The Garland Roorback: Statement Of The Executive Committee O...

The following statement was 8ent to the Detroit Advertiser, for publication, bul was refosed. To the Editors of the Detroit Advertiser: Gbwtí.émbn, - Your pnper of the llth inst. contained the following editorial: "As Uie eleclion is over, we trust that the Birney men will now make gomi their pledgf to ferret out the fabrica tim of the letter 'of Mr. Birnoy to Mr. Garland. Some of tliem have been extremely frec n their iuipulniions nnd vituperalions, while the electioH was pending. Ve challenge their scruliny, or else we insist upon a retraction." In your issue of yesterdny, you thus ogain refer to the matter: ;'üne or two of the Birney leader?, were very free in their impntntions on ns in regard lo the fabricaron of the Birney lottor. 1? it not time !br thrm, either io retrnct or to make good the charges? We nsk only justice." Tbus challenged, we cannot lor.ger be silent. We therefore 6taie the following as facts, whicb, if denied, he will prove by such reasonoble evidence, as will satisfy every candid man: That on or about the 18ih to the Sist of October lust, a document purporting to be an extra of the Genessee Democrot. a Whig pnper pnblished at Flint, in this State, mnde it nppei.rance, containin an nlledged nflïdavit of J.B. Garland of Sagina w; an alledged letter by James G. Brny to him - on alledged jurat by Robr. R. Page, jnstice of the Pence, and an alledfe-ed Certifícate by Jumes Birdsall, A. Thayer, and A. P. Daviswhig Corresponding Commiltee for the County of Genesee,vouching the character of said Garland: that all these were absolute forgeries, destilüie of the shade of truth : that they were de&igned to injure Mr. Birney, and to benefit the whig party, by inducing whig abolitionists to believe thnt their presidential candidate was "a locofoco in disguise," and was abusïng their confidence for vile purpose?, thereby to turn their vote back to their old party: that with these objects it was extensively circnlaled in several Slates, so immedintely )efore election as lo preclude an adpqute e.josnre, and eo siinultaneous'y, logelher with such knowledge of Mr.Birney's movemcntFjas o evmee tkilful and combined pipparhtioir that itappeared in the papers of Ohio, Massichusetts, Connecticut, Mauie and New York, vith bundreds of miles iilièrvenihg, - in rhany )f them on the pnnie doy, nnd in all at substantinlly t'.,e samo snme period, to wit from he 26: li to the Sist October, yet it did not ppear in Syrneusr, Roc'.i ester or Buflulo, intil Mr. Birney hnd passed through ond einjarked for home, nnd wns then irnmediaiely jubl'ishcd nfter his depaiture. The uthorship or locality of tho forgery is rjot yet known to us, but sufllcient appears on ts face to shew that it wns not cóncocted in he place it nurports. Therc are mistakes in Lhe christian name óf Page. the alledged jusice: in the faet of iiis justiceship, in the resiJence of Garland, and in oiher minor mntters, whicli indícate a want. of that accuracy, which ocal informalion engenders, yet such npproxmation to it as would arise from intercouse etwecn the locality and a place at some lilt'e diitance. The fullowing hou-ever are charged ns factf : that about the time of the issue óf thé forjery, Wm. S. Driggs of this ciM', appllied at the office of the Secretnry of Stnte to ninke emjuiries respecting the name ann jjsticeíhip if'Mr. Pae .Mr. Driggs had previously-gone to Soginaw, and eeen Mr. Garlnnd, and made an affidavit for the purpose of fixng on Mr. Birney the very charges this forgery sought to snbtuntïato by Mr. B's. own admission. Also, that abont the same time Mr. David Smart, an active and influential member of the whig Central Committee, hnd ín iiis poísession, a copy of tlie forgery in its original form ''The Genesee Democrat Extia,'' and exhibited the same to several gentlemen of the whig party, assembled on Jefferson Avenue, in front of Mr. Jacob M. Hovvard's office, one of whom read the same aloud: that Mr. Smart look it tu the Advertiser office to have a munber of extra copies printed and circulated: that he ihere met Air. H. L. Miller of Sagina w, late whig Representa tive of that county, and w.is by him informed, that it was beyond all question s forgery: that Mr. Smart went to Poutiac for the purpose of ascertaining its truth: that its existence, at that time was extensively known to very many leading whigs, including the editors of