The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-09
THE NJ IsONIAN.


MIR. BOTTS-SECRETARY UPSHUR'
We give below Mr.. Bolts evidence 10 prove
his charge against the Hon. A. p. Upshur Inc
public will decide whether or not Mr.. Harrlson's
letter contains the qualifications contingen-
cies," &C., of which he has no recohectioh'-
Also. whether or not Mr.. Braxton is guilty Of
the sin of Observation-Disclosures his letter does not
infer contingency, on which the remarks OF
Judge u. are based.
"RlcHMoND, Jan. 81 lS42.
"MY DEAR Sin: Yours of the 2Slh instant reached
me on the following day. In il you say
"You will perceive by reference to the National
Integcncer Of this date that have in debate charg
ed the present head ofthe Navy Department Mr.. Up
shur) with having been at one time open, unqualified
and undisguised advocate for immediate dissolution
of the Union. Upon suggestion of Mr.. Wise that
there must have been some qualification annexed,
repeated the charge, and challenged Mr. Upshui to
denial under his own hand, and would undertake. to
proveit' You further say You'll were present when
the conversation alluded to by me took place, ana
your recollection of it must be distinct since, In
conversation held by us last winter, in Richmond,
when Mr.. Upshur spoken Of for the Senate OF the
United States, you re minded me Of it. must
therefore request you, by the return mall 70 'urnsn
with whatever you may deem pertinent 10 'he
question, coming within your knowledge
"You are aware my dear sir, am sure, that for the
last ten years more have not nelfered in the po-
litjcal contests nor have been an actor IN the po'i
cal struggles and party strife Of the day For these
contests of late have had no spirit or taste and #
| had the digent prosecution of my profession has
left me no leisure for them. have never scrubbed
political essays for the public journals and have al
ways eh the greatest repugnance to being brought be-
fore the public in any connected with these
matters.
Governed by this feeling, you are aware that,
during the late great contests between the Wing and
Democratic parties attended no political Log Ca
bin meetings. and from the love OF privacy and peace,
neither made nor listened to any Log CABIN speeches,
except upon two occasions when Mr.. Webster was in
Richmond when heard him for the first time.
"You may imagine, then, with what reluctance
comply with your request, seeing the hazard run of
having that privacy and quiet in which have so long
INDUCED disturbed and broken in upon.
''But having carefully considered the matter, not
withstanding the repugnance which feel, think
am bound in Justice to you to give the information
which you request seeing the embarrassing position
in WHICH you may be placed if Judge Upshur should
recolect the expression of the opinions attributed
him by you think it due to justice and to truth
and that have right morally, to withhold it, any
more than should be legally, were you and Judge
Upshur at issue upon your civil rights before court
Of justice, and was called on to give evidence be-
tween you upon the trial.
"In reply to your letter, then, i have to say that
have distinct recollection of the conversation dis
cussion between Judge Upshur, Judge Barbour, and
yourself at the time and upon the occasion to which
you refer and Of the opinions then expressed by
Judge Upshu upon the subject Of the d solution of
the Union of the States
~ had, on more occasions than one, before heard
Judge Upshur express the same opinions openly, UNI
reservedly, and with great bodness and freedom of
manner These circumstances have the more deeply
impressed upon my recollection the opinions pressed
by him upon the subject at the time and upon the &C.
casion to which you have alluded
"The first of these occasions was at Williamsburg,
when the Judge was holding one of his courts he
there said conversation net at all private con-
dentia that the Union Of The States, sooner or later,
must be dissoired he beiered il to De undpoiddbie
and, in his opinion, the sooner IL occurred or iods
brought about the better for Virginia and the South
States, siareholding States; that in the for
nation of the Union, the Northern and Eastern
States had obtained great advantages over the South.
ern or to use the Judges phrase, the South in the
formation of the Union had made bad bargain and
that the administration of the Government had made
it worse; that the policy of the Government and i'm
position Of tariff had produced the impoverishmen
and would ultimately ruin the Southern States; that
the Southern people would be the mere 'hewers OF
wood and drawers of water the slaves OF the East
and Northern; that the latter States had already
acquired the ascendency in the councils OF the nation
that the rapid increase of the population of these
States the non slaveholding States, would render
this state of things permanent, II the Union contin-
ued that in consequence OF these advantage, and
the greater capital ofhe Northern and Eastern States
u
proper trade of the South and every year would rem
der IT The Judge endeavored to enforce and
illustrate these opinions by reference to great many
facts and by much reasoning.
The bold and open manner In which these OPT
MONS were expressed by who held high judi
cal station in Virginia lone of character and talents
entitled to great weight and influence in society
raade deep impression upon my mind at the time
My attention particularly called to these opinions,
thus openly avowed, because endeavored to contro-
yortt in, thoh oafn
during the first year of Mr.. Van Burens Admins
traton--perhaps the second: for do not mean to be
precise in regard to dates am, though, pretty con-
fdent it in the spring of the year preceding the
conversation board the steamboat, to which you al
lude, and at which we present.
''In the month of November following, l think
Judge Upshur and myself were travelling from YORK
TO Williamsburg together, in some private conveyance,
when, upon the way, Judge Upshur again introduced
the subject of the dissolution of the Union, expressing
the same opinions in very much the same language,
supporting his opinions by the same course OF reason
ing and by reterenceto the same facts was at the
time unwel and endeavored, at first, civiy to waive
the subject; but the Judge continuing his remarks,
we engaged in a discussion which very became too
warm to be agreeable, and finding it likely to become
more so suggested to the Judge the propriey fcosng
the conversation upon the subject which he readily DID
in percevlng it unpleasant to me; and we arated
upon the usual terms of respect and civiliiy. The
Judge came to Williamsburg for the purpose OF hold
ing his court, for the purpose of attending 1t. AT
the close of it, the Judge and myself set out together
for the purpose Of going to Norfolk by way of the
steamboat, which expected to board at jamestown;
upon reaching which place, we found according 10 my
recollection four five PERSONS none Of whom
knew, but, from the appearance of some of them,
took them to be students Of the college The Judge
spoke to of them as though he knew
them. Having to wait at the landing for the boat
time the Judge after while, fell into conversa-
ton with these gentlemen and after some time broach-
ed the subject Of the dissolution Of the Union in near
" the same terms and language have already men
toned. After listening to him for time, and de-
termning to take part in the conversation, left
the place. and walked apart the bank of the river
until the steamboat reached the landing place.
"Upon boarding the boat we found it much crowd
ed and among the passengers were Judge Barbour,