7 o ut just t he s ame a s i f I w a s not p resent; h e w a s for s uppressing t he T r u e A m e r i c a n a s l ibellous, b y l egal m eans. H e n r y Johnson, a c otton planter, and t he b rother o f R . M . Johnson, said h e u nderstood this m e e t i n g w a s t o have b e e n e qually c omposed o f W h i g s a n d D e m o crats, a n d for one he w o u l d take n o a ction concerning t his A b o l i t i o n press, unless t he W h i g s c ame u p b oldly a nd s hared t he r esponsibility. T h o s . F . M a r s h a l l , t he a postate W h i g , a n d l ate hybrid candidate f or C ongress, s aid h e u nderstood this to be a jmblic m eeting, a n d w a s h ere b y a n invitation; h e h e l d t he T r u e A m e r i c a n i n his h a n d , a n d w o u l d read w h a t h e c onceived to be the c ause o f t he p ublic excitement. H e t hen read t he a rticle w r i t ten b y m e a n d t ook h is s eat. U p To this period n o W h i g h a d m ade h is a ppearance. D . M . C r a i g n o w m ade h is e ntrance; h e w a s a W h i g ; b ut t he s upposed author o f " a W h i g , " a s b efore s tated. H e w a s i n a m ost lachrymose mood,   avowing h i m s e l f m y personal friend,   but a t the s ame l i m e h is d etermination to use his m u s k e t against m y l i f e ,     h e said this w a s a private m eeting, a n d i n t his h e w a s c lamorously s econded b y the w h o l e mass. D u r i n g a l l t his time I l a y u pon a b ench, only a t i ntervals b e i n g able to sit up. I s aid I w a s far f rom i n t r u d i n g m y s e l f upon a n y set o f m e n ,     t h a t I h a d u nderstood this w a s a p ublic m e e t i n g     I t hrew m y s e l f upon their m a g n a n i m i t y     I a c k n o w l e d g e d I w a s i n the m idst o f e nemies, y e t t rusted I w o u l d b e a l l o w e d to e x p l a i n t he a rticle read b y M r . M a r s h a l l , w h i c h f rom h is f e w c omments I f ound w a s u tterly misconceived, a nd t ortured from i ts t rue meaning. I w a s p romptly r efused a h earing. F a i n t , a n d w i t h lips parched, I t urned to T . F . M a r s h a l l , a s the m ost chivalric o f m y e nemies     a m a n w h o m I h a d m e t b u t a f e w m onths b efore i n t his s ame Court House, i n the p resence o f a n i m p a r t i a l a udience o f m y c ountrymen, a n d d riven t o the w a l l s , u pon this same subject o f the l iberties o f m e n     a m a n f rom w h o m I h ad e xtorted a n' o pen a v o w a l , " t hat h e h a d ( putting h is h and to h i s h eart,) the most profound respect for the gentleman and his opinions and arguments, so new, and strong, as to demand his more deliberate consideration "    W h o coldly r e p l i e d : " T h a t h e h a d no m ore p o w e r h ere