Kentucky Gazette And General Advertiser

FOR THE KENTUCKY GAZETTE.

BY yesterday's mail, I received the name of "Thomas Bodley," as that, of the author of the pieces published against me, by name in the Kentucky Gazette, with the fictitious signature of "Independence."

This gentleman suspecting that I favored the publication of The Western World, has, either to gratify his own unfriendly feelings, or to inform and instruct the public, thought proper to assail both my private and public character, in the Gazette.

I deemed it useful in defending myself, and in retaliating on the author, to have known his real name, in order that any observations which I might choose to make of a personal nature, should not be directed to an imaginary, instead of a real object.- For if I have any one principle which has uniformly influenced my conduct, it is a desire to avoid doing injury, and to do justice to all men. And if at any time, I have made allusion to the private character of any man, in the various defences to which I have been called by my enemies, it will be found to be justified by something said on the other side. I defy my enemies to shew where, by any writing, I have attacked the private character of any man -I do not say this to shelter my own; for if it can be made interesting to the public, it is open to investigation; as well as the public character and conduct of every man.

But as I have not experienced either candour or justice from more important adversaries, and who had public characters to sustain, I am not to be surprised by the want of both in Mr. Bodley.

To render my accuser the more worthy of my notice, and of the public attention, I shall draw around him some adventitious circumstances, with which he is connected by various relations.

This is the gentleman whom we saw, at Frankfort so frequently, when it was expected that some of his connections were to be implicated in the Spanish Conspiracy. This is the gentleman who was so nearly being concerned in the attempt to assassinate Street. This is the bosom friend, and confidential correspondent of John Fowler, the unprincipled witness of General Wilkinson-the fraudulent deteriorator of the public treasury. This is the step-son-in-law of the honorable Harry Innis, the former law-agent, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL of the state of Virginia, for the district of Kentucky, when the Spanish intrigue was in operation, before his eyes, and under his nose-and what notice did he take of it? This honorable Judge was the confidential friend of General Wilkinson, and it is believed, of Mr. John Brown.

Some of the family friends of this honorable gentleman, had been making very free with my name, before I had put pen to paper, or taken any one step peculiarly favorable to "The Western World."

These family friends, (and among them Mr. Bodley will be recollected, or I speak of things that were notorious) have manifested much apparent solicitude, as to the subjects of narration in "The Western World."

This honorable Judge, has himself, exhibited something like an electric shock, since the publication of this EXTRAORDINARY PAPER. Once the mere Snap-Dragon on the seat of power--he becomes as the lamb for mildness, and as a courtier for complaisance -once the contributor of "relative facts," for Magruder's history of the Western Country; he has withdrawn the documents, from whence it is said. to compile his own defence; but fortunately for the cause of truth, not till the historian had proclaimed to the world the existence of a Spanish Association in Kentucky. Once at least, the active agent of General Wilkinson, in procuring the means of forwarding dispatches to the Spanish Governor-and once, when, without which, A SPANISH CONNECTION, of a public nature could not be formed by the associates-- THE DECLARATION OF "INDEPENDENCE" was proposed or suggested, in a private party- This honorable attorney general, as I have been informed, and believe, as if transported with the frantic and giddy joy of a tyro, exclaimed-it will do! it will do!! it will do!!! And paced the floor, as if he had seen pensions, stars, garters and titles before his enraptured eyes.

But above all, this honorable Magistrate, who has been so nearly implicated in the Kentucky Spanish
association, by the wicked Editors of the Western World, (who doubtless have been instigated by the suggestions of the Devil, to come here on purpose to disturb the holy brotherhood of refined republicans)—his honor, was in need of some friendly aid, some instrument of common service, some lusty pioneer, to go before him, in order to clear the path, and to beat down all those who might be supposed, or found, in his way. And who could better answer this purpose than Mr. Thomas Bodley? The man of "Independence!"

This gentleman is too young to have been a Spanish associate, or he might have had additional motives for assailing me. For I have been always marked by the associates, as an ENEMY. But in the history of the Spanish association, what imports it to the public, whether I be a bad man or a good one? Is it upon my representation that the story is told, and to be believed! Not at all. Is it upon my narration, that you are to believe, Mr. Brown, intrigued, with Gardoqui? By no means. His own letter is the evidence. Is it from me that the Editors of the "Western World" received their information? No: it was from others. Is this a political question? As much so, as whether Mr. Bodley, be a black, or a white, man.

