Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

From the Philadelphia Gazette

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON,

I understand that Col. Duane or his son, who has been down here, is desirous of serving the public in the office of quartermaster general, which was to have been created by a bill originating in the senate. It did not however pass the lower house, for want of time. As Gen. Leib from your state was one of the committee to which the bill was recommitted for amendment, it is not impossible that his claims to this office may interfere with those of your redoubtable colonel.

Some of the late nominations by the president, have been rejected by the senate: among them is one Mr. Wilkinson, a relative to the general, to some appointment in the Orleans or Mississippi territory. The committee on the conduct of general Wilkinson were violently opposed on the last day of the session, by Roger Nelson, Smilie and Findley, who occupied 3 hours on that day in endeavoring to prevent the report from being read. In this they fortunately failed. Had they succeeded the general, probably would have returned to New Orleans (where he has lately married) and by sending in his resignation would have defied further investigation, and endeavored to have sheltered himself under a clamorous outcry against an ungrateful country; a farce in which he has been busily engaged ever since his arrival at Washington. The report of the committee is very short, and refers to the documents received by them in evidence: without giving an opinion or drawing any inferences. But I understood from one of the committee that the evidence referred to, satisfactorily proves the payment to the general of above 43,000 dollars—exclusive of and unconnected with his tobacco and commercial transactions, the original accounts of which are laid before the house, and were ordered with the report to be printed.

Such is the fatality ever attendant on crimes and the consequences of attempting to conceal them, that it now appears that the report of the military court of enquiry, whereof col. Jonathan Williams and col. Cushing were members, will of itself be sufficient to establish Wilkinson's criminality; or that report expressly stated, that the general did not receive any money but from his commercial transactions with the Spaniards, and that they were closed in the year 1791, excepting for a quantity of damaged tobacco. Of which it is unnecessary to speak of the veracity of the account presented by the general, and accepted by the court as proof of his innocence. But mark the snare, into which this unhappy man has fallen! After the acquittal by the court, composed of his friends, he one day (no doubt by mere accident) walked into the war office, strolled (by accident also) into the secretary's room, and there being nobody present but a clerk (by accident again) bore away in open day and no doubt without permission a bundle of papers containing all the evidence he had produced to the court, with his own defence, and their proceedings in the case! The committee of congress, finding these proceedings necessary in the investigation, and presuming they were in the proper place, applied to the secretary at war for them; when, behold it appeared they had been carried off during the secretaryship of Mr. Dearborn. This fact was substantiated by the affidavit of the clerk: who witnessed, as Mr. Randolph styled it "this felonious act of the commander in chief"—Mr. Jones, the judge advocate, has likewise testified as to the particular papers delivered by him to the secretary of war, which are now missing. The committee unable to procure these necessary papers from the war office and becoming more convinced of their importance by the extraordinary conduct of Wilkinson, issued a subpoena for him to come before them, and produce these papers they however could obtain from him neither the spurious accounts palmed on the court nor his own defence; and the only paper which they retained of the five under his own hand could not therefore be rebutted.

The universal indignation excited however at these circumstances was only equalled by the feelings produced by his letter to the speaker insinuating that he was ready to appear before a tribunal and prove his innocence /although at the very moment of his writing he knew a committee was actually sitting to investigate his conduct; before whom he had not ventured to appear, or tendered any evidence in his possession.

Although public opinion has long made up on this subject the doom of Wilkinson can only be completed next session—when the investigation power commenced must be closed it is generally supposed he will endeavor to avoid his by resigning

When the report and documents printed, I shall send you copies.

-CHARLESTON, May.