_consulting those
friends_ who had exerted themselves to procure his
nomination, that were not present. It was stated to him that
they lived or at least _some_ of them, at such a distance,
that it would be very difficult to give seasonable
information to the county of his _resignation_ in favor of Mr
Young, should it be put bye till Thursday or Friday as he
requested;--and that the same _reasons_[11] _which convinced
him that it would be proper for him to resign, would satisfy
them on the subject_. Mr. Cowen _still_ tho't it would be
_the best way to proceed_ and the most gratifying to his
feelings, _to take time to consult his friends_."

Thus you see Mr. Cowen was requested to resign, and the _arguments_ in
favor of that resignation founded upon the _famous certificate_, dated
Albany, April 17, 1815, published Ante, page 4--a statement
_jesuitically_ calculated to shew that the zeal of his friends had, _by
perverting the conversation of Ketchum &c._ aided in procuring _his_
nomination. And when he expresses a _desire_ to consult his friends;
_an answer_ is ready, emanating from the same false and deceptive
source. Thus are the most _shameful arts_ employed to destroy his
_confidence in those friends_, and induce in him a reluctance _under
all the circumstances_ (as the first judge expresses it) against being
a candidate--You thus see their _rotten certificate_ made the
foundation for the _rise_--_progress_ and _result_ of that _meeting_.
Thus does the charge of DUPLICITY, FRAUD and FALSEHOOD recoil upon the
heads of those _arch-certifiers_, or _the men_ employed in _obtaining_
and _giving currency_ to their shameful communication.

It then in fact ceases to be a question what was _said_ or _done_ by
that meeting, or any member of it. For according to every principle of
reasoning, _divine_ or _human_; if the _whole_ was grounded on _fraud_,
the whole was a _nullity_, and possessed no _moral force_. "If" says
the book, "Mr. Cowen's _nomination_ was procured _by fraud_, it cannot
be called a _nomination_; and may be departed from with impunity." It
turning out on investigation, that his _nomination_ was a _perfectly
fair one_, and his pretended _resignation_ founded on the _grossest
duplicity_;--whether it was _conditional_ or _absolute_, whether it was
_personal_ or _general_, it is void, and unworthy the name of a
_resignation_. _Eternal justice_ disavows it; _P