Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-05-01

what reputation is worth, (it indeed il is worth
any thing 10 him. should be willing SO often, re-
peaedly, with words written down, 10 come into
this House and attempt 10 destroy The fame of
distinguished mana fame which is par, OF
| the property Of The people of The United Staes?-
If he was young member, just entering into
political life, who desired 10 gain some fame BY
connecting his name with the name OF The
high and distinguished individual whose charac-
be So strange. The member from Pennsylvania
told US the other day, that he frat met Mr.. Web
sler in public life thirty odd years ago. Well,
from that time TO this, has he ever received The
slightest cause OF offence from Mr.. Webster7 l
| appeal to the whole nation TO say that, how
ever strongly Mr.. Webster has spoken o.!
parties or of principles, all his speeches
have been free from personalities. | do not
believe, or know, that any, the slightest, cause
Of offence Ihas been given by MIR. Webster
unless il may be that one that may rankle in his
bosom; that he mir. w has left him alone; that
he has tathomed enough OF his character TO know
that II was no, worth while for him 10 say any
thing abou, him. Sir he has never attacked
him Why then, why then, ask, on The 9Th Of
February, when we had been discussing great
and grave questions involving peace and war,
why then did the Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, when permitted by common
cunsen, 10 make the closing reply in that debate,
instead Of satesmanlike argument on the i'm
portant questions involved in that discussion,
why did he voluntarily, deliberately, purposely
60 out Of his way 10 attack that gentleman,
bringing in accusations which had no sort Of
connection with the subject under discussion
accusations which have been proved 10 be false
And for what sor, OF motives? During thirty
wears he had known MIR. Webster as public
man, and for a considerable portion Of tha, time
The gentleman himself had been public man.
think when he was about 10 make that attack,
and when he recalled the recoieclions OF that
Congress in which he met M. Webster for the
first lime, that there might have been Weakened
up a remembrance that should have cautioned
him how again be undertook 10 attack the name
and character OF distinguished citizen.
Sir, there was in that Congress a gentleman OF
Inc highest patriotic virtue, chiya!ry, inelli-
gence, character, and standing, in every respect
"a gentleman from New Jersey-a gentleman
he knows al once-hs thoughts ran at once 10
The name CT Stockton. There was in that Con-
gress when he FIRST commenced public lite. a
gentleman who was slandered 10 his lace. That
Mr.. Stockton was talsihed in this hall; and the
relIibution that Immediately followed; The "scar-
Tying" process that Immediately began, is within
the recollection of those who lived at thai time
Sir, tradition tells US of The whitening, blasting
attack Of Mr.. Stockton, in reply 10 The SANDER Of
that day; and that The man who uttered this SLAM
der left this hall crying like whipped school
boy; and should wonder that that lesson had
ever been forgotten. Al least it has taught him
one thing-never again TO utter an attack upon Il
gentleman in his presence. And believe now,
as was minated By my colleague The other day,
that sooner than he would have made this at
tack upon Mr.. Webster, il present, he would
have bitten his tongue of. But MIR Webster is
Il ~; SIC al, IL
fame Of his public lite, and the weak efforts OF a
lew friends here 10 defend him.
Sir, this attack is but continuation Of that
course Of vituperaon that commenced with MIR.
Stockton, that followed upon Judge Marshall and
The Judges OF The Supreme Court, in charge OF
corruption in their decision on the question OF the
extending of the charter of the Bank OF the
United States. That course Of viiuperalion has
lived ill now.
The gentleman the other day, with The most
bold smpciy-I might say with audacious sim
plic,y- sa il that whatever hing had been said OF
him, he never knew before that his truth had been
called In question. Now | beg 10 say, that the
gentleman must either be very deaf or very blind
for that is the precise question that all the world
make in relation 10 hi, matter. IL is The truth OF
the charges-rhe SANDER, the vilupersiion, the
villifcation which has been poured upon great
men from the same source.
ton TO Mr.. Webster. II becomes us, then, 10
know who the accuser Is, and what is the char
acter OF the witness He has brought Us here,
from the secret recesses Of the Stale Department
certain memoranda, letters, and documents, and
we are expected 10 take them on the credit OF his
| veraci,y-his trulhtulness-for no otherwise can
we Judge in relation 10 it. The President of the
United States says The seal is too SAFE TO allow
him to break it. even upon the call OF this House;
and vel, with boldness that is unparalleled, the
member from Pennsylvania stands up and says
he has found oul way TO get into these secret
archives, and he comes here and asks us and the
nation 10 believe he has told the truth in relation
to this matter.
Now, what, then, says the accusel and the
witness in this case? Why, on the 9th of Febru-
airy, he made FIVE or six specific charges against
Mr.. Webster. He charged him 10 the most i'm
posing manner, and with shake Of The finger,
and solemn gravity that impressed this House
with the importance OF his communication, with
having written letter marked 'private" 10 The
Governor of New York, with certain contents;
with having sent it by express. And be said The
next step taken by the administration, OF which
Mr.. Webster was member, was to procure 10
be employed, as counsel for Mcleod, gentle
man who was lately removed from The office oil
district attorney in New York, and that fee OF
Eve thousand dollars was put no his hands Tor
that purpose.
Now, these were specific charges. All Of them
have been proved false. II is true that private
letter was sent; but not By express. Why, then,
did the gentleman get up here and declare The cir
cumsianlial manner in which This letter was semi
in order to make the House think il matter Of
great importance?
Mr.. Ingersoll, Gin his .eat) Did say i, va.
sent by express2
Mr.. Ashmun. think so.
Mr. lngersol. remember did not
MIR. Ashmun, (contnuing) And when he
says, with that childlike simplicity, that he ne.
yer knew his truth called In question, that is an
excellent consideration 10 be looked in this con-
nexion.
Well he did state, that fec Of 5000 dollars
had been put into The hands of The gentleman
late district attorney. Has that not been proved
false
MI. Ingersoll, Gin his seat) True
Mr.. Ashmun. "True!" Sir, there is not one
word OF truth in it. On The contrary, il the gen.
tleman undertakes to bolster up his former State
men,s BY the evidence produced this morning, il
entirely fails to show that any money was paid BY
the Administration as fee for the counsel Of
Mcleod.
Mr.. Inger.oll was understood to say, that he
had not said that il was paid by the ddainistrG-
ton.
The Speaker called Mr.. !. TO order for interrur-
ton.
Mr.. Ashmun. am not afraid OF This inter-
ieciional conversation; for the more this matter is
stirred, the more truth will be elected.
The gentleman says he did not say that il was
paid by the Administration. ] put il TO The ho-
nest sense of this House, if was not 50 stated as
To be understood tina! il was paid by the Admi-
tration?
Mr.. Ingersoll, Tin his seaL) No.
Mr.. Ashmun did not put il TO you. | put
il TO the homes, sens. OF this House.
Well, he says that a note was written by Mr..
Webster to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for
a minister TO go 10 Great Britain 10 settle the Ore
gon question Well if he did So think the 81
degrees 40 minutes men should be glad that he
moved so-early. But this is only important as TO
the matter Of truth. MIR. Webster says that he
did not send note. 1t true that verbal COM
munication with Mr. Adams. or Mr. Cushing,
or both took place. So far admit the statement,
and give the memberfrom Pennsylvania the credit
Of having told one truth in the whole. And it re-