Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-10-08
To the

VVVH NHIcT INC Waglc ONCUTTcncc IN Tins civ. Which is
'uppoh cd to have grown out of alleged improper inter-
eoarse between MIR. Hoyt and a married lady, the under.
signed was informed that imPu,a,ions OF an iniatious
eharscter wero In circulation against him In connection
with that affair.
lie paid but little attention 10 them. supposing ,h., they
were mere vague and random suspicious, such as always
attend a eircnmstance occadoning 90 much excitemont-
Moreover, being summoned as a witness in the pending
judicial investigation, he was content TO postpone sny no.
nee OF those imPu'auons until that Investigation had taken
place.
The investigation has been deferred from time TO time,
Tor reasons known 10 the public, aud in the meantime tho
rumors which affect himself have become more vehement.
and he has Learned moro Of their nature and extent. lie
has been informed also. from friendly a. well a. other
sources, that they have produced much excitement In the
public mind against him, and that even mcnaccs Of VIC.
lenee towards himself and his property have been uttered
-tnoI by either OF the gentlemen, however. who have been
As regards such menaecs he has only TO say. that he
should not be imPoled by them to make any appeal TO the
public. lilo repo,cs with confidence under the protection
. the IaWs, aud relies upon the assurance he has that in
me metropolis OF Virginia no citizen, who Is himself obe-
dent snd respectful to the law, and especially one who /,
under bonds TO be present at n Judicial investigation soon
" take plsee-in order 10 testify as n witnes.-need have
any apprehension OF any outbreak OF popular violence.
But knowing his own innocence in regard to the matters
. which he Is accused by rumor. aud being satisfied that
gross injustice has been done and is being done To himself
aud the reputation OF his house. heleels himself impelled
and justified by a proper respect fof public opinion, his
own character. and the duty ne owes his wife and children.
" Nndlea'e himself from imputauons so injurious and so
unjust.
Being now under recogniIance n, a witness, a. before
ssVeu, nc a occn reluctant TO make any public statement
IN reference To the matter; that circumstance will still pre-
vent him from saving any thing else where than on the wit
ness stand rs to any thing which may concern, or be sup
posed to concern, the merits or dement's OF any party who
may be involved in the expected judicial investigation. A.
10 ihem, indeed, he is not aware that he knows any thiug
material to the case.
His sole object in this address 10 lie publie i. IN de.
Tend himself from the imputaions which he has been in.
ioimed are made against himself. without designing TO ex-
press aHy opinion or say any thing to induce other. TO form
an opinion on any fact which may be the subject Of en-
quiry by the Judicial tribunals. He permits himself even
TO do TN. only because II may be. that he may not have an
opportunity 10 make that vindicsnon in any other mode
or not until the public mind may DO ineurably poisoned
sgaiusi him.
lie has not seen or heard any evidence on which these
accusations against him are said 10 be founded, and does
not know, except from general rumor, Of what he Is ac-
eused; nor the nature Of the evidence from which the ac-
cushions have been inferred. He will state them subsian-
TALLY rs he understands them. They are:
L. That the undersigned knowingly allowed To Mr. How,
The use oil private rooms IN his hotel for the purpose of pri-
'a,s interviews with the lady referred to.
=. That a correspondence wa carried on between said
parties with his knowledge, and by means OF letters sent
under care to him.
II these allegations were true he readily admits he would
nave been guilty OF conduct unbecoming a man Of family.
and justly calculated to excite public indignation against
MIN. The nature OF the accusations. at the same time.
plainly demands from all sober minded and lust men that
they should not give ear to or circulate such accusations.
or make them the reason for denunciaton, without proof.
and without sfiording the party accused the means Of an
swering them.
Now, as to these accusations, l solemnly aver that thew
are both utterly and absolutely false.
l. Mr.. Hcyt never asked the undersigned for a private
room for the purpose OF any such interview as Is alleged.
or indeed, 20 Tar as now recolect or believe. FOR any pur-
pose.
