Washington sentinel., 1855-02-04


Lve me some information, I called upon him.
dis memory OF these times, and indeed geuer-
N.Y. seemed to be much impaired, and it was
'nly after many minute and direct inquiries
hat he at last told me he thought Mr.. Bradley,
# Vermont, had been commissioner to take
lepositions in suit relating to the events OF
he election Of 1901. He had no further recol
ection OF the matter.
II wrote to the representatives of Mr.. Brad
ey, and the original depositions, Of which
have read copies, were returned to me BY bis
'on or representative; having been retained
among Mr.. Bradleys papers, and thus pre-
served"
When Mr.. Bayard concluded his defense OF
bis father, Senators Pearce, Cass, Hunter and
dason, followed in some interesting remarks
which we subjon.
Mr.. PEARCE said: 81 regret very much
that, during the conrse of that publicstion,
the attention Of the committee was moi
called to the items in the Ana to which
the Senator from Delaware has referred,
Certainly, sir, if that had been the case
should have deemed it my duty, and, pre-
sume, the committee would have deemed it
theirs, to direct the editor, either to omit the
charges referred to, or, what would perhaps
have been better, to accompany them with the
retutation which had been given to the public
well recollect the exposition made in the
Senate of the United States, to which the
Senator has referred, and / have read more
than once the pamphlet issued by the Senator
and his brother. considered the accusation
OF Mr.. Jefferson as being as fully refated as it
was possible for any accusation to be refuted
by human testimony. Without the authority
Of his name, it would have rapidly sunk into
oblivion. With the authority of his name, it
has utterly failed to impair the reputation of
one who was eminentas a statesman and citizen,
and distinguished, not only for ability, but for
enlightened and earnest patriotism, and for a
public and private honor which was without q
stain. That character Mr.. Bayard maintained,
not only in his own State, where such repu.
tation as have described was always accorded
to him, but throughout the Union. The tribute
due to exalted character was not only paid to
MIN by his own political party, but in the cor
dial acknowledgements of those to whom he was
politically opposed. His ability and patriotism
could not have been more highly indorsed
than they we're by the chief Of his political op.
ponents, Mr. Madison, who appointed him one
of the commissioners to Ghent, to negotiate
peace with Great Britain.
II have only to repeat, sir, my regret, that
was not informed, during the progress of this
publication, that these accusations were about
20 be included in the congressional edition Of
Mr.. Jeferson's papers.
"Mr. CASS. Mr.. President, have listened,
with great interest, to the vindication which we
have heard from the honorable Senator from
Delaware, and am sure that, if Mr.. Jefferson
were now here to hear the statements made by
that honorable Senator, he would be the FIRST
TO say that the memory Of the distinguished
statesman who has been alluded to, had been
unjustly reflected on. Mr.. Jefferson's high
character, his truth, aud his frankness, would
have led him, as soon as any other man, to
disavow any erroneous reflections The reports,
on which the Senator from Delaware has COM
mented, undoubtedly originated in that period
Of excitement which attended the Presidential
election of 1901. / bear the circumstances
in perfect recollection; and, sir, perhaps never,
in the whole history of our country, from the
4th of July, l776, to the moment when / am
addressing the Senate, were the American
people more excited than at that time Inde.
pendent Of the radical difference in the char.
acter OF the two men who were presented 10
them, well known and well appreciated, there
was great principle involved in that contro
versy-the principle of the distinct enuncia-
ton of the determination of the American
people that Thomas Jefferson should be their
President. Now, sir, when the event has passed
by, with all its feelings and passions, history
has ratified and commended the action of the
House OF Representatives. There is not a
man at this day who, in looking back to
the history of that period, and the subse-
quent events, will pretend to say that Colonel
Burr should have been chosen President.
and Mr.. jefferson set aside. No man, know
ing the character of Colonel Burr, as evinced
10 his conflict with General Hamilton, can
tell what would have been the consequence of
such an event. Mr.. President, you cannot
look at the publications Of European statesmen
and they are coming to us every day, in the
most authentic form, in the papers left behind
them-without finding similar errors into which
they have been led. Mr.. jefferson was led in
TO this error in the same way as they were into
similar ones in regard to their countries | re-
peat, however, the vindication of the Senator
from Delaware to-day is complete and salts.
factory; and, if Mr. jefferson were here. he
would be the first to say SO.
Mr.. President, / add my full concurrence to
what has been said by the honorable Senator
from Maryland. | had the honor, when a
youth to see Mr.. Bayard often. / lived, for
while, in his own town. The impression which
derived then, and it was the universal senti-
ment Of the country, was, that he was man
Of the highest honor and probity, of great tai
ents, integrity, and intelligence, and of the
purest patriotism. / consider that one Of the
most glorious acts OF his life when, in opposi.
ton to the feelings of his own party, he brought
over the State Of Delaware TO the support of
Mr.. jefferson. If different result had fol-
lowed that controversy, this Union would have
been shaken to its very center. do not re-
collect that my honorable friend from Della
ware alluded to the man who now dwells on nv
memory, Lewis Morris, Of Virginia, who, ac-
cording to the best Of my recollection, had a
principal share in the arrangement on the part
Of that State. ! am not sure that he voted at
all; but if he did, it was for Mr.. jefferson
This, it will be recollected, was the action of
distinguished Federalists, in opposition to the
sentiments Of great portion Of their own
party.
Mr.. President, there is . beautiful passage
in the life Of Mr. Bayard-a lessen for every
American. He belonged to, may almost say
4 Al r. AZ Il