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—* i “ TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL; But particularly to the Citizens oj Edgefield District.'’ I AM well aware thar " the public in gen eral” are not; in any manner interested in the diflerence or dispute which exists between Mr Jeremiah Hatcher and myself, and that “ the citizens of Edgefield but very par tially so indeed Bur, under existing circum stances, I am constrained injustice to my own feelings and character, and in justice to my friends, acquaintances and connections, to make my defence, and thereby repel the attack made against me by Mr. Hatcher. And having de termined upon answering his publication, I venture to hope, that the community will par don me, when 1 use the address in making my t tefence, which he used in making the attack. Mr. Hatcher’s publication, originally appeared in the “ Augusta Chronicle,” under date of the 22d September, 1806, and was republished in the <■ Carolina Gazette,” on the 7th of Novem ber following. And as the public may be some what astonished at my tardiness in opposing charges made at thar distance of time, permit me to observe that I had not finally determin ed upon answering them at all, until they were republished as above mentioned in the *• Caro lina Gazette.” Had the publication in question been confined to the knowledge of those per sons with whom w r e were both acquainted, I had on my mind a certain and thorough con viction, that silent contempt would have been my best answer, as the public opinion of all those, (at least the unprejudiced part of them) would have consigned Mr Hatcher and his publication to general disgrace. But when 1 di'covered that the wanton, wicked and mis chievous vanity of Mr. Hatcher had given his charges a wider and more extensive range than either he or 1 can pretend to embrace in the circle of our acquaintance, I immediately saw and felt the necessity of offering some remarks in exculpation of my character. I offer these preparatory observations, to convince the public mind, that nothing short of an exireme neces sity could have induced me to occupy the co lumns of a public news-paper in the discussion of a private arid unimportant misunderstanding between individuals. Before I enter upon the examination of the charges made against me by Mr Hatcher, I beg leave to submit to the vie tv of the public, three affidavits, two of them as will be seen, having relation to the time of the first conver sation as mentioned by Mr. Hatcher ; and the third having relation to the altercation at the meeting-house. State of South-Carolina ,") PERSONALLY ap- E.lgefield IJistrtct. j peared Rich’d Christ mas, who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, That some time between the Ist and 21st of June last, he was in company with Marshal Martin, and several others, at t he store of Lewis Gantelou. at Martin-town, when Marshal Martin mentioned, that Mr. Jeremiah Hatcher lost his leg in the time of the war, in Burney’s horse pen, getting horses, or words nearly the same —Col. Barkley Martin came in but was not present when the words was first mentioned. Marshal Martin airain men tioned the same words, when Col Martin ob served, that reports were not all true, and re quested him not to say so—This deponent fur ther saith, that Col Martin then left ihe house, and took a seat under a tree in the yard, when this deponent followed him and took a sear by him. and there Col. Martin mentioned, that he was extremely sorry to hear men talk as they did. and further observed, that he did not be lieve Mr. Hatcher was stealing horses when he was shot; and this deponent further saith, that he verily believes Col. Mar in was ex tremely sorry to hear what had past in the house, and further this deponent saith not. RICH\RI) CHRISTMAS. Sworn to the 19th November, } 1806, before me C CHARLES HAMMOND, J. Q. State of South-Cawlina , *> PERSONALLY Edgefield District J appeared before me, Thomas Swearingen, Esquire, who being sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, deposeth and saith, That on the sixth day of July, at Horn’s Creek Meeting-House, he the deponent tell in company with Jeremiah Hatcher The said Hatcher asked the said de ponent if he had heard the report that Marshal Martin had propagated concerning him, and Col. Martin had not contradicted The depo nent sa’d lie had heard something about it Then the said Hatcher said he had came there that day expressly for the purpose, if Marshal had been there, to have given him a set-down or attack, and as Marshal Martin was not there, he would not say any thingto Col Mar tin At this moment Col Martin walked up where we were both then engaged in the above conversation, and said, how are you Jerrv > Hatcher said, Colonel I cannot give vou my hand Ihe Colonel replied, whv Jerrv > Hatch er said, did not you stand by and hear Marshal Martin say that 1 (meaning himself the said Hatcher) was shot in the act of stealing Bur ney’s horses? the Colonel replied, yes. Hatch er observed, why did you not contradict it ? The Cqlonel said I could not contradict aU, you told me so yourself. Said Harcher, I told you so? Says the Colonel, no Jerry, you told me you were shot taking a horse to make your es cape as I would have done. Then Hatcher observed, if he had a pistol in his hand he would take the Colonel’s life. Some words of anger and warmth occurred, and the deponent further sweareth, that Col Martin repeatedly observed, that he never said that Hatcher was shot in