On April 19, 1824,
Ninian Edwards, a former
United States Senator from
Illinois, presented an address to the
Congress, preferring charges against
William H. Crawford, then
Secretary of the Treasury and a candidate for the Presidency.
The address was accompanied by letters, reflecting on the integrity of
Secretary Crawford, signed A. B. The
House appointed a committee of seven to investigate the charges, and on May 25 the committee submitted a report exonerating
Secretary Crawford.
While on his way to
Mexico, to which he had been sent on a public mission,
Mr. Edwards acknowledged the authorship of the letters and also made new accusations against
Secretary Crawford.
After the committee had exonerated the
Secretary,
Mr. Edwards was recalled to substantiate his charges, but failed to do so. This episode became known as the
A. B. Plot.