Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-12-30

an accessory, after the fact, bv conpnisantlv
arproprlatinG TO himself the fruits of this mi.
qulty.-Not word is said by the NIcssrs.
Adams, or Their friends, against this violation
vi " ashingions confidence. That breach of
conndFcce operates in favor of Mr. John
quincy They reserve their csnsure for that
when operates against him !-Upon This
statement of facts, hold tho Younger Cun-
nlngham justified, against the Adams, in
making The publication in question Admit
'lnS ms conduct 10 be, In itself, the violation
OF n hish moral obligation, yet against the
MessrS. Adams, father and son il is no of
fence They have ne right To complain. be.
cause they have set him the example, taught
him the arr, and received the benefit, Of ,oa-
Ing The sanciify private correspondence.
SECOND ARGUMEHT.-M politics. nothing as
secret under republican government
On reading the correspondence it is seen
that the contents are wholly political, relating
10 the scienre and practice of government Ia
TN" principles. conduct, and character orpuh-
Inc men, and 10 the policy and history of the
U. 5. during the eventful period of the close
ni The last century and The commencement of
the present.
The difference between the politics of a ma
ton, and the private concerns of family. i
tos obvious To be insisted anon. From their
nature, one ia public, the other pri,nip. Ell
ters upon the latter sub iect eau never ba di,ui-
Ged without covering the eXposer of family Sc
crets with the blacklist infamv. MOI so with
the former. The principles and actions of pnb-
lie men are public things, and the people have
ar'Sht To know them. OF candidates fur Of
nee, IN republican government, this axiom is
rh'heh''y true, They, especially have no right
10 Two sets oi principles false set for pubic
shew, and true set for private Use A candi.
date v no undertakes To deceive i'm this way. "a
counterfeiter OF things more valuable than
SoIu ana silver; and to defect and expose Il no
ltcai counterfeit, Is equally laudable, and 10 4
Hce people IhHniteIy more ser, ceablt, than To
detect the common debasers of the current
coIn.-The answer of General Washington To-
hr' Edmund Randolph, is the only one which
can De given 10y public man. When the
iatler gentleman, removed under censure,
IN the year '94, from the Office of Secretary
Of State, asked leave of General Washington
I" publish certain private letter, which ht.
believed necessary To his Justification, that
pure patriot not only gave the leave requested,
pul enlarged the license uf publication To e, g.
~ letter, and every word, of his life.
\ "u ate "a iull liberty pubisb. without re-
serve, any and every private and confidential letter
eVri wrote I" You nay, more, eve:y word ever
'efeu 10 you, or 10 your presence, nom whence YOU
ca" dtrlye any advantage J." your viudicario".''
49,, IM"SsG"'S life Of Warrington. FOL D. Agyepdir.
what contrast between this answer and
tnat of the elder Adams To a like request
from Mr. Cunningham!
haV' received your three last letters The cor
resp"''le"ce AMI conversations which have passed
"e'"eeh us, nave been under he con6deniaI seal OF
secrecy and friendship. ANY violation of il will he
breach oi honor and OF plshied faith shall me-
VeF release you from H. # IL were in my power; but
IL Us not. Alter all the permission ihni could give
your conscience ought to restrain YOU / coud IA
well release you from your ohedience lo the ieca-
ogWr; Letter Gl Jan. 18th, 1910
What contrast 49,. Washington throws
open The book of his political life, and tells the
world TO read il !; Adams shuts close the vol
ume which hee himself had written, aud in
Vokes the sacred names Of honor, friendship.
confidence, secrecy, against every attempt to
expose u lo view. To protect himself from
this exposure, he even nIoOts new point i'm
casuistry, pretending that he has no power 10
reieasea confidence which he himself and he
alone, had imposed Dreadful, indeed, must
De the exposure which could drive an aged
man TO take shelter under such subterTuge
Nothing but the knowledge of the fact that
the publication of these letters would be fatal
To the neU born scheme Of his son, as well as to
ms own reputation, could have goaded him
INTO the folly of combining such a childish alb
SurdIty with the lmpey Of giving to his COM
Handment OF secrecy, the same binding force
over The conscience of man which the Holy
Scriptures attribute to the Ten Command
ments OF Almighty GSd.-But these letters,
so alarming To the writer, may contain some
thing necessary for the republicans of the L
y 10 know. They relate to the political cOn-
duct of public men, during AN evpntful pc
rod. They furnish materials for history. for
the information of posteritv. They tell Of the
sudden, Jnini, and Simuitane0us CONVERSION of
me .beSSrS .fddms, Jnther and son, from fdr-
rdttsm 10 TepubficdHiSH in The t0iJ,ter Of I307-g.
They exhibit the best men of America i'm the
hlackest cOlors, and display the two Nessrs.
Adams as angels OF light.--We can regret
That such letters were ever written; we can
pity the aged man who is now overwhelmed
with confusion; but we cannot blame Mr..
Cunningham. The fault was in the writing.
not in the publication. II is not wrong TO tell
the people, what the people have righL tu
know. They have a right to know the true
political principles Of Mr.. John Quincy A.
dams, now u candidate for the Presidency (:
and, Il he was worthy or the encOminm of
Washington, be could have No objection 10
/ follow his example, and permit the book of
his life io be laid open. Bot he draws back
from that. His parlzans raise a storm against
The man that draws him forward and this
struggle must augment the anxiety ofthp com
mon people Ia obtain mn inside Die,O of those
political principles which one is so anxious ~
conceal, the other to display.
TmRD AReuMENr :--Thnt Mr.. Albums prnc.
Hsed an imposition on .Ur CitnnineLam.
Iniieh nbsoired him from all Obligations oJ'
secrecy tOIOnyds him
The case is This:
| 10 1905 Mr. Adams undertook 10 furnish,
Mr.. Cunningham with materials for writing
/ the life 0f Jefferson. He did SCI, and painted
him in the blacklist cOlurs. The leading Do me-.
ri nf he FOE /.