The undersigned does not know tina, Mr.. Hoyt and the
lady IN question ever were together in any room, bed.
chamber or Pariour, other than the open public parIour Of
the hotel. He has seen her occasionally in the public par.
lour, and somo times when Mr.. Hoyt was there also. and
also with other persons. He has never seer them ,ogether
IN the parluur or known OF their being there in such man
ner or under such circumstances as to excite in his mind
any belief OF improper intercourse between them. The
| AunF IN aluyaHa ana. 80. -. IL -. -
To be there, as indeed il always is in mild weather. Ii is
proper 10 say that he was told by n person who boards in hi.
house, that these parties were in a private psrlour Of the
house on one occasion when the undersigned was from
home. But he thought at the time, and continued 10 be-.
hevc down To the time OF the assault on Mr.. Hoy, that
there was mistake about the fact, and consequently attach
ed no importance TO II, and gave no more thought TO IL.
And the undersigned sO.emnly AYERS that il these parties
ever did hold interviews In his hotel, either in private rooms
or IN the public paFl'ar, Tor improper purposes, or secret
intercourse Of any sort, they were held without his knoSl-
edge, participation or concurrence in any way.
,. II any letters were sent to either Of the parties from
the other under cover TO him. lac solemnly AYERS tha, il wa.
without his knowledge, or even suspicion, az the time. IL
IL by no means an uncommon occurrence that letters are
sent under cover to him addressed to persons boarding or
staying at his house. And such a fact is so natural az oh.
vIously 70 be not calculated to excite any enquiry or specu-
laucn with him, from whom they came or for what reason
they were 90 sent. IL IS a matter which does not concern
the undersigned, and he is not apt 10 be curious about other
peoples business.
tie krows Of but two circumstances which can possibly
be referred to in this charge he will slate oil he knows
about them
On one occasion, not very long before the assault on Mr..
Hoyt, 4 letter was handed to the undersigned by a servant.
On opening itho found ~ enclosed a letter TO Mr.. Hoyt-
aud Mr. Hoy; being in the saloon. be called him and hand
ed him the istter. and asked him, after he had opened il, II
there was any answer; he said not, and the undersigned 50
told the servant, and no went away. The Undersigned did
not notice the servant, and does not know whose servant
he was. The letter to him contained 4 single lino in sub.
stance, requesting him to hand the enclosed 10 Mr..
UOyt. IL was without signature. He did not know the
hand-wriung-or rather he did not examine il sufficiently
| 10 know whether he would hayn known If Tho t,.,v,.
ton excited no curiosity, speculation or suspicion in bs
mind-and he thought no more Of It until the accusation
aforementioned recalled IL 10 his recollection.
He again solemnly AYERS that he was wholly ignorant, as
he is now, from whom the letter came-and he neither
knew nor had the least suspicion that it came from tho lady
in question.
On another occasion, soon after, Mr.. Hoyt informed the
undersigned that there was a letter TO him enclosed in one
to the undersigned At a Boarding House on the hill in the
hands Of a young lady. tie named both the Boarding
House snd the lady, which, for obvious reasons, do not
repeat. He requested me to fend for the letter. did 80
BY n servant with an opcn note 10 the lady-aud as | wa,
going out OF the room, said 10 Mr.. Hnyt that ns 10 said the
letter contained one to him. when the servant returned he
had better open It. He afterwards told me he had got the
letter, and | never enquired, nor did he tell me, from whom
II was or what 10 wHs about.
Is1lemnly aver that 1 did not know CT suspect from
whom this letter amc-and stil less that it was from the
lady in question:, or from any lady, or on any improper sub.
Jet.
The fact that it was sent TO me through the hands Of a
Lady Of the highest standing, aud Of an u~nblemished char
seier, was Of itself sufficient 10 have preyen'ed any ,ueh
suspicion.
IL this letter were, o. may he now suspected, part Of an
improper correspondence, (sud whether II was or not, the
undersigned has not even now the least knowledge who
is there 50 unehaitsble, as not TO see and admit, that per-
sons innocent OF oil knowledge Of or participation in such
a correspondence may have been made the Unconscious in.
sirument' Of IL accomplishment
The undersigned having made the above statements. /,
ready 10 sttest hem. by the solsmniiy Of an oath. ANY
statements, oral or written. from whatever quarter, incon.
sIsient with them, are wholly destitute Of truth.
FREDERICK Ogden
MApINE INTEL TrCNC