... I wrote you that I was summoned on behalf of government. I am
obliged to attend every day at court, but have not yet been called upon.
I am told the bill upon which I am to be examined is not yet filled. I
guess it is against Colonel Gaddis; but I have, so far as I can
recollect, nothing to say which in my opinion can hurt him. You remember
that Gaddis is the man who gave an affidavit to Lee against me. He came
yesterday to me to inform me that he meant to have me summoned in his
favor, as he thought my testimony must get him discharged. I did not
speak to him about his affidavit, nor he to me, but he had a guilty
look. I guess the man was frightened, and now feels disappointed in his
hope that his accusing me would discharge him. The petty jury consists
of twelve from each of the counties of Fayette, Washington, and
Alleghany, and twelve from Northumberland, but none from Westmoreland.
Your friend Sproat is one of them, Hoge another. All from Fayette
supposed to have been always friendly to the excise, but I think in
general good characters. All those of any note known to have been in
general of different politics with us....
12th May, 1795.
... The two bills for treason against Mr. Corbly and Mr. Gaddis have
been returned _ignoramus_ by the grand jury; but there are two bills
found against them for misdemeanor,--against the first for some
expressions, against the last for having been concerned in raising the
liberty-pole in Union town. I am a witness in both cases,--in the case
of Mr. Corbly altogether in his favor; in the other case my evidence
will about balance itself.... The grand jury have not yet finished their
inquiry, but will conclude it this morning. They have found twenty-two
bills for treason. Some of those against whom bills were found are not
here; but I believe fourteen are in jail and will be tried. I do not
know one of them. John Hamilton, Sedgwick, and Crawford, whom Judge
Peters would not admit to bail, and who were released little before we
left town, after having been dragged three hundred miles and being in
jail three months, are altogether cleared, the grand jury not having
even found bills for misdemeanor against them. After the strictest
inquiry the attorney-general could send to the grand jury bills only
against two inhabitants of Fayette, to wit, Gaddis and one Mounts; he
sent two against each of them, one for treason and one for misdemeanor.
In the case of Mounts, who has been in jail more than five months, and
who was not admitted to give bail, although the best security was
offered, not a shadow of proof appeared, although the county was
ransacked for witnesses, and both bills were found _ignoramus_. And it
is proper to observe that the grand jury, who are respectable, were,
however, all taken from Philadelphia and its neighborhood, and, with
only one or two exceptions, out of one party, so that they cannot be
suspected of partiality. In the case of Gaddis the bill for treason was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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