The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-09-27
'Gbs enquirer.
RICHMOND, aHb SEPTEMBER.
MEDICATION OF Ma. JEFFERSON.
TO THOMAS TURNER.
Ne. III.

ges, which you have brought forward again1 MIR.
Jeilerions conduct during the revolution, with all
t!.at Indignation and pity which ignorance and
prejudice 70 eninently deierve. AT each fsep ofIny
inve!figation find the character Of the criminal re
ling upon my view, whilft the character of hs perfe.
cutor is rapidly defending below the horizon. You
| have undertaken talk, fir, which Is above the
itrength OF mortal man To secomplih the talk Of mp
polling the mott irrefiible truths but you have diff
charged that Office with inprudence and imbeeilli-
| ty, which would disrace the meaneR loe,eisn. In
the face OF the American people you have proneune-
ed the moit REPUTABLE charges againa the mon et-
waited character III our country, without Jingle do
eun,ent 70 give them colourirg; without having fin
| gle witneis whom Won could dare to name. 81
| know nor what efeIa will be made upon your
mind ny the authenticated records & the Respectable
witneiies which have produced. have doubt tina,
the fame bitterness of PATTON which led you into .r-
ror will prompt you deny the reutation but np-
on my mind the .oncuiion is injrliby fixed thai this
body OF evidence is too great be refled and that
there is not Jingle tra Of Truth in the acculatons
which you have fuggeffed. Your political friends
fir may admire The extraordinary zeal which pron,pt-
ed you to the encounter, but they nun ridcu.e
the feeblenes Of the champion, who aimed tie blow
1oD aeeufed Mir. Jeferion of halely delering his
poll in the hour of danger. When Arnold made his
attack upon Mancheer, you reprelcn,ed the govern
or of Virginia flying before his troops with an unar-
rarrabe timidity. I'VE have proved that f. far from
flying, he remained in the very face Of the danger
that 10 far from, deferting bis poa, he dipay.d an
uncommon activity in Prefcrving the military flores
and the public records 10y repeat the fame fabu-
"us tale when you come &c peak Of Tarltons incur
hons: you place the refgration of Mr.. Jeferfon up
on the public records, when thcie record. expressly
contradict it and in the full uie of your poeeal Ii
cenee you unhore him in the very path of the enemy
and in the neighbourhood Of Monticello, when he
has peaceably retired to his eate in BEDFORD You
fepth Iafla ri! H.
the fpirit of and the energy of an officer when
there is fcarcely aa of his private life fcarce
meaure of his public administration, which does nor
make it matter Of doubt, whether he has been mon
wife in the ieeaion Of his ends or mott refo,ute in
the pro!ecution Of his expedents.
| You worid have erred, fir, in expecting from Ms
Jeerion thoie brilliant feats of chivary thofe extra
vaga:'t efufons of pafTion tho:e pouipous bo.s of
courage, which diliingnih fonie men i'll the active
tcenes OF life MIR. Jeferion is neither Tbrafo
TonaParte his literary purfuits have RATED him
above the military achievements Of the one, ard
dered unnecelary the ponpous pretenGons OF the o.
ther He was not educated in lEeole miiitaire, but
amid the fhades Of academic bowers. His purluts
have led him into the retirement of his coie, and not
INTO the bufle of life Cut off from all thole lizzie
inerehs which agitate IRE mind and force men into
coliion with each other, he has been fortunate e.
nough to avoid the d;fgnning fcenes Of contention
and when tho occaons have rarely occurred his cool
| and phofophic temper has enabled him to fubdue
his own feelings dreG the paiiions OF others. Had
you taken the trouble TO have extended your enqui-
ries into Mr. Jefferon's early life, you would have
heard the companions of his youth aerting the ill.,
trepidy of his character you would have found that
IN iuPpreihng riot in GlouceRer oeeaGoned by the
crew OF veilel. he fhewed preience of mind which
would have been worthy Of a more dignifed eaufe.
Had you viewed his public meafures with impair
tialty i5fead Of liaeuing " thoufand" namelefs
&C ~ n
every exertion which his ftuation admitted, for the
good OF his country, and in the high Office which he
at prefent fills itrpafiing even your moa favourte
! itateimen IN the importance of his fervces IF, FIR
You have fourd any better proof Of the energy of an
officer than the luccefs of his meaiures you would
perhaPs render iubGantal fervice your friends by
divulging the difsovery.
1t IS time then. fir, tina. you fhoud exchange fi,u-
atoms with the illuftrious patrio, whom you have
bufcd. With your eyes open to all the conicduences
OF your proceeding, you have placed him at the bar
oil perecutiOn and infarny, and il is time that your
own experience fi,oud teach you the coire1uenees
/ o your paionate impeachment I therefore charge
you IN the name of the violated naicy of truth with
grois ignorance wlful INTERPRETATION. charge
/ you not with alone, for that might have
been pardoned to the inevitable falty Of the under
Handing, bu, with long ferries Of aifertions,
which are neither fuPPortedby the majefy OF truth
nor ianetoned By the dignity Of virtue. 1t is then
time, ''nce not even your name the corteIl-
cy your opinions relieve youfromyou enabarrai-
msnt, that you fboud luminous the oIdeA and n,ofs
| respectable inhabitants Of Richmond" TO come forth
IN your bekah In iGuing theGe fnbpGnas you would
do well TO take the advice Of an opponent. Call no
man to yoneh for your sertions whole evidence NAV
he brought into contempt, by the obvious mpurity
oil his motives Above all avoid the aid Of fueh CT
items. as have not forgotten their reentmvrt TO Mr.
JeieTon for the lofs of place, and fuch foreigners
as have not yet forgotten their attachment TO the king
| of Great Britain.
Uii'l you hall exonerate yourfeif from ,hele char
ges, ihali paule in my reiearches Until thele are
completely wiped away, yon csrcely hope that the
other Parts Of your attack will he entitled to relpea
| or that the world viii demand a vnGieaton. It
would be injulce to the author to fuppofe that lis
work was UNEQUAL in It's parts;
Spritus iEtus al~t, totamque iufufa per artus
Mems agitat moisn, Ct nagno fe corpore INFECT.
Oae mind i1badgf5, one S,6sjive JSH
HisidS beLryg> H,sL', and zgjAeisi S,iafLs zcIat
The fame fpirit pervsdes even the nnu,eA rar,ifea
tions the fame bodnrf Of afertion without proof
che lame Petu!snSe Of temper without ddcret ola To
rms u7iortunate predirament wa therefore &c..
foefd either YOU mull undertake The uisvailny tax
Of an'werng charges ag1ina yourleH which are re-
corded IN the indelthle lines Of ttgth or you mua vf
'-r the charges which you l,avc bcono N a09iuH o.
q Il. r. -