the Detroit Advertiser and some of the Central Commiitee: hut that it vvjs carefuliy kept secret from every Democratj and Liberty man, and was not known by nn individual of eiiher party, uctil brought by the mail in the Ohiolapers, on Sist Oct. Ihe day previous to the )hio election, and of courte too late for exlosure in any part of that state: ,that from heir enquiries gentlemen of the vvhig party vere satislied at tlietime ofits firsi appearnce that the document was a forgery, and vrote letters to parties in New York and Masschusetts, stnting the forgery and cautioning gainst its use: that among the parlies ihus dvised were the editors of tho Rochester Democrat, the Albany Eveninff Journal, the I'ribnne, and tho Boston Atlas, the latter havng slnce avowed the fact of such private idvice: that no suoh letlers or advice were ivritte to Ohio, where the election would ensue, but were confined to the states where exjosure could ovherwise be made before elec:ion; and that no public exposure thereof, ior even a hint of its existence, was made ïither in the Advertiser, or in conversaron jy onyofthe numerous persons acquainted A-ith it, on tiie contrary the strictcst silene e a'üs maintainod in regard to it, so lhat in iew of these remarkable facts we think it nir to infer, that the parties cogn;zant of the document desired not so miich to prevent its circulation, (oiherwise tbey would liave pubüshed its fulsity in their Journal nnd conversation,) as to obvíate the injurious reaction on their party, vvhich its exposure as a forgery would inevitably entail, whenever it had been published as tfue, We haveso strong reason to beüeve tbat the parties were well aware that copies were passing through the Post Office in üúb city to Ohio, yet they allowed these vehicles of to fulfil their evil desiiny without an effort to wam of their fraud. We do not know that the frnud originated in this city: or that the whig commiltee of the city pnrticipated n its manufacture, or thal it wns prin'ed here. It is true thal wlien the forgcry first publicly appeared, and ns the facts already ennmerated were grndually dtfveloprd. mintrling, ns is usual, with erroneous reports, the circnmstances apparently pointed to a preparatíon in this city, and probably in - duced expression of opinión to that effect, as ano of the surmises of the moment., but investigaron does not seem to warrant the charge, and we therefore limit our statement to the facts we have mentioned, and which we presume will not be denied to be substantially correct: if tl.ey are so denied, we will furnish ourevidence: if wrong in any particulars, we shall cheerfully retmct our enor.- Our object is only truth, but even that perhaps had not induced us to rake iip the smoulderng ashes of the late political fire, had i:ot the guuntlet been thrown at us again and again, vvith innuendoes in severol whig pnper?, that this most audacious and disgraceful forgery originnted in qnarters very different from those which aclually gave it birth. We belicve the Detroit Advertiser or ieading whigs can, if they piense, nnintí its octual parenis. It is ceriain that they,-r-and eo far as is known.they only have made enquiry into the fnct? Will they disclo?e the result, and all tliey know. It is called for by every consideration - to thcmselves, - to the public, - to injurcd individuals, andto the cuuse of truth. A . L. PORTEll, SIL AS M. HOLMES. IIORACE HALLOCK, WJi. E. PETERS, C. H, STEWART, MARTIN WILLSON, SAMUEL ZUG, J. D. Ba LD WIN, Executive Commillee of the Detroit Liberty Association. Detroit, Nov. 27th, 1844. Detroit, Nov. 30, 1844. Editors of Signal of Liberty: Gkktlemen: - Mr. Birney commilted to my care the accompanying statement, vvith a request that I would tender it for publication totheDetroit Advertiser in the fitst instance, and, in case of refusal by that jourr.al, then to you. I have presented it to the editors of the Advertiser, and they have declined to publish. 1 therefore transmit it to you, and solicit its publication. Yours, &c. CHAS. IL STEWART. Saginaw County, } Nov. 25, 1844. 