National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-10

| POLITICAL MOTIVES CHARGED.
| The National Iniegiocncr denounced the story as
| n shameless and malicious invention, and de.
mandcd that Congress should stamp It as a libel.
The Gi0bc, however, the morning after the at
| tempted assassination, insnuated that it was the
result OF political conspiracy, and said that
recent conspiracy had prompted the preparation
OF the horrible decd" The Globe intimated that
the leaders Of the opposition knew something
aboutit.
.roINpExrBR DEMANDS INVESTIGATION.
The next morning, in the Senate, Calhoun and
Webster and Others Of the Wing opposition pro-
honnc,ed me charge calumny. while Poindexterr
indignant innocence, denounced the authors OF
the charge, demanded the arrest OF the writer, and
committee of investigation. Nicc-President Van
Buren, promptly issued his warrant. and the cor
respondent, Walden, was broughtto the bar Of the
Senate aud the name OF his informant demanded.
The correspondent was alarmed. No one was
more conscious than he Of the terrible public cx-
element and he feared TO give the iniorma-
ton even for Journalistic oI reasons; SONS , ns
Informed him should deny the truth of the
story aud leave him, as many newspaper man
of the opposition alone. lie asked for forty eight
hours delay. He had not n scrap of documentary
proof Yet his sources OF Information were so
good that he had been entirely convinced Of the
entire accuracy of the story before lie printed It,
Prosecution, embarrassment in business, pOssibly
permanent disgrace, seemed TO be his fate. He
determined to appeal to the President, aud to ask
| for his favor.
GENERAL JACKSON ACCUSES PoISDExrER.
He called upon Andrew jackson; stated his
case, informed him that in his earncstncss To sup.
port the Administrations cause, he had com.
mitted an indiscreton which was likely TO be of
great personal and professional injury 10 him;
that he had declared that the aldnvits rested upon
| what he believed to be good authority, but. now
| that lac was bounded by the opposition. he had no
| proofs. aud he begged the President to furnish
him the mcans for his justification. The Journalist
was diplomatic enough to suggest that he did not
suppose that the President, II he could prevent IT,
would permit an earnest friend OF his 10 become n
| victim 10 Wing malignity. Old Hickory could not
Withstand the appeal, and after little reflection
went to his private desk, took out bundle Of pm
Here they arc" Numbered jackson. Copy
| them he added, as he grew angry ut the thought
| and 90 and tell the United States Senate that
Andrew Jackson has the evidence of George Poin.
dexters guilt, and is responsible 10 God and the
| country" Mr.. Walden had achieved great jour
morning he checrfilly went before the Senate,
presented the aiiidavis, and of course was In.
stantly exonerated. The Senate could not ignore
| the evidence which seemed so direct. select
committee of investigation was appointed con-
sising of the following persons: Slas Wright, Of
| New York; Truman Smith, of Connecticut; Willie
| 7. Magnum, OF North Carolina; Thomas Ewing, Of
! Ohio, aud John Tyler OF Virginia
THE SENATE ISvEsr1GATIoT
The evidence, pending the investigation by the
! Senate Committee, was of n very searching char
acter It was discovered that Lawrence was u
| workman Mt paint shop at the corner of Penn
sylvnnia avenue aud lwenty.first street Drury, a
cabinet maker, had shop adjoining that III which
| Lawrence worked, the two shops being separated
only by thin partition. Drury was in his shop
and heard Lawrence slam down the lid of his
| chest and say I'm be damned If don't do t..
and Lawrence Immediately left and started to-
ward the Capitol. Stewart, who mado the affidavit
| which first turned suspicion toward Senator POin.
dexter, had been charged by Governor Poindcxtcr
| with having been instrumental, year or two be-
| fore in forging or furnishing free papers to Gov
| ernor PoindeXter's. goodman, slave, who, with
| these documents, nbsconded; that he, Stewart had
pretended that he held small unsatised bill for
repairs done 70. Governor Poindexters carriage by
| direction ha ~
fort of PoindeXters friends % make 1t appear that
Stewart desired to injurc him. They were success
full In doing this for they succeeded insecurng the
sworn statements Of the twelve following citizens
of Washingington 10 the effect that they would not
believe Lawrence on oath: Berry T., Smith, Will.
