The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-03-06

The following communication was put into
our hands, after the preceding remarks were
written.-From the character of its author, we
have not Jingle doubt Of the truth of his frft
communication.
TO the Editor Of the Enquirer.
Give me leave TO obferve TO you, that BY
announcing Norfolk to be the place where the
letters Of admiral Wiaumez were landed, you
have invountarily gwen room to miRake of
which MI. Cowper'has availed himfelf, or hon.
curing my communication with the epithet of
.fupid and forrepretenting its contents as alb
iurd, malicious and falle. deem it nrcefTary
for the fake of truth and uf the refpeeability of
your paper to reetify rle error, and to retort his
a6ertions againa himief. 10 effect, the three
points on which he rees his defence, are evi.
IDENTITY Fupid, malicious, taJt Ind ak/wd.
He hrit brings into view the inconfifency and
folly of leaving difpat hes of this nature in
the hands of perfous unknown.
He next appeals TO the entities of the cuftom-
houie of Norfolk, to prove that no vefiel
had arrived there from HAVANA, fince the
10th of November 1906 to the I4th Jan
nary 1907, nor box of fugar been landed
&c.
And hnally he itates that hearing the contents
of the faid letters mentioned in converfation
he had requefted a perufal OF them which
was granted.
The fiupidity of the 6rft ofthefe three points
is obvious, for Mr.. Cowper yields thereby
tacit confefiion of what he wif1es to deny O.
penly, by concurring with me in charging the
bearer offaid letters with inconlifency, levity,
&c. without which his agents or correfpon-
dents could not have fuTnifhed him with the
lame. His fuggefion of aaother incon6ftercy
in ordering dispatches for Warrington and Bal
timore, to be fent to Philadelphia, is equally
ftuPid, unlefs he fhould prove that the faid let
tiers were landed within the Capes of Virginia,
Or that they were not all enclofed to the eonful
general at Philadelphia two circumstances, eli.
Their OF which mutt be perfectly known to Mr..
CowPer-at all events, what would that incon.
fittency prove? Nothing but a confeeuence
of the thoughtlefsnefs and levity, which we a.
gree that the bearer was guilty of; it does by
no means invalidate the charge of the infamous
tranfa6toD.
The appeal of Mr.. Cowper to the entries of
the cuftom.boule of Norfolk, is evidently mott
iophiitical for he knows perfectly well that it
was not at that place that the faid letters and
iugar box were landed or depofited. He took
hold fthe miRake which you have committed
by naming Norfolk, as the place underftood
by N**"~@* in my communication, with the
more eagernefs as he was confcious that he
could Satisfactorily prove that alfertion to be
erroneous.
The third point Of his reply, which hates
that the faid letters were handed to him i'm an
innocent manner, fuggeftng thereby that he
did not know, nor inquire, by what means they
had been obtained, is notoriouly infdious and
incorrect; for, few days prior to the publica-
ton thereof IA january he announced to his
honelt and fklful correspondent, the reception
OF Tome documents, which would difpay the
character and difpofitiou of fome French officers,
and their appearance in his next.-This infor
nation proves evidently that the faid letters
were fent to him from abroad, for, if they had
been handed to him in the manner by him re-
lated, it would have been ufelefs to inform his
correspondent that they were received: from
thefe it may reafonaby be inferred, that he tries
to cover his knowledge of the interrogation of
the faid letters by palpable INTERPRETATION.
Another proof of his want of candour and
coniequence, in this laR point of his reply, is to
be found in his anfwer to the letter of Commo-
dore Barney, in which he explicitly avows that
the faid letters have been intercepted, by eating
that the teRimony of general Turreau was not
necefary to prove that letters, 4uiJieb had been
intercepted, were not received by him.
Now, hnce Mr.. Cowper has publifl,ed let
tiers, which he knew TO have been intercepted
in an odioW manner, how will he clear himfelf
VI thS w tuOCrDUrn endPd-
voured to imprefs sgaiuft the celebrated DIR. a.
Franklin, on his candid, and, may add, ge-
rous explanation of tranfaction fomewhat f.
tHilar in England, in 1873!
" The letters could not have come to DIR. p.
by fair means Cfaid Mr.. W. the writers did
not give them to him.-Nothing then will
acquit DR.. T. of the charge of obtaining them
by fraudulent and corrupt means, for the
mott malignant of purpofes, unlefs he has
ftolen them from the perfon who ftole them /;
this argument is irefragabe. ] hope, my
lords, yoa will mark (and brandy the man,
" for the honor Of this country, of Europe and
I" Of mankind. Private correfpondence has hi
" therto been held facred in times of the great
Ell party rage, not only in politics but in re-
ligion. He has forfeited all the refpec1 of 70.
" ceties and of men. Into what companies
E" will he hereafter go with an unembarrafItd
face, or the honef intrepidity of virtue ?
Men will watch him with jealous eye, they
|" Will hide their papers from him, aid lock