5 Tu the Editors of the Detroit Advertiser: Gentlemen: - As yours was the first regular paper to give currency to the misrepresentations connected with rny late nominntion for the Legislature by the Democratie Convention of this County - especially to the Affidavit ofacertain W. S. Driggs, - I offer, first to you, the opportunity, which, I ought to suppose, you would gladly embrace, of repairing the injurydone me, by putting into your hands, for mmediate publication. the accompanying documents: - promising, too, to transmit to you hercafter, for the same purpose, such other papers as I may deern necessary for my vindication, but which I have not yet been able to procure, or have nol had leisure to prepare. Respeclfully, &c. . JAMES G, BIRNKY.TO THE LIBERTY PARTY. Friknds: - In vny person, as yourcnndidate for the Presidency, you have late]y been called to suffer trials of no common severity. The courage - the fortitude - with which you have encountered and passed through them, confirm all our former assu ranees of success. Your confidence. by which I was upheld at the moment of my greaíest need, excites jn mefeelingsof gratitude ihat I shall not express, only because I cannot. I was far f rom home when the scheme to destroy me - to scatter you - was first thrown beibre the world. I had no access to proofs. You believed my word without p roo fs. Hearfily do I thank you. nut for myselfonly; but for the poor slave - for our common country - whose cause has been saved from present o verthrow - it may be, from total desüuction - by the generous confidence you gave to a fellow worker. I proceed to redeem a pledge which you did not demand, but which I silently made: to furnish substantial proof that every material statement, heretofore made by me in writing or in speaking, relating to my recent nomination for the Legislature of Michigan, is true. JAMES G. BIRNEY. DEPOSITION OF JEROME B. GARLAND. STATE OF MICHIGAN, ") y Saganaw County, ) Deponent states, that, previously to 1841, in the nutumn of which year James G. Birney removed to this County, he, deponent, kept a public house at the crossing of Cass river, about nine miles from Saginaw City, and on the only road from the latter place to Flint in Gonesee County; that, from the time Mr. Birney moved ín, till 1843, when deponent ceased keeping a public house, he generally stopped with him in passing the road, for refreshment, and sometimes to stay all i -In this way my acquaintance with Mr. Birney was made. Deponent attended Court at Saginaw City in August last; also, a meeting held in the afternoon of the first day of the Court, to hear from Mr. Birney an exposition of facts relating to alledged mismantigemerït on the part of certain of our County Officers, about which there was beginning to be a good deal of complaint by the people. The persons chiefly implicated were both Whigs and Democrats. Deponent was pleased with the independent and straight-forward course of Mr. Birney in this matter; so were others of his neighbors. Such an overhauling of our County aflairs we thought would be beneficial, and ought to have taken place before. At the conclusión of the meeting for County matters, Mr. Birney repeated a notice that had been previously given, of an address to be delivered by him that evening - in which he proposed reviewjjig the conduct of both Whigs and Democrats - and giving his views on the Texas annexation question. In his address, which I heard, he spoke of the unfaithfulness of the parties to the cause of human freedom, and to the interests of the Free States. He commented on the conduct of the Democratie party at the late Baltimore Convention, in abandoning their fundamental principie insisted on by Mr. Jefferson - that the majority should govern; oy which a slaveholder, instead of Mr. Van Buren, the acknowledged choice of the democracy of the Free States, had received the Presidential noniination. Although condemning in the strorigest terms the course of the Democratie party in ibis nnd in other matters, but particularly in reference to the Annexation queslion, he yet avowed himself a democrat; but not, hesaid a demoernt of the skin-deep or cutaneous class, but a democrat according to the Declnration of Independence, - one who believed that all men are created equal and entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit ofhappiness. Mr. Birney embodied his democracy in these words - that herwas willing to allovv to every citizen the same rights, privileges and advanta ges that he himself possessed under the lawsandConstitution of the Country. The next week after the County meeting, Mr. Birney passed by my house on his way to Flint. Mcantime I had spoken to someof my neighbors on the sub. ject of running him for the Legislatupe, and found it acceptable to