the act of stealing Buruev’s horses. THOS. SWEARINGEN. Sworn to the Ist December, - ) 1806, before me. f R. TUTT. State of South Carolina ,7 PERSONALLY E gefie’d District. J appeared John Bovd, who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that about the 21st of June last, he went from ser mon with his family, to the house of Marshal Margin, on a visit, and in the evening Col Bark'ey Martin and others being present, a conversation took place respecting an Election, J in which conversation some of the company said Mr. Jeremiah Hatcher had boasted of his valour in defence of his country, saying that he had lost his leg in action ; but further ob served, that a report was in circulation that Hatcher’s leg was not shot off in defence of his country ; that he was shot in Burney’s horse pen, getting horses, near Beach-Island ;—to which Col. Martin replied, that reports were not all true, and that none of them knew that Hatcher lost his leg in that way. and that they ought not to talk as they did ; the probability of the truth of the report being urged, Col. Martin in nearly the same words, again reprov ed some of the company for talking as they did, and advised the person net to mention it again j this deponent further saith that he had no part in the conversation, nor did he make any reply, except it was to observe that he was not acquainted with Mr. Hatcher in the time of the war; but from his acquaintance since, and from tlie cliaiacierof Mr. Goldwire, who was said to be in company, he thought it could not be true. JOHN BOYI). Sworn to the 17th November 7 1806 before me. CHARLES HAMMOND, J. Q. I must here ask leave of the public, to use a plain unadorned style in conveying my senti ments. lam fully sensible of the beauty which may be given to a piece of composition bv the use of such pretty words as fracas and puissant; but as 1 have not the command of such deco rating words, you must hear and read my de fence in plain homespun back-country lan guage, or not at all. Presuming upon your benevolence and good ness, I shall proceed to lay before you a few plain matters oi fact, and rely upon your judg ment, discretion and good sense, when 1 form the conclusion, that simple, naked, unadorned truths, will be more captivating than falsities : n all their gewgaw trappings Mr. Hatcher commences his publication in these words, “ Having had my character base ly and malignantly traduced by Col Martin, of Edgefield District,” &c Again, «• This man (alluding to myself) has thus slandered me be fore the public.” & c Here is a bold, positive, and unqualified charge made against me in the ; face of my country, and in a public newspaper. ■ It has long and frequently been remarked, that ; tis easy to make a charge, but extremely dis- ! ficult and sometimes impossible to disprove and j refute it. Nothing more is necessary in the I first case than a mind given up to depravity, I vice, and unfeeling cruelty , while the latter re quires a fortunate concurrence of circumstanc es to weaken, remove, and destroy the imputa tion of guilt. Thus situated, the false and daring accuser often triumphs over injured in nocence The cunning and wary accuser gene rally weighs well the attendant circumstances, before he opens his budget of false charges Mr. Hatcher has in his publication discovered a depraved, vicious, and unfeeling mind; but 1 believe no person will hazard the opinion, that he has displayed much art or understanding. But to return to the charge made against me by Mr. Hatcher—“ Having had my character basely and malignantly traduced by Col Mar tin of Edgefield district,” &.c. Now I will ex. amine his statement, which he offers to prove the above charge. It is in these words, “some time towards the latter end of June, in Martin town, Edgefield district, in a companv of men, in which were Col. Martin, Marshal Martin, Briton Mims, and John Key, all particular friends of Col. Martin, exceptthe latter. Bri ton Mims audably made use of these words, or substantially the same, viz: “Jerry Hatcher ltad his leg shot off by a negro or overseer, in the act of stealing Burney’s horses out of his horse-pen—Marshal, don’t you know it to be so ?” Marshal Martin replied, ‘ 1 have heard so.’ Mims said, “ don’t you believe it to be so Martin again replied, I do.” Now admitting I this to be a correct statement of the conversa tion, (but that it is not may be seen from the affidavit of Mr. Boyd) I will ask whether it supports the charge made against me by Mr Hatcher, as above mentioned? Is there any testimony of my having said one word relative to Mr. Hatcher on that occasion ? Was it by being present that I became guilty ? If so, then Mr. Key and Mr. Boyd were also guilty of speaking defamatory words of Mr. Hatcher, i although they were silent. As Mr. Hatcher has not related any thing which I said on that occasion, he ought in tender consideration to j the doubting opinion of the public, to have giv en some glimmering of proof by which he meant to have attached the crime (if any there was) in speaking the words to me. He says in another place, “ Having heard of the above conversation (meaning the conversation at Martin-town) which he viewed as completely sanctioned by me.” Would it not have been li beral and fair in Mr. Hatcher to have given his reasons for supposing that I sanctioned the conversation. It certainly would, but his ob ject was to impose a false statement upon the public. lia testimony of this assertion, let me again call your attention to the affidavit of Mr. Boyd, by which it will appear that I did actu ally disapprove of and check the conversation. 