The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-08-07
]" HALOUR OF THE WEST."
Iron the Cincinnati (ohio) Gazette.]
XH1 OlnLnn1nfick (nnfrn1,erefl.


The pubick mind has been somewhat ex-
cited towards a newspaper warfare subsisting
between dr. Secretary Adams and jonathan
Russell, Esq. late commissioners in the treaty.
making mission to Client. The persons are
both conspicuous in publick life. Mr. Russell
possesses some talents: Mr.. Adams meets his
equals only in the highest walks of human In
teiEgences. The reputation of the former has
been seriously compromised by his own vol
untaFy act, while that of the latter has sus-
tanned violent assault from the political ieal-
ousies and rivalries by which he is surrounded
We have taken some pains to get at cor
rect understanding OF this subject, and we pre-
sumo succinct analysis OF the facts win be
acceptable to those who have not had access
to the prolix publications OF the parties con-
cerned. At some perioI during the last ses-
sion of Congress, the outdoor political circles
at the metropolis, which appear TO be not 1T
tie infected with the scandal mania, were fur
nishcd from some unknown quarter with many
significant intimations concerning a certain
pirate leifer, said to have been written by Mr.
Russell during the negotiations at Client, in
1915, and addrs ssed to MIR. Monroe, the then
Secretary of State. In thai letter Mr.. Russell
and Mr.. Clay were represented as constituting
minority in the board of commissioners, en-
the question Of rendering to the British peni-
potentiares a renewal to their nation Of the
. right TO navigate the Mississippi, as an equva-
lent for the privilege, to be also renewed to the
. United States, of taking and curing fish with
in certain portions Of the British jurisdiction
The exparte and partial PRONUNCIATION Of
this pirate letter, for the obvious purpose Of
stignatizing the diplomatick conduct of Mr..
Adams, reckless OF the imputations resulting
10 his colleagues, Messrs. Bayard and Gala
tin, produced so deep sensation at Washing
ton as TO induce resolution in the House of
Representatives, requesting the President to
communicate any letter from Mr.. Russell that
might be found in the Office Of the Department
Of State, having relation to the reports thus
pnt in circulation. The President, in reply,
said there was no such letter on file in that Of
fee. llercGpon application was made TO Mr..
Russell fora duplicate of that letter, which he
consented TO furnish, expressing, at the same
time, reluctance 20 do so. 1t was in an evil
, hour that he complied with this request, for in
50 doing he was self bcguiled into a woful di-
lemma, from which his ingenuity has not been
able 10 extricatc him. The pretended dupi-
cate, thus presented by MIR. Russell, appears,
by parallel passages exhibited in Mr.. Adams's
remarks, TO vary essentially from the original
letter, which was subsequently found among
the papers no. on file, it having been marked
"priraie."
Here Mr.. Russell u,happily overshot hin.
self, and was betrayed by fatality which
sometimes illustrates the most artful schemes
Of mischief, into a wiIfu and deliberate viola.
ton Of truth, which the exigencies Of the case
could by no means Justify, unless il were con-
coded that the selishness Of the purpose could
eonsecrate the maligriity of the act. And we
are sorry to find him still making a laborious
attempt in his rejoinder to vndicate a conduct
which the most subtle sophis.ry would in vain
essay to extenuate. Truth is a unit and hon
esty, as snch, is not divsible-nei,her know
we of any qualifications to which they are sub
jet. II they are made to conform to circum-
stances, aud subserve every varying convenient
cy Of interest and ambition, they lose their es-
sential qualities, and are no longer the atui-
hntes o. a virtuous mind. Many of the difficult
ties and ialnietudes belonging to this affair
had resulted from the chit-chat misrepresenta-