The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-10

Eyangely Of Almighty God that the statement con
taned in the foregoing certificate is true according 10
the best of his knowledge and belief
Sworn before B. X. MORSELL, j. p.
The foregoing Is all the ,s,imony have consider
ed necessary TO refute extraordinary charge
trust with minds the least candid il will be held su-
cient.
| lefl Washington in 1895, and proceeded South,
where was engaged in business till l540-connected
returned North, and on the 18th July lS4l, came
to Washington TO solicit an Office
Ii may not he needless to say, that although had
been unsuccessful en- my efforts in 1882 3, A. Inever
heard never suspected that doubt Of my character
or ofmy fitness for Office was the cause ofmy failure.
On the contrary, my applications uniformly were re-
specfuly and kindly entertained and the reasons
signed for refusing my request were always such as
soolhcd my feelings, and assumed and declared my
suitabeness. President Jackson, one occasion,
gave the promise of consulship, and afterwards
requested, as personal favor, would defer to ano-
ther, which did.
After my return to Washington, in July, l84l, !
remained there until 22d September then went to
Boston, and remained there until November, when
returned to Washington, where | have been ever
since It has been my purpose, if my application
prove unsuccessful To return to the State Of Pennsy
vania, where have relatives, where at one time was
engaged in business, and which already considered
my home
II is during this last residence in Washington
that Islander the cruel and the most fatal ofall,
,sf IL
wards IN the commission Of the crime for which he
is awaiting his trial This accusation appeared first
in New York newspaper il has been the sole insru-
ment of my suffering and yet that the charge is desti
tutc of shadow of foundations appeal 10 my Maker
and my Judge.
Acknowledging at once, and most frankly, that |
knew Mr. Edwards or Col. Edwards as always he
solcmny declare that never suspected him guilty Of
the crime of which he is accused until the disclosures
mentioned, that never heard, saw, or
suspected the existence of any thing which led or
could have led to suppose that he meditated had
committed such crime that was not privy to- or
cognizant Of in any err before the fact after,
Of any purpose commission of guilt; and that whe-
ther he lie guilty not, am innocent the child
unborn. will enter upon something of de-
tail
| had known somewhat of Col. Edwards since
lS39 | saw him in New Orleans and in Houston,
in which latter place | was for sometime engaged in
business. lie Is the of respectable father, as i
always heard, of most specous manners, of most
plausible talents, and in the possession, at all times,
OF the appearance flarge property.
In the month of July or August last, after | had
been few days in Washington, saw him at Gads-
bys hotel, he was there perhaps an hour; said he
was on his way into Virginia to attend wedding.
had not him before for about ten months.
| again saw him in Washington. He was then on
his return he said, from the wedding. He remained
one night at Washington, and have never seen him
since.
As | have stated, left Washington in September
and proceeded to Boston. To England or else
where out Of the United States, never intended to
go.
arrived in Boston on the September. While
there Mr. Lowndes, Of New York, called on me,
and after introducing himself exhibited two anony-
nous letters. They were written in the same hand,
successive days ard were both addressed to the same
person. believe to the house which had suffered
BY the forgery. The first conveyed an insinuaion
might be the forger; the second if my memory
serves me right, partially retracted, or somehow
qualified the intimation; suggested the advice that
10 immediate violent steps should be taken, as the
suspicion might be groundless | at once, Of course,
assured Mr.. Lowndes of my innocence and after
short interview, he expressed himself convinced of
t. lie then produced letter or two written in fur
herance it would seem, of the purpose of forgery,
md asked me if | knew the handwriting, | told him
thought it was Edwards and then related to him,
md in more detail, all have stated above of the
movements of that person, and my conjectures as
% where then he might be found. This relation, at
lis request, | subsequently made oath to. Mr.
Lowndes, his COUNSEL Mr.. Curtis, and Mr. Choate,
who carefully examined the circumstances of the
,ase were, and believe remain, satisfied of my en-
ire innocence; and Mr. Curtis, unsolicited, inserted
IN article in Boston newspaper contradctng the in
nuation in New York paper of my participation
n the crime.
| have thus stated with literal and guarded preci-
ion the whole truth concerning this charge. de-
,lare came to Washington aone that the meeting
With Edwards Undersigned and purely accidental;
hat never asked him to meet me there or told him
should be there and was never asked Ivy him to
DC there that | never for moment suspected he
was perpetrating, meditated perpetrating, any
crime or that he had perpetrated any until my in
ervicw aforementioned with Mr. Lowndes that
never had dollar of money from him ; that me-
yer exchanged money for him that never purposed
going to England elsewhere with him; and that
The whole story, far as it duplicates me, is false
and malicious.
he statement Of the Hon. Rufus Choate
WAsHNcroN, May 3, 1912.