The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-02
THE ENQUIRER
RICHMOND, DECEMBER ., 1908.


The following frank and liberal structures
are from the last Spirit of '76.' If the
ingenious author has no better way of cx-
pressing his gratitude to Sc the benefactor of
his country" he had much better leave the
theme to more discriminating minds.-We
have hitherto thought it best to say nothing
as to the ridiculous topic which he has
touched. There was little doubt, however,
that the e'busy body" spirit, or the venom
OF some of the opposition-prints, would
give it circulation. We are not disappoint-
ed And we nsw avail ourselves of the op-
portunity of stating few particulars which,
we believe, Comprize all the important
facts on this subject.
EXTRACT.
"THE PRESIDENTS SECRETARY.
Here follows short extract of letter
which appeared in the Enquirer of Oct %. ]
"We do not feel ourselves authorised to
attack the character of any gentleman -
nay, 1t is what we shall never do but we
think it correct to state facts, and to investi-
gate the acts of public men with decencD.
1t said that the above extract was written
by Mr.. COLES, the private secretary of the
President, to his brother of Albemarle coun-
ty. who was In this place when it was pub
lished in the Enquirer-It excited much ex-
pectation and speculation.
ID,
bacco, wheat and corn were becoming very
brisk.
Many were taken in, as the report goes.
"The Presidents crop OF tobacco being in
market, 1T is said, (and correctly too we be-
Heve) sold for seven dollars per cwt-It has
been said by many and believed by some no
doubt. that the letter was written within his
knowledge and for that and other purposes
10 this we say without hesitation, we have no
doubt 1t is false but we do not perceive up
on what ground and with what views such
a letter could have been written by Mr..
Coles. 1t was after the Richard arrived.
and before the hofie, at New-York; and we
know OF nothing since, that could justify it.
hur. Coles should erhiatn. For it ought,
and no doubt will give him pain to hear that
any letter of his has been turned to the in
jury of his fellowmen, and more especially
To the injury OF the benefactor of his country,
Mr.. Jefferson
The best explanation of this letter will be
snort history of the circumstances that pro-
duced it. We believe that the following his
tory may be relied on.-The brother of Mr..
Coles had written him from Albemarle. that
the greater part of their crop of wheat was
IN such situation from having remained A
long time in bulk, that he had resolved to go
O'S''p'hu Sht Ssll IL IOr Whatever 1t would
bring. ON the receipt of this letter, Mr..
Coles IS instant determination was TO ATTEMPT
10 dIssuade him from making, a sale, and his
letter was written solely with that view
i he facts which it contained, of the price of
wheat in England, and of the failure of the
crop there, were spoken of generally i'm the
city OF Washington, and are said to have
oeen mentioned the evening before by Mr..
madison to gentleman in his presence. He
nad seen also III the newspapers, that Mr..
Plnkney and Mr.. Canning had lately had Sc
verai conferences together, and that it had
oeen proposed to take off the embargo as it
respected Great Britain, on her rescindino
ner orders as they related to the u. States,
ne inference, that most men would have
drawn from these facts taken together. was.
that our differences would be Accommodated
1t was presumable that if the crop had failed
IN England, tlris of itself would be concu-
siVe' as supply could, under existing cir
ccumStances, only be obtained from us
knowing nothing Of what was passing in the
cabinet.as we have the strongest reasons to
oeheve--'iaving had no conversation with
the president on the subject Of our foreign re-
iauons winch gave the least intimation of
their actual situation, and having never seen
any OF the dispatches which had either been
@'ltten or received, MIR. Coles certainly nei-
her possessed nor pretended to communicate
any information which any other person
bnSnt not have obtained. He was writing
!" cfC'her, with whom he had long been