| lam Brent, Andrew Coyle, Alpheus Hyatt, Samuel
steuenus, John r. Ingle, Oveton Carr, Stephen
| Hyatt, Walter Clarke. jacob Gideon, and Edward
Simms. Stewart also testified that he had seen
| POindextcr in conversation with Lawrence in
PoindeXter's house, after dark in the hall way,
| when the latter had stepped from carriage. The
senatorial committee placed carriage in the Rxact
location where Stewart said 1t was standing stood
on the opposite side of the street. where lid
| he was standing, and reported that II was imposs-
BILE for any person TO have seen any one conversing
under such circumstances. Moreover, 1t was
proved that Lawrence was engaged IN painting tae
cunicd by Mr. Frost"and that Poindexter Ind
| never entered Mr.. Frosts house. Coltman, u mem
Der of the city council, II Government contractor,
Foy, drunken blacksmith, that he would stand
a good chance ofsecuring the blacksmithing work
upon the Treasury building, then in process OF
erection, IL he would sustain Stewards story,
| which he did.
THE Committees REPORT.
| The committee reported that Richard Lawrence
was u fanatic, constantly laboring under the de-
fusion that he was monarch of England and bad
come to this country to reconquer the rebel
proyinccs;" that he looked upon General Jackson
| ms the chief obstacle TO his success and had de-
| termincd upon his DEATH that he was house
| painter by trade, and In the previous summer had
| been sent by hisemployer In Washington TO work
l mn ha noytt IN fhnfn nj Ia <I,r
where he had been seen by Foy and Stewart; that
while apparently sane his mind, naturally weak,
| had become entirely unbalanced by loss OF en-.
ploymcnt, and the consequences were the attempted
assassination. Tho committee completely exon
Grated both Senator Poindcxter and the CORE
| spondent Walden.
| MISS MARTISEAU INTERVIEWS JACKSON
| Miss Martneau, who possessed good many
| qualities of the Bohemian was fortunate enough
| TO have been In Washington and to have attended
her visit to America she said of this affair that
| she happened TO be present at the time of this
funeral and wa, was engaged 4. PSrty at Senate;
| thunder. storm that night, so that persons could
only. reach the house by planks placed from the
moderation with which Mr. Poindexter talked OF
the affair Within few days she visited the
President. Before, going, she had known
that the President had insisted that
the attempted assassination was the re.
| suit Of political conspiracy against him, She
says: "when did so to the White House, took
the brefest possible notice to the President OF the
insane attempt of Laurence but the word in.
sane aroused his ire. He declared, In the pres
enee of many strangers, that there was no insanity
In the case, but protested that II was plot against
him and he said that the Attorney. General was
his authority. The next evening was at the AZ;
| torney- Generals, and | asked him how he allowed
| himself to be quoted rs saying that Laurence wa
not mad. He explained himself by saying that hi
meant general insanity. lie believed Laurence
insane In that direction; that 1t was sort o
Ravailloc case"
TRIAL OF LAWRENCE.
At the trial of Richard Lawrence Judges Cranch
MOrscll, and Thurston presided. Francis 5. Key
was counsel for the United States, and William l.
| Brent and James =. Brent for the prisoner. Al
| the trial Laurence was dressed In Il gray shooting
coat black Crnvat and vest, aud brown pantalo ons
He appeared at ease but there was about his eyes
CLEAN which the physician said indicated mania
lie assumed a kingly dignity both In his manner
and expression ofhis face Scarcely had the counsel
for the Government arisen To address the bench
when Lawrence started up from his chair under
great excitement, and said he wished 10 know
whether It was correct 10 bring him before tha
court or not. lie claimed the crown of Great
Britain he said, aud also that of the United
States. The Judge ordered him to.take hi:
seat. The counsel were unable to manage him
and begged that the trial might proceed without
his presence, which was refused. The prisoner
once more declared that he was the king Of Grea
Britain and of America, and that he WINS protected
| by the law in his claim, when he yielded to the
commands ofthe judge and sat down. Mr.. Key
for the Government Ia opening the case, said that
the trainers of our Constitution had not thought
II necessary TO surround the Chief Magistrate
with any additional protection, than those
laws which were deemed sufficient for
citizen holding the most obscure station
The love of order aud of Justice had heretofore
been found and, he hoped, would continue to be
evidently was willing that the plea Of insanity
should be successful, and the prosecutor for the
Government said that he believed the community
IN general would be glad TO hear that Lawrence
was insane, but he Wished the fact clearly proved
The cases which were relied upon as having set