thein. I wished to speak to Mr. Birney in relation to this - but as he delayed but a few minules at the public house near me, I could not; but I asked him to let mesee him on his return: he dio so, and I then told him that it was the wish of myself and others that he would permit his name to be used asa candidate: he consented. Deponent at first, thought it would be necessary to run Mr. Birney as an independent candidaie: this was preferred by Mr. Birney as the best way of breaking up the otber partiés, Whig and Democratie, whose corrupiions, he thought, called for their beingbroken up. Deponent said nothing to Mr. Birney in reference lo party pledges - or to the support of Democratie men and mensures; nor did Mr. Birney, to him. The chief object ofboth of usseemed to be, to rescue the Counly from the mal-administration of those who for a long time had managed its affairs - andto havethose nfFairs put on a right footing. Not a word was said between us as to general politics except this - deponent lold Mr. Birney that the only objection any one had mentioned against hinr, was, that i f he was sent to the legislature, he might in view of the importance which he gave to the slavery questiqn, permit it to interfere, as Mr. Adams had done in Congress, with the regular progress of ordinary legislation. To this, Mr. Birney replied - commending the course of Mr. Adams in giving precedence to theslavery question as he had done, and saying that the State Legislature was not the great theatre for settling that question - that Congress was - but that, in whatever way the questiou might come up in the Legislature of the State, he would be found occupying the ground on which every one knew he stood, in favor of human freedom. Deponeni had no other personal communication with Mr. Birney from this time till Mr. B. was on his way East, on the 27th of September. On that occasion, Mr. B. and deponent had but a few moments conversation. In this Mr. B. remarked, in reply to what he had understood had been objected to him (that in his zeal for antislavery objects, local or county afiairs would be neglected) that his constituents,should be elected,would have to depend on his known habits of business, and his identity of interest with them as a resident of the county. Deponent had but slight expectation, when he parted from Mr. Birney, that he would be nominated by the Democratie Convention to be held two days after. This deponent was not then a delégate to that Convention. In choosing delegates he was left out, as he thought, by the influence of party managers because he was in favor of having Mr. Birney nominated. When he went to Saginaw city, where the Convention was held on Saturday, the 28th September one of the delegates from Taymouth lown beingabaent, this deponent, althougbresiding in Snginaw town, was appointed to supply his place. In this way, deponent became a memberoftho Convention. In that Convention, deponent offered no pledge on behalf of Mr. Birney - for Mr. Birney had given him noauthority to do so. When he spoke of Mr. Birney's being a democrat, he referred to what Mr. B. had said of himself publicly in his address, in the school house; when he spoke of Mr. B's. carying out democratie principies, he meant that Mr. B. would act consistently with the true democratie principies which he himself had avowed at the same time. Such democracy and such principies, deponent stated were good enough for him. In relation to the afiidavit of a certain William S. Driggs, deponent states, that a person so caUing himself called at his ïouse, representing himaelf as having come out f rom Detroit to nttend the land tax sales at Saginaw, and conversedwith deponent a few minutes, not exceeding at the most, twenty; - tlmt, deponent spoke to Driggs of Mr. Birney's democracy as ns Mr. Birney had himself explained it in his public address in the school house - that he told Driggs, that he, deponent, had held but two conversations with Mr. B. on the subject of his nomination; - that Mr. B. had spoken to him, deponent, with reserve as to his own nomination, rather avdvising that the people should be brought to move in the matter - and that the person they should fix on ought to be the candidate - that he did not teil Driggs that Mr. Birney had told him, doponent. that he, Birney, would re f rain from agitating the questioh of Abolition in the House, or any thing else to give tho least ground ibr such a statement - Ihat he did not teil Driggs that he had in his possession á letter from Mr. Birney authorizing him (deponent) to make the statements hnputed to him by Driggs, or any other statements whatever in relation to what he would do in the event of his being elected, as the following copy of the only letter ever received by deponent from Mr. Birney will sufficiently show: Lower. . Saginaw, ) Sept. 3. 