Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-08-12

- '"N munster The sentiments which the letters
contain are such as the Emperor of the French has
nerteG but policy dill not prescribe the exprcss;
On vi t"em ut that time: l wrote them for the
good q, my country inasmueh as they were TO be u
se", ana Que ot them used. in her behalf Mr. |
smith never Dictated TO me; Ills common ohsc,ya-
ZION w@, u want you 10 frame letter in such a |
style, or temper for such purpose l" aud then |
wrote the letter agrcesbly to my own ideas But |
why shnuid dwell upon these tsro letters Ilave
Wr',tanst feast twenty and the records of The De
asrt,nent o State verify the fact. do not pretend
10 nave written al that bear his nape; but lam per-
suaJod that Mr.. Smith never wrote one dploniatc
ciicr, rs Secretary of State ct any pth or moment
| never considered this rs a ms,ter for exutatcn
40 man ever heard me open my lips on the subject
| u hac literary reputation enough. But felt ii a
business of labor. These letters were composed out
o. once hours. and sometimes kept me EMPLOYED
u" Midnight. never received any compensation
Tor them and this brings me To the topic OF graft
| luce: thy gratitude be meant that sensation OF
tnanst1!ncss which is felt for benefits conferred,
| ,he'i MIR. smith ought tn be- grateful to me. He
mss received, more favors ut my hands than ever
received at his. IL was under his Sccrctar, shin
that went into the Department. of State; but in
,hs case merely received payment from, the pub
| nc tor services performed Tor the public and he
placed me and LEFT me at one ofthe lowest salaries
| MY situation remains the same MIR Smith never did
me any e;hcr favor worth mcntioning then,
can be cal.eS, ungratefu clsime my letters in
deed, when he prostitutcd them TO wrong Aud,
II lend my sworr! TO IN acquaintance To ndorn his
prevent the mischief he intends certainly ought
to do il, and would do il at the periof my life.
Mr.. Smith issued his pamphle, some time in Jane.
The moment pc-ised it, perceived the dclieacy of
! my situation; and my mind occupied with
| thoughts rs TO the best mode OF counteracting H.
without appearing in the face of the world the
antagonist of Mr.. Smith. After revolving the sub
iect IN my mind day two, Determined on go
inS 20 Baltimore speak the republican editors
OF newspapers there whom knew, and TO induce
them It possible TO relinquish their defence OF the
| pamphlet Having come to this determination,
| was one day proceeding from my lodgings the
| pcnnsylvera Avenue to the Department OF State,
! when respectable looking man on horseback came
| up with me, and enqnired &c name was Colvin
Answering in the affirmative, he tod nc that he
was from Baltimore; the. when leaving that city a
| young man had committed to his Letter for
me- which, said the stranger, being in at Air. Whoa
tons store, left there and, if YOU viii sep back
| you Will get IT, There afectstion of indilIer-
/ ence. yet seeming earnestness in this persons
manner, that excited my curiosity, and was pro-
ceeding to Mr.. Wheaton's store when n servant of
my lodgings crossed the street, called him and sent
hin Tor the letter. On receiving il, found that the
envelope was in Handwriting unknown to me; the
enclosure letter in the proper handwriting
OF Mr.. Smith: A copy of it follows:
Baltimore, Juiy /, 1911.
Mr.. E. CoLv1N, Washington
Understanding chat you have Just been admitted
10 the bar at Washington, and thence presum.ng
that you intend to devote yourself to the profession
OF tne law ana 10 ABSTRACT yourself from public lie Y
political strife, lhave tor repeat to YOU my dispos ton
to give YOU every assistance that may be in nv pow
or Rnt BALTIMORE would. think. be a more sui
table field then Washington. IL you should concur
with me IN this opinion and should accordingly esta-
blish yourself here, you may calculate on INV occa-
sonal instruction and upon the entire use Of my law
| library. The criminal court here affords almost
daily opportunities by volunteering your services Of
eXhhtng proofs oil your talents, and of thus recon-
ment.ng yourself to all kinds of persons for all kind
OF business, that might be worthy of attention.
! Accept my best wishes.
| (Sgned) r. SMITH
ty OF aspects; but whatsoever way I viewed il, it
appeared TO me marked with Mr. Smith's habltual
cunping.,
LIST 1t might be intended TO feel NV pulse and as
certain what stand intended to take in relation to
the pamphlet. Had l. therefore. at once replied a,
| MIR. Smith that should contradict HIM. he would
have taken precautionary steps, and should have
been denounced, beforehand in the TJhig or in the
| Federal Rer1lJi. an.
Cd. The expression I" maze TO rebeat 10 you nav
disposition 10 gie yen ereTy necessary assistance
that may he ii my Po1eer," have doubt was in
tended TO induce me TO ask Mr.. Smith for money
lie had never before expressed to his disposition
to give me every necessary assistance in his power
and therefore, to say he re5sGted It, to say an
untrath. Had asked linn for money, he could then
have represented me TO the world as a merccnary
/ wretch
Sd. The leterwas calculated to draw from me COM
plment or approval OF the pamphlet; in which case
| cHOuiu nave STOOD cOTnmttSfi, anu he might have
charged me with Inconsistency, and thus have wca-
4 kened the force of my testimony.
| 4fh. Even silence would have been 10 Mr. Smith
proof OF my hostile intentions, aud he would have
! aete'! towards an enemy.
! 9th. was going to Baltimore. Had he
suspected me, the newspapers would have
tcemed with declarations of my being an
emissary of the government. How solid
these conjectures we're, let the recent publ
cations in the Uhic attest.
My confidence in Mr.. Smith had long been
shaken: and about the period he left the de-
partment of state it was altogether annihila-
ted. still I" endeaUored to respect him -
but could not. The immediate cause of it
was this: on goins ont of Office he said to me |
=" Mr. Colvin, give you my honor that
they viii turn you out of place: they will in |
vent against you some scandalous story, and
make 1t pretcxt for your expulsion:
therefore advise you Immediately TO ask |
leave of absence, go off to New York. and
set up paper The public will think Won
can say great deal about the president, and
every body win take your paper" This de-
ciaration, expressed with great earnestness, |
made me uneasy; but MIR. Smith had scarce !
| ~ lett the city, when had occasion to learn
that there was no intention Of dismissinrr me. |
and that Mr.. Smiths intelligence was false. |
then began 20 perceive the cunning. Of his |
advice; IT was, that by taking such a rash |
step under the influence Of fear, should |
lose my post, be placed in hostile attitude
with respect to the government he would be |
safe, and | might be ruined. This insidiors |
counsel, given With great artfulncss and with |
apparent sincerity, was. have since tl,o,,oht |
very cruel III Mr.. Smith Just such another |
attempt did I consider The letter from him |
OF the 1st ult. which have inserted. Under |
all the circumstances, having taken tyyo daTs |