Andrew Erwin

“ Traffic in human flesh seems now to be generally condemned by all the civilized nations under the sun. The slave trade, though not entirely suppressed, is denounced under heavy penalties by most of the christian powers of the world, and its crying Injustice acknowledged by all. The buying, selling and transferring slaves as merchandize, from one state of this union to another, is prohibited under severe penalties by many of the slave states, while the practice, even where tolerated by law, is becoming exceedingly odious. ”

“ General Jackson has set up extraordinary claims to the presidency; is a prominent candidate and stands charged with being guilty of the odious practice of "negro trading," and "trafficking in human flesh." This charge, if true, we think, ought forever to silence his claim and pretensions to that high office. This, of itself, (if there were not a hundred other good reasons why he ought not to be president) should be deemed and taken as conclusive against him by the free citizens of America. ”

“ The very face of the agreement indeed, would be sufficient to convince a man of business of this fact. Gen Jackson was known to be a man of property and credit. Green was a young man just commencing business, without fortune, and Coleman's circumstances any thing but flourishing. If then it had been the understanding of the parties, that Gen. Jackson was a principal in the transaction, would not his name have been put first in the contract? Would it not have been Jackson, Coleman, and Green, instead of Coleman, Green, and Jackson? ”

“ If citizens in the private walks of life are obnoxious to censure on this account, what should be the measure of disapprobation of such conduct in those who aspire to high trusts and exalted stations in the government. Generally, what may pass only as a reproach on a private citizen, operates in the minds of a virtuous community and a free people, as a total disqualification and unfitness for office. ”

“ To suffer them to go forth through the official organ of your party as your defence and to remain sub silentia, while you know them to contain palpable falsehoods, would be an act of imposition on the public, as gross and as outrageous as if they had been issued under your own signature. ”

“ It is possible indeed that the aggregate sum thus advanced, may have paid not only the first instalment to Epperson, but also sundry expenses attending the transportation, such as the purchase of a boat, provisions, &c.; and this is the more probable, as it is stated in the memorandum, that $125 of the amount paid by Coleman, was for a boat. But it is unnecessary for me to puzzle myself about the details of these transactions : it is enough that you are conclusively established as a negro trader, not as security, for that idea is perfectly ridiculous, but as a partner in the transaction. ”

“ Andrew Jackson say he went to Natchez, or somewhere in that country, and had brought said negroes back to Tennessee; and about that time, a Mr. Dinsmore, the United States agent for the Choctaw nation of Indians, was in the habit of stopping all persons travelling through said nation with a negro or negroes, who had not a passport. The General observed, that he had taken no passport, and on the morning he was to pass the agency, that/ie armed two of his most resolute negro men, and put them in front of his negroes, and gave them orders to FIGHT THEIR WAY, if necessary. ”

“ What confidence then, under such circumstances, can be reposed in this alleged memorandum, on the back of your agreement? Does it not rather create suspicions of something worse than has hitherto been discovered. But sir, without dwelling longer on this point, I will call your attention, and that of the American people, to the following letter from a gentleman whose high standing is well known to the citizens of Tennessee — a gentleman not only above reproach in private life, but distinguished for his public services in the legislature of the state, and the congress of the nation. ”

“ The man, whose name is placed last in the style of a firm, if he happens to possess more capital or credit than the others, is to be regarded as security and not as a partner!! It would be difficult, I imagine, according to this rule, to determine whether the 'junior editor,' so called, in your printing establishment, is really a partner or only a security. ”

“ It is not pretended that these negroes were bought for the permanent use of either of the partners. Neither yourself, nor Coleman, nor Green, intended to keep them. The avowed object of the purchase was a sale for profit. Here then the matter is at rest. You were, according to your own admission, concerned in negro trading. You were a partner to a contract, "a deliberate written contract," for the purchase of negroes amounting to $10,050, which negroes were bought solely for the purpose of being sold again for the sake of profit. ”

“ We. should then see when the payment was made to Epperson, which, I assert, was three days after the alleged date of your agreement. On the contrary you have hurried all your documents away to your private desk, where they remain carefully concealed; and in the vain hope of preventing the production of evidence, you have taught your printers not only to hint "at the indignant flashing of your eye" but to attempt to intimidate peaceable citizens by threats, on their part promptly to assail the private character of any man, who shall dare to give testimony unfavorable to you. ”

“ Rollings was subjected, and the other facts related as above.
Respectfully Yours, S. K. BLYTHE. It will be clearly seen that you have by your manner of treating this subject, given it much more consequence than it really deserved. You have greatly enhanced the magnitude of your offence against the moral sense of the community by the sensitiveness which you have displayed, by the prevarication, shuffling and misrepresentation which have been resorted to, in order to avert from you the character of a negro trader. But Sir, honesty and plain dealing, are the best policy. ”

“ You should show by your practice as well as your professions, that you are incapable of manoeuvering, to avoid responsibility.
Witness what has befallen you by denying that you made any advances of cash to Richard Epperson, for those negroes, and the introduction of your own certificate attested J. A. upon your own agreement to buy negroes, which you considered conclusive ”

“ This course enables men to go ahead fearlessly, (even in the face of such enemies as I have to encounter,) who are but desperadoes under the discipline of a mob and riot aristocracy, a principle never countenanced by a brave man, a moral man, nor a man who had any regard for the rights of others, and the mild precepts recommended in holy writ. ”

“ During the last year, a charge of 'negro trading' was preferred against Gen. Jackson in one of the Kentucky Papers. This charge, the editors of the republican, in their usual temperate style pronounced an infamous falsehood. A few days subsequent to this denial, I was informed by a gentleman of this place of some circumstances which tended to establish the fact, and a short time after whilst looking over some old bank books, which had been lying in the Nashville bank almost unnoticed for twelve or fifteen years, I laid my hands on one belonging to Gen. ”

“ Such men are inoffensive and law abiding, and consider themselves accountable to whoever they may happen to injure or offend by the laws of their country, of their church, or of society, in an open and manly way, and none other. ”

“ If be true, why do you not magnanimously and heroically admit it and defend yourself upon the ground, that the habits prevalent the country and the peculiar state of our society, in a community where slavery unfortunately exists, justified such speculations But I have already said that you are responsible for the statement of fact contained in the article in the Republican of the 11th inst. ”

“ Sir: Your note, inquiring of me information in relation to some negroes in which Gen. Jackson was concerned, I have received; To give a correct view of the transaction, as I understood it, I must connect it with another. In the latter part of the year 1810, Capt. Joseph Coleman proposed to me to join him in the purchase of some cotton and tobacco of a Mr. Bennet Smith, to which I assented. He stated to me that Mr. Smith would require security which he would procure. Some short time after this understanding with Capt. Coleman, he informed me that Mr. Smith would take no other security than Gen. ”