American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-23

lGoNAs. The following letter appears in the
last Frederick Examiner, with request of the
gentleman by whose authority it is made Pub
lie, that the editors of other news papers, in
which testimony attributed to Mr.. Revcrdy
johnson has been published, will insert in their
paper the letter Of Judge Magruder, as an act
Of justice:
DEAR SIR-I Tecollect that in January, or
perhaps the beginning of February, 1912, you
called one evening at my house, and comma
nicated to me what you had just heard from
some of your friends in regard to yourself and
Mrs. Thomas.
You spoke of gentleman by the name Of
TAYLOR aud said much of his behaviour to your
wife, and suspicious of him. You also men
toned what had passed between yourself and
Mrs Z. when she left the governmcnthouso
for Baltimore, and upon what terms you told
her that you would again receive her-most
Of tUs has since appeared in youl publications.
expected to see you again the next day;
but upon enquirng for you was told that you
had gone either to Washington or 10 Baltimore.
Some time afterwards, | learned from your
self what advice had been given to you by
others; but having previously understood that
Mrs. Thomas had gone with her parents TO
Virginia. | formed aud frequently expressed
to you decided opinion that no good would
result from the negotiations, which were pro-
posed and carried on, and advised you not 10
write to invite her home.
do not recolect at what time YOU spoke to
me about filing bill for divorce Butto the re-
peated applications made TO me to file such Il
bill, my answer was that such step ought not
to be TAKEN without legal proof to sustain the
charges although, if proved, they would ent-
tie you to relief.
You told me, that you had spoken to the
late Mr.. Key, and that you wished Us to cor
respond or converse on the subject; but have
no recollection that any did pass between him
and myself in relation 10 it,
! You also told me, | cannot reCollect when)
! that Mr.. Reverdy Johnson was to bc counsel
. in the case. do think that had any con-
versaton with him on the subject, until soon
after you had renCouutGr with Governor Mo
/ DowCl, in Virginia. You then informed me
| that Mr.. Johnson was TO be in Annapolis on
particular evening, so you wished me to
meet inn at the govcrnmout-houso, 10 order
| to confer on tho saDject, IN the course d! that
| conversation you Communicated much to US,
and we often reminded you TIN, such matters
ought nol to be charged, "ltuoal the necessary
( proot. You as frequently replied thai Mrs. +,
! Thomas III her answer on oath, would ADM,
your statement to be true, and that the charges
would be proved by different members Of her
! family, If a commission TO take their testimony
/ WHa issued
II was at length agreed that should exam
inc the papers letters, &c, lnyour possession,
and give an opinion, 20 that yOu could file "a bill
with any prospect Of success. Upon eGlmin-
| ng the letters, and especially one to Col. Ben
ton aud another to Mrs. +. Thomas, my next
! opinion was formed, that after writing these
letters, you could not with any pyosPee. ofsuc-
cess file Il bill
! THIS opinion Of course was founded not on
| tho merits o. the case, but simply orr the ON
baTlssments with which these letters surround
ed it.
My opinion, understood, was commanica-
! ted 10 Mr.. johnson, who was said 20 concur IN
/ it. After this opinion was given, | supposed
the law suit at least for some time, was not 70
be commenced sometime afterwards, you sug-
gestrd to me, that Gov, Mcdowell had been
disappearing the affair, and you had deter.
mined TO wlite to him, and propose to file bill
in the Courts OF Maryland, making his daugt-
ter the complainant; TO tins could not Object.
Yours respectfully,
A. Q. MAGRUDER.