Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-09-09
TO THE EDITORS OF THE rsqurnrn.


TO THE EDITORS THE ENQUIRER
Pfrginia, August SOFA, 1928.
GENTLEMEN IN vour paper of the 10Th ,ns,ap, :,
paragraph is copied from the % Louisville Public Adj
seri's"r, importing that Mr.. Clay had DELAYED his
answer TO Mr. Adams exposition of The (;Len, =. .
goci,'ions, for h. return of Mr. CiaIIan In The H.;
ted States that Air Gallatin had now returned, thar
There could I've no longer any excuse 10, delav &c
Tbs paragraph rs injurious TO Mr.. CLAY by placing
The delay OF his answer TO a cause both untrue and
Insufficient.
II was "otihe absence of Mr. Gilla,in, but the
pendency OF the presidential election, which has
caused ihiS delay aud this distinctly stated Inv
Mo. Clay the time that he announced his n,..,;,
VI answering MIR. Adams
Some have supposed that IL was not nccess,rv for
nm 7" answer al all hut this opinion mus, he CON
hned Ia those who have not read Mr.. Adams book
upon the Mississippi and the Fisheries
That book has laid MIR. Clay under the necessity of
| answering it,
Besides 0peaiy attacking the nrn;ons delivered by
INN a Ghem nesides openly mputiny Ia him con-
duet upon the Fisheries which would suppose hin,
To he nnmindul of the protection due 10 that nursery
ol seanen aud source Of national wealth besides
openly maintaining opinions the subject of the ma
VACATION oi The mississippi by the BRUSH which ex
per'ence mas proved TO he essentially injurious 10 the
peace and prosperity OF the West besides these omen
a''acks mon Mr.. Clay and his opinions The hook
contains insinuati"ns against him and illusions TO
"ni' personally injurious, and, some instances not
connected with his public character.
Inns hook has NOT been much seen in the south and
west, nut has been extensively circulated in other
p"ces ava during the last winter u copv of it, with
"'e wo'u Cay written with pencil on the mar
S' NJ page opposite one of the most offensive of
'nese ailusions, was laid upon the table in the hal
oil me Halional library, and remained there sub;ect
'o'e inspection of all visitors, during the whole ses-
$40" VI congress circumstance which I mention
not To 'nsinuate that Mr. Adams uencilIed the name
n ~ prove mat the ausion palrabie aud that
Mr Clay is laid under the necessity of noticing il.
on tne publication Of the book he was therefore.
compeiled TO chuse between three alternatives
L. To remain silent
% answer nstanier.
% % answer NJ "a future period
Each had ITS difficulty
"a uchd silence might he construed into an adn,is-
SION OF the truth of Nil the statements b.
OF an me opinions, aud the justice OF all the illusions
winch the hook contained
An immediate answer would he Cn effecD to euier
o -" 'iec"ohecfing contest with Mr. Adams. and
TO exhibit 10 The American people the spectacle of
Two canuuaies Tor the presidency endeayornp TO run
each down in the public prints
a future answer could he III hest Lut martial rs,,a
nounced ''' ''o' - was r'-
Mr. Clay's obligations of Justice To himself and his
county, would not permit 10 follow iIe 6,st ol,e,n,
~ "is sense OF drcency would not suffer INN I'm
iolow the second, The ihitd was the opIv co,rse ,
was open him "''
mus ercumstanced, he addressed his leIrer Of De-
cehne is' TO The ediio's az the National Int lIiseu.
Ger, briefly stating that he had seen the book ssuo
costing That Mr. Adams had wrunged him, admirtinp
~ o"'e""on 10 answer ~, eXcnsIug himself from an
and
missing TO do so when that event should be ever
ne 'ei'er was, ~ iaci nothing but plsa 10 carues
exhib'ied denilt nj What Mr. CLAW believed 10 he
nulas, ana erroneous, and torer Of the argument
u'i "e co"iu appear before The pubic whuut vola,-
ing ms own sense Of dcccucy and suIiectinu ms.IC
'othe impuiaiion Of improper no,iyes
One would suppose that II would have heen suGiri-
en lot Mr.. Clay 10 disclose II reason so respectabIe
'"' "e'e"@ 'lis controversy, 10 have had his con-
duct crowned with The general npnrol,a,ion of t,e
community nj all events, that II would have been
suhcNrnl 10 nave protected him roa, any call for an
answer NAM ms own app"inted time had come
Yet on the very nest day Nh Adams himself an
Et"eu III the newspapers, proc!aiming that neither
lIMF, nor TALENTS, ror HUMAN ScRurINY. could
ever defect an error ~ what he had written and
boldly deiting Mr.. Clay TO begin The discussiou
Vi course Mr.. Clay could MOI accept his challenge
ne could moi do, IN passion, what he had tie lined to
do upon reason. He could not incur the rdicule nf
snie'"udng violation Of his word 10 a breach OF
ms sense OF decency and 81 Mr. Adams remained
!" me qu'e' er!nymenf Ola victory, won without :,
contest and MIR. Clay stands exposed To tie launts
on 'h"se who Know moi his motive or Knowing can
not appreciate IT, ~ w
Inns, seniiemen,i The exact state OF the anps,iop e.
Mee" inese TWO gentlemen Anticipating their cot
mo!e,N, hmt myself 10 correcting the Paragraph
shelving - ~
necessity Of answering "
2. That he cannot answer becore tho ,os;,o,;,
eiechon rs over without snbeciine himself IN mine,
must condemn $3.50 f
.. That he stands pledged to answer after that e.
vent and not before $3.50
ana whatever may he TO himself the evils of for
e"Hhce, trust hni be viii adhere his resolutions;
maj he VIII Keep himself ouf OF the newspapers =
eave The people 10 discuss his merits ms ey please
ana when The arpoInted time has come that he will
vhucae ms own reputation saiesin ~ and expose
Wv 'upe"dous errors ot fact and opinion which Mr.
Adams has propngaled ON the sul,iec Of the Nnvg.
lion oil lie Mississippi NV The Bri,i,h.
A FRIEND TO MR.. CLAY.