plol of "fraud and corruplion," should become acquainled with Lhe projector. The following is the communication alluded to. Matagorda, January 12, 1836. Colonel Fannin, Sir,-l had earnestly hoped that the flallering notice extended towards you by the government, would in some degree, have reflected upon your character and disposition, a portion at least, of that magnanimity which should belong to those holding the honorable station to which you have been exalted-that it might serve as an emolient lo the asperities of your nature; and that, in your patriotic efforts for the common weal, and your zeal for the chastisement of fraud, and the establishment of rigid justice, it might prevent you from sometimes overstepping discretion and truth; but the receipt of an extract from the Governor's message, with a copy of your letter to himself and Council, in relation to the affair of the Hannah Elizabeth, convinces me that you are incapable of adhering to the first principles of either. It is, however, but reasonable. Hundreds of instances go to prove, that after a long time spent in·vice and folly, their subjects are frequently apt to run into an opposite extreme of goodness and virtue. Your letter is dated Matagorda; your information, no doubt, was obtained from the same place. Who were your informants? Those who were wilnesses to the affair of the Hannah Elizabeth? Nearly all in our place directly acquainted with the transaction, have altested to the truth of my statement. Every circumstance connected with the transaction, the whole of which is contained in the slatement alluded to, has been verified by the signatures of those gentlemen. Has your character and condition in life so far removed you from the society of those witnesses, that you were compelled lo make your charges from hearsay evidence? Why did you not, if wishing to obtain the truth, turn to the fountain head, where it might be found in its purity, instead of tracing it in its perverted course, until lost in a sin of defamation and falsehood! Or were you really ignorant that such posilive and direct teslimony exisled? Such a supposition is too idle lo be harbored for a momenl. But Lhe cause is known without troubling you for an answer. You soughL to bolster and prop up a falling reputation, by effecting the Lola! ruin and extinction of another's; and expected that all this noise and rhodomontade about despoiling Lhe unfortunate, would direct Lhe atlention of
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