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734 Documents being at large is not legal proof of the fact, I have no other. Israel Israel who went to Girards and paid the money over to the Marshall is dead. Is it Secretary Van Beuren I am to satisfy ? If it depends on him, he will be as scrupulous as legal habits can make him. Pray try and smooth this part of the path for me. I have no doubt St. Girard will remember the whole matter. I am reviewing Benthanl's late work in 5 V. on Judicial Evidence. It is really a most abstruse, but mind-exciting book. It will not be [rea]d; for I find the Hebrew lessons I have been taking these six months [pas]t, not so difficult as Bentham's pages. When I have fin- ished, and can get a few copies struck off I will send you one. With many thanks Adieu. THOM.A.S Cooper. X. CoLU.MBiA Feb. 22. 1S32 iIy dear friend Hot work I find in your house. What with the Tariff and Van Beuren, the battle waxes hot. I do not care one cent about Janus, but tho' I do care about the Tariff, I am content to leave you and our man Hayne to carry on the contest. Where people cannot honestly agree, they must be contented to differ with mutual toleration. But rely upon it, the Tariff of protection will be very [much] of a storm-breeder. I wish it were settled, at the expence of the [time?] bestowed upon it. Warren Davis, who is a kind and good creature, tho' like myself a sad Nullifier, tells me he has brought on my petition.' I hope you will make a handle of it to give us a proper good lecture on the right of free discussion in a republican government. I shall be curious to hear what John Quincey has to say to it. I do not expect it will pass for I am in no respect as yet in the odour of sanctity with the conclave at Washing- ton. I regret your Tariff propensities, excuseable as they are, because they bring you so much in friendly contact with the notion-mongers of yankee-land : they are a race man -ward tarnation twistical ; they will be very apt to lead you astray, and put your political chastity in imminent danger. See how readily Webster and Everett with their solemn sab- bath-day faces, can go in and out of every political whore-house they meet with, without a change of feature in their unblushable faces. As to Clay, his roguery has a character of honest boldness about it, that makes people ready to forgive a consistent politician with! pretensions. How- ever, as you love your honest character, keep aloof from all demure- looking sanctimonious goers astray. Else you may have to lament with FalstafiT, Company, villanous company has ruined me, Hal ! I have been lately in correspondence with W°' J. Duane : seeing as how I have very little to do, I take great interest in S. Girard's will and his College, which I greatly fear the Black-coats will contrive by some rascally scheme or other to defeat. You have heard, I suppose, that the 1 See Hmise Report No. 244, Twenty-second Congress, first session, by W. R. Davis of South Carolina.