The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-04-28
City @Wa@i1gton, AprR u, 1907.

DEAR SIR,
Yesterday evening l received your letter CT
the sth %inttant, e~ncioGng a Morning Chronicle
OF the preceding day, t~ogether with a copy Of
your letter TO Mr.. Chancellor Lantns, a id Iii.
aniwer, on the iubJect OF a publication ia .aat
paper under his fsnature, v hich you very iunIv
couilder AZ luxurious to my reputation.
Since l have had the honour to fl The Office
1 now hold in the general government, | have
as well from a ienic Of propriety AS o,ner con-
alterations itudtouliy avoided an inc rfe.encc IN
any fate elections, and ! truit it will roi be
confinered as a departure rom that rule " hen I
undertake to rsPei this Is curious and u5iuAifa-
bic attack upon my character, from a qua-ter
when e | had the irail reafon to expea il. Had
Mr.. Lanhng condeicended TO comply with your
rea!onabie requeit OF giving to this charge a
more fpecifc form, it would have been an ev;.
dence OF f'n.e remaining candor aud rendered
MS conduct III this particular lefs exceptional
bic.
Beiug ignorant Of the circumstances mention
ed IN MIR. Laniing's publication as having paG,d
between himieif, Judge Spencer ard Dc Witt
Clinton, Vt would ue as improper for me as 1t is
unnecsiidry to take any notice of them. lean
not perceive any natural connection either be-
tween theie or the iuipicions which he enter
taiaed of Judge Tayler aud Doelor De WITT.
respecting the manner in which his nomination
was announced, and the charge which he has
thought proper to exhibit agaiuh ne. They
certainly 80 not afford the nighief evidence
tending to impeach my conduct. They appear
indeed 10 have excited frong jealouiy IN his
mind, which may have perverted his judgment,
and led hiin to do All incorrect thing, and fer
this they might be offered with fome D opriety
as an Imperfect apology.
The only conversation that ever pafTcd be-
tween Mr.. Lanling aud myfelf on the fubjec, of
his nomination, was on the day fdbie4utmt 10
IFS being made. ] was informed that he hid
taken offence at the manner III VIII oh it had
bsen announced in The Albany Rccjtter, a-d
Tome other circumstances, and III. IN ccusc-
quence it was probable he would not acccgt.
Entertaining as | did a warm and fincere friend
Tip for MIR. LfOfng, and the beft opirion Of
his political principles & integrity | regretted an
event which might prevent his acceptance. In
the cOurle of tie day, MIR. LanEng calico upon
me at my houfe, ] believe, though DO not poi
iettIy iccOiiett, at myrtquett. 1 incn. ioned to
him The report had heard, adding, tha' ] h psd
It was not true. He appeared to be conlid RAJ
oily agltated, and anfwered by faying that he
! coniidered himfeif i'll treated, aud enumerated
wa or three lnltances-particulafly the manner
in which his nomination had Teen announced,
aud iome infnuations, which he alledged to
have been made, calling in queition his political
integrity. IrepbCd TO h m by fome concIli tory
Ob'N''htOnSJ td'IuIdtSu w P"N'J anu W per-
iuade him to accept of the nomination. in
addition TO his former objections, he then mem
toned that MRS. Lanhng & Instantly we're op-
poied to his being a candidate. Aud believing
asl did that this lar ojjetuon could have qunc
as much weight IN iotmug bis deciiOu as enner
of the former, ! mentioned fish rcdlOns Al I
thought beit calculated to obvidie Mrs. Lat.
fng'5 Objection. Mr.. Lanfng loon after LETT
me, apparently with much cordlan.y, laid he
would reject on the iutjsG, and promied to
INFORM me Of his final dete, minaion in the
coutie of the afternoon. Some Ghort time aner-
wares l was informed, whether W Mir. Lanhng
or by common report do not oow recollecf,
that he bad declined the nomination.
Tina, Toe sbOye Ratemout 10 EuGdatiaily cor
req, can confidently aai,H aad Tia, henber
OH li,s Eor on any former o,c.ao" Gid ! ever
m~e...";o NJ. Laudng =" say ..ageJsr lis aas'