1844. Dkar Sir: Yon do not find, in the Nortli Star, the proceedings ofour meeting held n the school house during llie term of the Court. On tny return, I asked the Editor to. publish them. He refused to doso, and told me in the presence of sereral others, that he die. so. under the influence of Mr. Williams and Mr. Miller. 1 then ofiered to pay him for printing them in hand bil] form; this loo. he refused to do. He seemed to have been impressed with' the belief, that ifhe should publish them, he would make himself Hable toan action or prosecution for Libel. I told him I would stand bel ween him and all consequences of thnt soit,, nnd that if hc desired it, I wouid give him my bond to that effect. But even this did not induce him to consent. These are high handed mensures taking them altogether. lf this occasion is not taken by the .people to rebuke in the most signal marmer such nltempts to keep f rom them a knowledge of iheir own affairs, by muzzling the press, they mighl almost as well give' up the allairs and management of the County to those who seem almost ready to assume the place of Dictators. Í am determined to do what I can to set matters on a right footing - but I shall not be-abfe to do it unless th people stand by me. I wish you woulc circuíate the facts that I have mentionet as widely and as speedily as you cai among our County-men. I have preparec for publicalion an account ofour meetinin the school house, and what took place betweon the Editor of the North Star and myself, and shallsend it to Detroit or Ann Arbor to hnvo it printed. As soon as 1 get it, I will send you some of the copies for circulation. lf the people intend to run another candidate for the House beside the regularlv nominated one by the parties, they ought to let it be known as soon as possible; - at all events, before the regular nominations are made. Yours. &c. JAMES G. BIRNEY." lIr. Garland, Bridgeport." The above letter is postmarked "Snginaw, Mich. Sept, 5th," and addressed to deponent at "Bridgeport P. O. at the Cass River." The original is now in deponent's possession ready tö be shown to any one who may desire to see it, as Mr. Birney bas requested it should Deponent in conclusión states, thathe was desirous of having Mr. Birney elected, because he believed him honest and capable, and that whatever interests of the County or State might come before the Legislature, he could promote them more effectually than any other man we had amongst us. Deponent thought it would be honorable to the County to send such a man to represent ït, and ta that effect expressed himself to Mr. Driggs. Deponent also slates, that it is wholly untrue that said Driggs asked him to make affidavit to what he told said Driggs. He made no such request, nor even alluded to hls making an affidavit of the facts be had stated. [Signed,] J. B. GA RL AND. STATE OF MICHIGAN, ) gg Saginaw County, $ Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, the above named Jerome B. Garland, and makes oath that the foregoing statements are true to the best of his recollection and belief. Sworn and subscribed this twelfth day of November, 1844. NOAH BE ACH, Justico of the Poace.URTHER DEPOSITION OP J. B. GARLAND. 3TATE OF MICHIGAN, Saginaw County, 5 8S' Personally appeared before me a Justice f the Peace in and for said county, Jeome B. Garland, a near neighbor of mine, and states that he has seen in various newspapers and in extras of newspaers a letter dated "September 26, 1844 " addressed to "J. B. Garland, Esq." an(j signed "Jas. G. Birney." That he has also seen attached to said letter, an affidauit stating, that he, the said Garland 'has carefully compared the said letter as published with the original in his pos. session, and believes it to be correct"- hat he, said Garland is represented in said newspapers and extras as having nade said affidavit before "Robert R„ 5ago, Justice of the Peace. Now said ierome B. Garland deposes and says, that e never received such a letter from Mr. Birney - that he never made the said affidavit. and that the whole matter, so far as ie and Mr. Birney are concerned, is an absulute, unmitigated íbrgory. Signed, J. B. GARLAND. