Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-07-15


on Of the facts. We cannot know what re-
ally past in that private interview between
Mr.. Smith and the President, since we nave
only Mr. Smith to tel us; but we know what
afterwards past between MIR. STaith and o.
Their people. On Coming OUT from the Presi-
dents house we Know he informed the clerks
N his otiice, and some other persons too, that
ne was going minister to Russia and lie did
this with apparent pride and satisfaction. On
the same DAY he handed note u the editor
OF the National intel.gencer announcing his
(; ard another note soon after aD-
peared in the same paper ma snitylng the IN
portance ct this mission, declaring it 10 lie
. the NEST houor..b.e APPOINTMENT abroad
tnat Is III the glit OF our government; a
mere editorial declaration, which Is now RI
diculously attributed to Mr.. Madison. This
arutlce 8 really too lite 20 laugh at and
sUcn Childish rattie-ocx might safely be
ieit In the hand OF Mar smith, If the same
hand did not likewise held a dagger.
And because Mir. Madison was willing to
send him to Russia, does this prove slin, ca
paole VI conducting the Department Of State ?
In oar apprehensixn there IS no Comparison
III the requisite QUALIFICATIONS for these two
places. i nc interests OF the United States q Z
ot. i'etersourgn, though Important IN taeA
commerciai amount, are Very simple in their
management; ANA TINS may DC chiefly done
BY Instructions from home. The President
may nave had good reason fer sending hlm
into the Gulph % Finland, without paying a.
ny extraordinary homage TO ms t,lents MFR.
omith is man OF fortune, and can afford to
spend more. money than the amount OF his
salary; which we are informed IN Americ an
minister ct st. PererSbuIgh must do, as it is
SAID TO be impossible for family 10 I've there
In the sue that the usa3es OF mat court re-
cure, on the compensation allowed by the
american government to us ministers a
bread
LIS not easy for us to know what the Pre-
sident's lnotiy IS might be sor this offered no
mlnailcn. Tney might be various some II
them may have escaped ouI penetration, but
our readers too, viii surely ascribe It to any
thing else rather than d confidence In his Ca
paclty and fidelity equal to the management
OF the Department ot State.
But why should llr. smith in his printed
book deny what is known to SO many people,
that he at iirst declared his intention Of ac-
cepting the appointment TO Russia, and was
VAIN oil II! Why attempt TO disguise the rea-
sons OF his afterwards declining the RIssionl
1t was said at the time, beat we do not guar
antee the truth oithe report, that ms friends
dlSsuaded him from it, ON the belief that he
would not pass the Senate. We DO not I'M
agine however that bis vanity would admit
THIS as a motive; the more probable cause
may be that he calculated on Joining the en-
emes = the present administration aad, at
the next Presidential election, working HIM
sea- into a higher station than he did at The
last. We needed not the publication OF ms
pamphlet to enable US to understand TINS pro-
ject. The Parties concerned and the mann
ner IN which they have distributed the CHI ~
acters for the new administration are dis
tinCtly known and it is evident that this ma
ehinery could not be SO wei put in motion
from the bottom OF the Guiph OF Finland as
he thought it could from Baltimore.
Mr.. smith begins his pamphlet with a We
ry singular mistake. He says he owes to the
people an exposition of the circumstances
which produced his resignation ofthe depart
ment of State. 1t is not impossible that a
man Of delicate sense of obligation and not
accurate IN his accounts Should thin. he
owes debt, that he really does nut owe ;
and we are inclined to believe that this is
such case. We cannot think tie people
had any legal Claim Oil that gentleman for
TINS exposition, even lift had been 2 true one.
But certainly they had no riglt TO such
orc as tins; and now, as a portion OF that
sane people 70 whom he HIS given it, we
here undertake to restore it entire to the
said Robert Smith. We viii count II out IN
full tale, piece by piece, jast a. he paid il in.
And after detecting his false coins, mis- clint
gdineas and sweated eaglC. with which he
mas paid the debthe did not owe, we wiz re-
verse the account current, audit the articles
and compare his vouchers. We will expose
his e.rhoSiyioH;" ana though he assigned
the account without the usual reverse OF e,-
rorS e1ceftea, we will still grant him the
privilege to take it all back and say no more
about II.
Ills great effort is to resolve the Presidents
dissatisfaction with him into other causes
than his own incapacity. For this purpcsc
he mentions twelve distinct cases in which
he says that he and the President differed in
opinion. Tins Is the first time, we had all
most said, We ever heard that Robert Smith
differed in opinion with any body. But we
wii follow him IN bis twelve cases.
.l,1. 1st. The letter to Mr.. Erskine Of Au-
gust 1909, which he has gwen us III e.cfenso,
IS the hrst case stated by Mr.. Smith. nc
does NOS inform US what is the inference he
means VIC should draw from this article OF
his exposition. lie says that MIR. Madison
was dispicascd at this legter, and thatwe the
people should nave no diaiCuity In discover
Ing the cause Of il. Really this is paying zoe
hl5n = Compliment u oui' 0isce,nment. \Ee
cannot discover this cause. Netholght our.
selves pretty good divers; bit this IS coins
too deep Tor to; we Cannot follow MIR smith
~ this leadcn plunge. There Is. however
one solution OF Ike r.I-rrltv e,,.-.;o,.t.., 81.