Yet we have seen, the advocates of the implicated, exerting themselves to represent the development of their intrigue, as a great political question, which was to influence the election of the next President of the United States. We see continually, the utmost exertions of party spirit, and party artifice, employed to rouse the honest, but misguided prejudice of the people; and to enlist their irritable passions on the side of the conspirators, under the denomination of Republicans; (but from such republicans good Lord! defend the country)—and to bring them to operate against the Federalists, who in this country make no party; and to whom it is probably quite indifferent, which of the candidates shall be President.

But there is a design in this, which is easily penetrated. The people are real Republicans, and they have been made to believe, that the Federalists are not so. While those who govern them, have proclaimed themselves Republicans; and under this popular epithet, expect to practice on their credulous fellow citizens, new deceptions—and to turn upon others, that public scrutiny, which they so much themselves, dread.

With me this is no party question. The principal "Editor" of the Western World, I have understood, is really a Republican. The politics of the other I do not know: and I think it wholly unnecessary to enquire. I consider the paper "Independent," and, "Impartial;" in those views, it has my approbation. I consider the development of the Spanish association, as highly important to the public; (since the public mind is in a situation so to consider it) and therefore I wish to see it fully made. But as treachery, and concealment, are companions, I fear the editors will not be able to come at the whole truth. The question, which the "editors" of "the Western World" placed before the public, was, whether, or not, there had been an association, a concert of individuals, TO SEPARATE KENTUCKY FROM THE UNITED STATES, AND TO CONNECT IT WITH THE SPANISH MONARCHY; AND WHO WERE THOSE INDIVIDUALS? On the side of the Western World, it is asserted there was such an association—and certain characters are implicated. Instead of meeting this question in an open and manly manner, the advocates of the implicated, attempt to hide the true question, under eulogiums upon the accused, and the abuse of those who can but believe the accusation in substance, true. For the correctness of these observations, I refer the reader to the Gazette, and Palladium.

In this very undignified, and uncandid manner of treating the subject, the author of "Independence" has made a conspicuous figure. And I shall endeavour to add something to his celebrity. Having said this much, which I could not well avoid—I shall proceed to examine such of the charges brought before the public, by Mr. Bodley, against me, as I shall think worthy of notice. I shall endeavour to avoid detail as much as possible. Yet, however unworthy my notice, I might consider the secret back-biter and the private slanderer; since Mr. Bodley has assumed the office of public accuser, raised himself into a higher character, and given to his accusations a more audible tone, and inserted them in a public print; I may be induced to remark upon some things, which otherwise would be wholly beneath my attention.

And first. In executing this important office to the public, Mr. Bodley has doubtless thought it his duty, to accuse me, with being a bad poet: This confessed; I consider the sin, and the shame, atoned for. The mere impulse of a moment, the execution of a day—has served to bait a gudgeon, and to catch a dunce; and with the accumulated merit of these services, I freely bestow it; on Mr. Bodley. If he has the poetic taste to improve it; or the splenetic talents, to criticise it; he is at perfect liberty to do either:—and when he has bestowed on it, the utmost efforts of his ability; I shall still be ready to confess, that it is fit only, to accompany the votaries of the goddess Cloacina, to the temple of her worship.

In prose, it has been thought that I could write intelligibly. Let this suffice—It is all I aspire to.

The pieces under the signature of AN OBSERVER, will speak for themselves; nor is it perceived that the author's name is of any importance to Mr. Bodley, or the public; notwithstanding, it is no secret.

The petulance of an accuser is beneath any regard—this observation brings me to what I shall notice next.

He asks, "Does he recollect a person who wrote in the Surveyor's office in 1783 or 4, and was strongly suspected for making alterations in Entries, which interfered with the claims of some of his friends?" And no question, he means to insinuate that I am the person.

The reader will see the unfair, and uncandid manner in which this attack is made. A suspicion is hinted at, of an illegal act done upon improper motives. When if the fact to justify such suspicion existed; Why has not Mr. Bodley stated it? No person has a right to be better acquainted with the Entry books than Mr. Bodley—they are perfectly accessible to him. I do not mean to combat suspicion. When a charge is made on me of any matter which implies a violation of official duty, or of moral principle, I expect the facts to be stated, at least so far as to shew the particular act, and the motive. This I demand of Mr. Bodley. Until then I treat it as the unfounded aspersion of a man whose heart is rankling with malice, and whose mind is insensible to the just demands of truth, and of candor.

H. MARSHALL.
Sept. 29, 1806.