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26th day of November, 1844. Signed, NOAH BEACH, Justice ef the Peacö. DKPOSITION OF J. BIRDSM.L, A. THAYER ASD A. V. HAVIS. STATE OF MICHIGAN, Gkkicsek Countï. 5 "' Jamos Birdsall. Artcmas Thnycr, nnd Alexander P. Davjp, bcinc duly sworn do dcpoté ind sny, thai ihoy reside in ihe villagc of FJint, in snid County - that Uiey have seen iho Dai'y Democratie Freo Press ofthe lat Nov. 1844. in vvhich is pulilished u letier. signed "Jamw G. Uirney." nn nlTidavii, purporting to be signod and sworn to by 3. B. Garlnnd, beforo Robert It. Pago-, .lustice of tlic Pt-ace, a cerJificotc, pnrportinr' to be mode by Thomas R. Cummingsv clerk of aaid county of Genesce. and a certifícate, atiesiing to tlie gennincnrss o f said letter nnJ ih charDcter and sinndinsr of J. B. Garlnnd, which issnbscribed "'Jumes Birdsall, A. Thayer. A. P Davis. C)unly Corresponding Committoc, Flint, Gennesee couniy, Oci. 21. 1844," purporiing to be an '"Extra" isstied from the offico oí tho ;Gonesce Couniy Democrat" - that they hndjno knowlodge ot the saine biting goticn up, Uad no ageney in tlie ninüor, nnd in no instnnee tuíthririzcd (lie Fame lo be ilone, or tbeir naniM to liauserl. and know the same to bo n bnso forgery; tliitt A. P. Davis is nol, nor never hns been ono of the Corr. Comniiticeof snid county, nor nctod as siich; llmt ihcre s n jusiice of the ponco by tho name of Rulicrt It. Page residingin said county, bilt one by the nnme of Robert J. S. Page; thnt t!icy believe t lint the siid forgery was not fibr'tentfd in said couniy; ttiat neilher of thesu ïe ■onents is pcrsonnlly neqnninted with snid G.-rl.ind; that they know nothing of his moral chrnctcr and nre infonued that he doos nol reside in 8iid county. Ja mus Birdsali., Artxmas Thatïr, A. P. Davis. Stibscribed nnd svorn before me this 4th daj 'fNovo:nber, 1844. Rvrvs W. Stevens, J. P. DEPOSITION OF VVM. B. SHEKVTOOD. STATE OP MICHIGAN, t COUKTÏ O" Gr.XKSF.K, i Win. E. Sherwood, being sworn doth doposa nnd sny tliat he is ihe puhlisher ntid proprietor of ihe siGenesce County Democrat," n ne vrgpaper p -uiiftd in ihe village of Flwit county and stnte iforcsaid; thnt he has scen in Uic Detroit Fre Press o ( November I.. 1844, n Icttrr pnrporting to lüive been wvinrn by James G Birney to J. R. Gnrland, whicli leüer purportf to Viave been fust published in 'hc "Genest-e Couniy Democrat,E.ttrn," nnd thnt it is n forgery; no hnndlull, exira. or otlier documiint, containing snid letier ever hnving been issned from the office of the 'Gcnessee County Democrat." Wii.liah. B. Shekwood. Sworn nnd subscribed beforo me t hia 4th dny of November, 1841. Hükos W. Stevïnï, J. P.DEPOSITION OI" JOSEm F. MAR8AC. THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, V Saginaw County. L Deponent states that he is a resident of the town of Ilampton, in said county, a near neighbor of James G. Birney, anda member of the Democratie party. Deponent was pieased with the course pursued by Mr. Birney in exposing the mismanagement ofour county affairs, nndl believing that he could ably promote theinterests of the counly in the Legislatura,, deponent was desirous that Mr. Birney should be the county Represeniative. - With that view, and without any reference to general politics, deponent asked Air., Birney if he would serve in that capacity if he should be noniinated by the Demo cratic Convention of theconnty and elee-. ted. He said hé would, and that h would serve the county if he should be. eleeted on any nomination. A few dnyft before our town delegation to the CountyDemocratie Convention were chosen,, l asked Mr. Birney i f he wouJd attend as a delégate if he were eleeted to do so.- To this Mr. Birney unhesitatingly re-i plied, "By no loeans, Captain; you kttow I am no party-democrat." Nothing more was said Deponent attended as a delégate in the County Convention, and voted for Mr. Birney's nomination. JQSEPH F. MARSAC, STATE OF MICHIGAN, 7 Saginaw Countt. 5 Personally appeared before mo, the undersigned, 'o. Justice of the Peace, in and for said County, the above named Jo seph F. Marsac, and made oath that the foregoing statements are true, to the beit of his recollection and belief, Sworn to and subscribed this 15tb day of November, 1844. THOMAS ROGERS, Juetice of th Pecé