Year: 1871

~aapsasi,s. OK Col
there is any cfsGis Z L-.4aass me as a crini-
nal to justice, then it is more largely due to
those who circulated that which has succeed
ed in thus bringing me to justice than to him
who originated the charges. If the bring
ing of this charge is to be praised, the pub
lication of it is to be praised tenfold more.
1 need not, in the presence of so many legal
gentlemen, call the attention of the Assem-.
bly, further to the difference between the ut
terance of libel and the publication of it.
No, sir, this is not matter that can light
ly pass by; or which can consent that this
Assembly should pass by without either
condemnation which will follow me with its
blighting influence to the grave, or such a
vindication as will prevent repetition of ac-
cusations against me, unless they can be
proved before competent court. AS was
said to me by o venerable father in this
body, these charges are such that they must
be fatal to the peace of conscience of him
who made them and those who published
them on the one hand, or myself on the
other.


But before going into my vindication, and
the consideration of the question whether Or
not l am guilty, let me say that the antece-
dent probability of the truth of such charges
depends very much upon the character of
him who brings them. If the peace, loving
Isaac attack one of his fellow-men, it may
be supposed that there is good reason for it !;
but if Isaacs brother make the attack, there
is no such presumption. submit, there
fore, that it is proper for me to inquire
whether the charges against me have been
brought by the peace-loving Isaac or by his
brother. But before that question can be
considered, there is still another. Have
they been brought by one person or by many?
Are they fresh charges or is this contin-
uation of charges repeated from year after
year? Moderator, it is reiteration, with
slight change of form, of charges brought
year after year. In 1868, was made the
object of that which in some of its aspects
was similar attack. A writer in a journal
published in Mobile, under the signature of
"Decem," brought to light many alleged
discrepancies in my accounts, which I was
informed subsequently, by a private letter
from the author, were '0amaging to both
Secretary and Treasurer, and the cause. ="
This was more than three years ago. Sub
sequently there were articles making other
attacks sent to journal elsewhere for pub
lication, which were declined. Then other
attacks were made this year, under the sig
nature of ''N. R." which turned out to be
the final letters of edwin CATER; and
then there appeared about the same time, in
the same paper, still another writer attack
ing me, under the signature "W. T."
Strangely enough, this other writer, CIV.
T." happened to have, as his name, the
middle letters of edwin CATER. Let
me say, with regard to "W. IT," that ] do
not certainly know who "W. T." was; and
therefore l do not express any opinion on
that subject. Then, besides-and as the
charges are against all who are connected
with the Committee of Sustentation, and
those who are intrusted with the training of
candidates for the ministry at Columbia, it
is not improper for me to allude to it-still
another attack, or at least Statement,
has been made in an angry manner against
one of these in another journal over the
name of ed "WIN [ca] TER" Thus
you see how many writer's there are bring
ing these charges, and in how many places,