1 will also call your attention to the affidavit of Mr. Christmas, by which it will appear that on another occasion, I checked a similar conver sation. Can it be supposed that M. Hatcher was ignorant of the part which I took in the said conversation ? Certainly not, but had he given the whole conversation to the public, the antidote and poison would have gone together and that did not square with the detested nob icy which governed him in making the accu sation. O ! vvhaf' a shameful outrage upon justice decency and truth ! ! How dead to ev ery humane and liberal feeling must be the mind which can thus trifle and wanton with the good name of a fellow citizen ! For the honor of human nature be it spoken, such minds are not common. Mr. Hatcher is not more fortunate in the conversation which happened at the meeting house. I must here request the attention of the public to the affidavit of Mr. Swearingen, by which it will appear that I did not on that oc casion, ascribe to Mr Hatcher any criminal or improper motive. I said then, and I again re peat it, that Mr. Hatcher, several years ago, when he acted as deputy sheriff under nte, in formed me, that “ he'mat shot in the horse pen, attempting to make his escape. I only charged Mr. Hatcher with the commission oPi an act which I supposed natural and innocent, and upon his own words to me. If the fact was not so, he must blame himself for having told me so. I can only say, that neither Mr. Jones nor Mr. Evans, in their affidavits, say a single sentence which goes to contradict Mr. Hatcher’s statement to me. They do in pret ty conclusive terms show that Mr. Hatcher was not in Beach-Island for dishonest or improper purposes. I never charged him with any, and I think the public opinion will warrant me in saying, that there is no testimony to warrant the charge made against me by Mr. Hatcher I think the p»U<« opinion will go further, and say, that Mr Hatcher had not tolerable ground for accusation—that his accusation is false , groundless and malicious. Mr Hatcher tells you that he is not on friendly terms with me, and yet he insists and makes it a ground of ac cusation, that I did not step forward as his friend and contradict the conversation in Mar tintown. Was 1 bound to do it for my bitter enemy ? No, I was not. Had I not, would it have been a good and sufficient cause of attack ? Surely not. Then, when 1 am found doing more than my duty ; when 1 am found doing justice to my enemy, what will ’he public think of that enemy, when he is found guilty of mak ing a false charge against me at a moment like this. As I came forward with much reluctance, and solely with the intention of putting the public in possession of a true statement of my conduct, and having done it in as brief and concise a manner as lay in my power, I shall hasten to a conclusion. Mr. Hatcher once stood high in my opinion, and although he has conducted himself in a very illiberal manner towards me on several occasions latterly, yet I am loth to believe that he has not been imposed upon in some part of the publication which he has given to the world. I know that it is too common now-a days to go all lengths m favor of the strong party. But justice demands a decent deport ment on all such occasions. Mr. Hatcher’s con duct has not been governed by decency, justice or propriety. If lie had used due diligence he must have heard the part which I took in the 1 conversation at Martin town. It therefore re : mains with the public from the whole of the | facts, to form one of two opinions, that Mr. j Hatcher has ushered upon the world a hasry, : partial, garbled and false statement, throu’ his I own mere folly &. inattention ; or, that knowing j the whole, he meanly chose to suppress the part which went to place my conduct in an honora ble point of view. Asking pardon of the pub lic for having thus long occupied their atten tion, I shall leave them in possession of the facts, Ei at liberty to form their own conclusion. I am the public's most obedient servant BARKLEY MARTIN. CHARLESTON, Jan. 8. BURR'S CONSPIRACY. The arrival of the schooner Amelia, captain Brooks, from New-Orleans, has furnished us with the papers of that ci ty to the 13th ult. from which we de rive the following interesting intelli gence : On the 9th ult. in consequence of a previous invitation from governor Clai eorne, the Merchants of New-Or leans assembled at the Government House, for the purpose of consulting with him on some points of great im portance. The meeting consisted of almost all the merchants of the city ; they were I informed by bis excellency, that he had good and undoubted reasons to believe, that a conspiracy, fraught with objects highly prejudicial to the United States in general, and this territory in parti cular, was plotting by a set of lawless and artful men, dangerous both from their talents and rank in society ; that he thought the safety of the territory j required immediate measures of de fence ; that there was a necessity to give vigor to their preparations, of a number of seamen which commodore Shaw had been unable, in the ordinary way of enlistment, to procure, and that as this regarded more immediately the merchants, he thought proper to call them together, persuaded that by dis closing to them the danger that threat ened them, he would find them emu lated with patriotism, and ready to co operate in the defence of their country; that he left to them the