect silence 10 the CORE,
ton ~ ume-that It was not TO defend himselftha,
i- asked the indulgence OF time and a suspension
90 ~4nc opinion bat he felt IL to be his duty 10 de.
feul-srt-n7 why, MIR Calhoun, MIR Preston, MIR
3 .-stns, MIR Rhett, and the Other members Of the
Sort7 Carolina delegation 10 Congress. Against
what gay, charge that had never been made
VA: DID Mr. Johnston say, upon which Mr. Upshur
hos CHOSEN 10 predicate tins charge and defence ?
~ BE- say these gentlemen were "dsunionists 2,
81. 81 oil. lie says;
7as n forming his list" Cof contributors - the
r0rrrr Masazinc) "whe canvassng the ass stance OF
--- sas. renutei 10 be lie length to which rs CJ-
-=yo1 nIdca'iou. ta he Mr. a. now IesaTdei dslnion
5 1e oy sa'.'y for ihe Souih and ihai he r Upshurl
I'D determined 10 devote his future life TO thltcause
Now, ia whatuanner does this mplicate the other
gentlemen, whose defence he now under takes, end |
20 what manner did he invoke the suspension of !
public judgment IN regard 10 their offences? One
hing % may serve 10 show, and that is that Judge
fshur believed IN his heart that these gentlemen
we're MI involved m the criminal design of dssoly.
NJ the Union, and thought they should share a com.
non fate md that they should stand "a n toge Ter
BIT certainly It Is gratuitous, far as any charge
lad been made against them, either by me or any /
b! my witnesses, and was altogether foreign IN Tho
question IN issue between Mr. Upshur and myself 1
Blu; to proceed. Mr. Upshur then passed on TO /
IN eXhmination not Of the testimony have of, red
ia, &C Tie witnesses Themselves; and he begins with
u. Harrison, admits that he IS q lawyer of GOOD
iln1ins, and - considered" respectable man;
ut makes the following objections TO him as a Wit
css, each OF which shall endelvor 10 answer in /
urn:
First. lie is a warm personal friend Of mine. /
MI therefore neither an impartial nor Ingenious /
witness. We'll, Il he is respectable gentleman
Ices his being my friend disparage his testimony
lie was the gentleman upon whom could r,ly for F.
his recollection OF the conversation alluded to- and
therefore ! applied to him. Would MIR Upsbur
have had me apply 10 personal enemy, and ono
who was NOT present, to establish what had assert.
edi Pray, from wha, quarter did he seek his ties.
timony2 Was 1t from his personal friends. or nj,
personal enemies7 rnth think il will be found
from lis personal friends, and tina, pecu
ilar class OF political friends called N1hars. be-
tween whom there is much sympathy of feeling
rs any other class Of gentlemen | have ever come
across IN a summers day.
But Mr. Harrison was his invtteraie enemy. nj.
though he only suspected il within few DAYS mas,
What evidence lac has Of this, know not: but ,bis
Ike upon myself 10 say, that It IS wholly WILTON,
the shadow o iourdsuo IL IS true thnt Mr. h..
rson, like myself, has thought, from the time n.
fret heard Judge Upshur express opinions bo,,iie
20 the Union and destructive 10 the happiness and
Liberties OF the country, that lac was urfi and IN.
worthy on that account, to hIl any high and re.
rib.c public station, either in the State or Fede
ri Government This was the full extent Of his
hostility; and that objection has been urged Isl com.
mon was Tic santmenp by many members Of the
Vagina Legislature TO the appointment Of JUDGE
Up~h r. whenever his name has been brought for.
ward Tor my station in the Government for the las,
seven years; such ns Senator Judge Of the Cont
Of Appeals, &c. And If Mr. Upshur sets down
~ ~ man ns his personal enemy who thinks he had
bett = have been attending 10 his courts than run.
nng about The country preaching his "hellish doc
times Of notification" ms Mr. Gregory reports Mr.
Harrison 90 have said, then he vii. find his per
sonal 'nem es IN every part Of The country he may
W'i', and in every class Of society.
Boz Mr. Mayo, the personal friend and relative or
hf up'hur and, q consequence, as Mr. Upsbur
recms TO thing, very partial and disingcnuous
witness, applied 20 Mr. Harrison Tor a COW ot Lis
loter 10 me, giving long oircums'ontal detail Of
repeated conversations, which Er n. dsciireJ lie
r use he lol retained 10 copy Of Il, ecd ,ron n
question invo'' ng The vcracity Of gentleman md
friend lo required whatever passed between Judoe
"H.HI FfHH anil elf 10. Lao