The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-08-16
like newspaper, which lessons the post
Sbe.
Ihave the honor to be, sir, very respect
fully.
Your very obj servant.
LIB. COLVIN.

Your very ob't servant.
JB. CoLvIN.
{Ss3n Robert Smith.
On any other occasion than that OF deal
ing with a man who was acting double
part with me, admit it would have been |
wrong to have written in such a way as ] |
did to Mr.. Smith: But, in addition e. my |
other reasons, was curious to learn Mr..
Smiths real political intentions. My letter |
TO him, nevertheless, is chiefly justified by |
facts. did tell Mr.. Gales what is there |
in stated. and told no lie; for MIR. Smith |
had not the vile merit of procuring his place
by Intrigue, nor did he write the paragraph
announcing the offer of the Russian embas-
sy; ! wrote it myself, and handed it to the
press and did it to lessen the anguish of
Mr.. Smiths modification. always Thought
the Review in the National Intelligencer.
feeble and passionate, and some of its doc
trines are contrary to my political creed
AS to the information in the article about
Messrs. Pinkney and Rodney, it was the cur.
rent conversation of the City, and was,
therefore, telling no secret.
On Saturday, the 18th of July, Iprocsed-
ed to baltimore; from the time of my wri.
ting to Mr.. ,Smith, until my departure from
Washington, my conversation at the latter
place was, in general, calculated to conceal
my real sentiments |; and many were of o.
Il
stand in Mr.. Smiths behalf. This course
was necessary to preserve me from Being
betrayed by informers. Mr. Rounsavell,
one of the Editors of the, Alexandria He,
raid, was the only person to whom / fully
revealed the real motive of my Journey,
lie was in Washington the evening before
my departure: he had formerly lived with
me; knew him to be discreet, and man
OF probity, anc could, therefore. confide in
him.
On my arrival in Baltimore, on Saturday
evening, saw some of the editors of news
papers, and found them and the whole ci-
70 in high fever from the publication of
MIR. Smiths pamphlet said nothing to a.
Naken their suspicious that evening, and
the next morning waited ON Mr.. Smith
Oar interview did not continue more than
fifteen minutes, and would not have cont
nued half that time. if he mad nor pressed
me to stay after had risen to &C. II touch
ed the subject OF his pamphIet-of the ap-
preaching Presidential election--stated his
opinions en- that subject, &c. He spoke to
me OF my removing to Baltimore, to prac-
ticc the law. l now peremptorily declined
the proposition, and stated several reasons
in support Ct my determination. AS rose
TO depart, he said to me, "Well, sir, whe-
Their you remove to Baltimore, or remain at
Washington, you are welcome to the use of
my library; it at any time you want a law
book, you have nothing more to do than to
write to me, and---I 4viN send i. round by
sohter -" could hardly help laughing
loud at this proposal. We parted in We
ry friendly way. 1t has been insinuated in
the Baltimore prints. that / solicited Mr..
Smith for money. Nothing Of that kind is
true. The letter Of nine. here inserted, is
the only one I ever wrote to Mr. Smith af.
thr he went out of Office, and should not
have written that, had he not written to
me in the first instance. Before left Bal
timore, toidthe Editor of the Whig, that
MIR. Smiths pamphlet was full of errors !;
and that / wrote the letters to Generals
Armstrong and Turreau: Itold the Editor
OF the Sun. that thought should answe n
the pamphlet under my own name ; and Sc
verai other OF my acquaintance were by
me informed in the same way Immediate
ly after my return to Washington. + receiv-
ed the following letter from the editor OF the
Wing. 1t shows that the alarm was taken
at Baltimore; that was menaced with :
buse, if should utter any thing against Ms
Smith, and that the editor of the VINE be
came the channel for conveying the me
mace, under the mask of friendship This
was so much the more reprehensbe in Mr.
Irvine, as / had never done him the least in
jury: The letter also proves an indirect
If not direct, connection between Mr.
Smith and the editor of the Whig: And
what will the world think of the one & Of tn e
other, .rhen il is known that long ago thew
both had heard insinuated against me all the
silly tales which the Wig has Just re-
yived, with embellishments and that the
one. notwithstanding, proposed to become
my patron, and the other. in the language
of friendship, solicited from me confidential
communications of so private stature, that
even his own partner was not to be entrust
ed with them 1t must be confessed. that
their private sentiments do not correspond
with their public declarations or, tina, they
Have both been playing the knave with me.
Ehe latter is the point Of view in which I
frave considered the letter of MIR. Smith
and that of MIR. Irvine and have acted
towards than accordingly. But it is time
to insert the letter Of the editor Of the TYhft.
with my answer to il.
BAETIMoRE. July II, 1911.
Xour frankness while here, in con
versing on the late unfortunate djsnute be-
tween Madison and Smith, induces me to be
equally frank in mentioning what may he
OF use to yourself and the credit Of the de
mocratic party. As loD we're ubrcserved
10 speaking of the pamphlet Of R. 5. and
its Objectionable features, 4 happened to
talk OF your remarks in certain democra
tic company, where the address" and
80 Review" became subjects of free CONVEX
sation. It was limited to me by one of the
geptle men. privately that he unders,<<d