suggesting the best mode of procuring the men want ed, confident that, with their assistance, the object would be completed in the course of twenty-four hours. His Excellency mentioned the man ner he had received communication of this dangerous plot, which was through General Wilkinson, who confided to him the perusal ol the dispatches and overtures made to him ; that he had moreover, received himself a letter from one of his most particular friends, a highly respectable citizen of Tennessee, which, though in ambiguous words, positively denounced something impor tant, and dangerous to this govern ment, likely to take place in the month of December; and he recommended to him, to be on his guard, to organize the militia , and to beware of the ides of March. Gen. Wilkinson entered more mi nutely into the particulars of the case.... he began, by expressing his dissatis faction at the calling of a meeting to deliberate on the subject mentioned by his Excellency ; he said, that if it had ' been consistent with the military and civil relations of our government, he would have conducted the whole busi ness in his own way, and would have adopted other than the present mea sures to obtain the object desired ; he found himself, however, under the ne cessity of communicating with his Ex cellency, and, on several occasions, took opportunities of noticing his own want of authority, and the fruitlessness of his applications to those who were empow ered. He mentioned, that \vith res pect to the premeditated invasion, it had been communicated to him by a special messenger from the conspira tors, on the 18th of October, at the mo ment he was preparing to proceedtothe Sabine ; the object of making him ac quainted with the plot, was, the hope of his co-operating with them ; but, with out divuiging his determination, he set out for the Sabine, settled the Spanish affairs, and with all the expedition in his power, repaired to this place, where he intended concentrating his defend it or perish in its ruins ; that whilst at Natchitoches, he received a message on the same subject from New, Orleans and he added that there were several persons in New-Orleans con cerned in the plot, whom he knew, and had he the power, would have arrested long since. He mentioned that his J ( bject, in coming to town, was to pre pa'e the place for defence, but that subsequent advices from the invu ders led him to believe that their forces would be greater than he at first expect ed, and he had accordingly changed his plan, and intended, if possible, to attack them before they reached town, and flat tered bimsell, if he could succeed in getting off the flotilla they were prepar ing, and met the foe before they reach ed Natcluz, that they might, by forcing them to land, cut them ofl entirely. 1 hat, to effect this object, it was, howev er, absolutely necessary, that no delay should occur—for, by all advices, the enemy were to arrive at Natchez, on the 20th of December instant, with at least 2000 men. He observed, that the lea ders of the plot were supported by some of the first characters in the Union ; that it was extensive in its object; and that to give more efficacy to its execution, armed but disguised vessels, would come into our river in order to serve as convoy to the expedition to be made from hence to Vera-Cruz; that to de fend the mouth of the river, he had des tined a proportion of the public vessels, amongst which was the schooner lately purchased by government. He con cluded, by denouncing the leader, Aaron Burr; and pledging his life in defence of the city, and his country. The Governor and General having retired, the meeting proceeded to delib eiate on the best plan to co-opperate with government, when it was unani mously agreed, that an embargo ought to take place, which has since taken place. The Governor left the meeting of the merchants to consult with colonels Bel lechasse, M’Carty, and Dorsicre, rela tive to the Mihtia. It was stated at New-Oaleans, when the Amelia sailed, that the adherents of Burr amounted to 7000 men ; and it was believed, that his forces would con siderably exceed that number. The at tack, it was expected, would be made between the 20th and 30th December. The two Gun-Boats had proceeded up the river, as far as Iberville; and were to ascend as high as Point-Coupee ; and two bomb-ketches were also ready to follow them. Commodore Shaw had purchased the schooner Ranger, of Bal timore, mounting 16 guns, for the ser vice of government. Gen. Wilkinson had given orders to have all the forts re paired, the city picketed in, and pvt in a complete state of defence, In addition to the above particulars, we learn that several persons have been arrested in the city of New-Orleans • among them were a Dr. Bollhian, and Messrs. Ogden and Swartwout. Dr. Bollman has been brought on to this place, in the schooner Amelia , as a state prisoner, under the charge of Lieut. Wilson, and a guard of Sol diers ; he was yesterday lauded and left in the safe keeping of the commandant at fort Johnson. Several more cf the conspirators have been sent on to Balti more. It will be remembered bv our readers that Dr. Bollman was one of the gentlemen who so gallantly attempt ed to release the Marquis de la Fayette from Magdeburgh. His family is in Philadelphia. We are informed that the Comman ders of the Gun-Doats,«ow in this port, have received orders from governor to sail for New-Orleans. New-Orleans, December 13. The most active preparations are making to fortify the city, and the bus-