The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-06-26

The former might proclaim it, if he pleased
but the latter was bound As gentleman TO re-
tain it-as we cannot doubt that he did; but
Mr.. Russell, surely, made grand mistake,
when he attempted to convert pTirafe paper
into pu6lick document. The conclusion 10
irresistible, that he was the real cause OF the
call made for the production of this letter.
We are quite certain that the gentleman who
made it, is incapable OF violating private con-
fdence, for we have the pleasure to know his !.
worth-but in behalf of Mr.. Russell, charity
may plead that he had forgotten the facts
which the Message of the President disclosed I;
he may have believed that his private paper
was publick one, and SO misled others as to
lis quality.
g 1t will berecolceted, that some time ago
the President had been requested to lay be-
fore the House any unpublished correspon-
dence about the treaty of Client, which he
should think it compatible with the publick
good to transmit to that body. This request
was promptly complied with, and the papers
in the department of State were freely commu-
nicated. On receiving this document, after
having read it, we inquired Of friend at
Washington, why money had been expended
in printing it-ior the expenditure appeared
to be without any sort of point or utility: he
replied, it was supposed that these papers
would have implicated Mr.. Adams, as one of
the commissioners, which they did not for
the papers were signed by all of the commits
sioners. On the 10Th of April, special call
was made for the particular letter of Mr.. Rus
sell-it was not 10 be found in the department
OF State; and, the fact being made known, he
then undertook to furnish copy of it, to be
sent to the House, as that called for by the res
olution. MIR. Adams was startled with the
matter as presented, and renewed his search
for the orignal-it was not to- he had he was
justly alarmed, for he became liable to sus.
pcion that he had destroyed il, or OF great
carelessness for having misaid it. Luckily
for him, the idea OF searching among the Pres
ident's pirate papers offered itself-and in
these (after two days labour, as was said ut
Washington,) il was discovered, and the orig
inal as well as its reputed duplicate, is now
before the publick, with the answer and re-
marks OF Mr.. Adams thereon about all Wick
every one will judge for himself. A rejoinder
from Mfr. Russell, may be expected, and we
shall see how he viii get over the nndelcacy
OF calling for a private paper from publick
man-how he will reconcile the matter set
forth III the duplicate with the contents of the
original, aud do away ';ie impression which so
generally prevails, that he would not have
furnished the latter if he had not felt conf
dent that the former was lost. Mr.. Adams's
reply is warm-it may be called severe but
the circumstances of the case more than justi-
fy him: he might have proceeded much fur
Their with the appreciation of honorable men,
for he was unfairly assailed."
We had prepared the preceding extract last
week. Since that time, the appearance in
the National Ess, of laboured apology for
Mr.. Russell. will perhaps render acceptable
some further notice OF the subject.
SO unequivocal is the general sentiment Of
Mr.. Russell's immediate constituents, in rela-
ton to his attack on Mr.. Adams, that no per-
son processes to believe he has found an adyc-
cate among Them. The Editor of the Egis,
himself, while he directs his readers to the ar
ticle we have alluded to, shakes his head, as il
to remind the writer of the utter hopelessness
Of his case. Whether the article proceeded
from Mr.. Russell's own pen, (Which is Seliev-
ed by some who, recollect the famous attack
on Mr., RS predecessor during the canvassng
for the seat he now occupies,) or whether it
Is from that of some confidential agent, is quite
immaterial. IL fails of its intended effect.
Nobody is dull enough to be deceived into the
belief that any citizen of this Congressional
District has engaged in the Quixotick adven-
ture undertaken by this vizored knight. Who
ever ne is, he evidently does not ride at ease
his port and speech are both assumed, and he
delivers his, message like one who seeks to
disguise his reluctance by an elaborate invol-
ution of words.
II rs not our object TO examine particularly
this apology for Mr.. Russell. 1t is probably
only prelude to more formal defence sent
out, as "pilots" sometimes are by aeronauts,
to ascertain the state of the atmosphere, and
the direction of the wind
With the exception of the writer Of the ar
ticle in the Egis, the Editor of the Boston
Statesman, is the only champion who has ven
tured to defend Mr.. Russell. OF him, writer
in the CtrOniclc & Patriot says
" His first object seems to be to make the
controversy between Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Rus
sell, party affair, and to enlist under his
banners, his republican readers, which, to say
the least, is not by any means candid"
Again tie writer in the Chronicle says---
g The writer in the Statesman is not con-
tent with enlistng republicans on the sido of
Mr.. Russell--he wishes to slsre the federal
lists also.''
Now we apprehend this is labourlost Fed
eralists, as party, feel no sort of interest in
The controversy: As American citizens it will