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790 X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

tioned in this paper, and which, as yon will have it before
you when you retire, I shall not read at length. This applica-
tion was from one friend to-another; upon the face of it a
eonfidential communeation; although containing nothing
but what might do credit to all the partiea concerned. Mr.
Adams, however, did not think it so confidential; and from
some disclosure on his part, has been founded the base and
cowardly slander which dragged me in the first instance be
fore the public in vindication of my moral and political char-
acter, and has at length dragged me before this tribunal, to
protect, if I ean, my personal liberty and my private fortune,
against the legal attack of an ex-officio information. Hence,
it is evident, gentlemen of the jury, that this is not a volun-
tary, but an involuntary publication on my part. It has
originated, not from motives of turbulence and malice, but
from self-defense; not from a desire of attacking the charae-
ter of the President, but of vindicating my own. And in
what way have I done thist My motives, my private charac-
ter, my public character, were the object of falsehood and
ealumny, apparently founded on information of high au-
thority. In reply, I give credit to the intentions of the Presi-
dent. I say nothing of his private character; and I attack
only the tendency of measures notorious to the world, which,
having been known to disapprove publicly, I was charged
with being ready, from motives of interest, to approve pri-
vately, I think, gentlemen, you cannot help feeling this con-
trast of behavior, and if the President is satisfied with his
side of the pieture, I am mine.

The first article selected for accusation is, that, at the time
T allude to, he was but in the infancy of political mistake.
Why this expression should have been fixed on as seditious, I
know not, unless it be that quem deus vult perdere prius
dementat; for have we advanced so far on the road to des-
potism in this republican country, that we dare not say our
President may be mistaken! Is a plain citizen encireled at
once by the mysterious attribute of political infallibitity the
instant he mounts the presidential chair? If so, then indeed

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