Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-20
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
FROM ryE NAr,oYA1 ,o,,nx.,

We entreat the candid and dispass,opate al
tcntion osellr readers to the following letter H.
after reading 1t, any appropriated indiv dual
can still entertain doubt as to the character of
the testimony by which it was attempted TO inn
peach the veracity of Mr.. Edwards; or as to tbe
motive which induced that attempt; we will only
say, that bis mind must be differently constitu-
ted from ours. If ever a case occurred, in which
the bare tcO1d of one man carried with il moro
intrinsic evidence of truth, than the solemn oath
OF another, that case is cXemplified in the letter
to Mr.. Noble:
To The Hon. JAMES NOBLE:
SIR: From the nature and evident tendency
of the voluntary testimony which YOU recentiy
gave against me, before n committee of the
House of Representatives Of the Congress of the
United States, trust shall not be considered.
either by the public or yourself, as unnecessa-
r1ly seeking controversy with you, in dispassi-
onately calling upon you, before the nation. to
confess or deny the following facts, and TO iusti-
fy, disavow, or account for, the inferrences OBJ.
viously deducible from them, and the palpablc
discrepancies In which they seem to involve Won.
1t was generally understood, before the late
adjournment OF Congress, that you and Mr.. Ell
kins, one of Mr.. Crawford's copying clerk
| were to confederate each others testimony a.
gainst me- You both have done so. But whe-
Their without some hazard to your own rcputati-
ons, let the following facts decide.
Mr. ElkIns, in accounting for the allusion
which ne represents ME 10 have made TO the "a.
Is. publications." refers to an article in the
'tRichmond Enquirer" which he believes led to
the remark made, Gin which article (he
swears) ii icds stated that, ''.Ir. Ed,cn,ds. of
ii. Is. plot memory" or words to that effect had
been nominated by the President, as Minister, to
.uer'co. Mr.. Edwards observed, that he was
not the author of those publications, or, as
htn6 the expression was, he no more the
author than the Editor of the Enquirer himselfn
And this conversations. he says banponol ts1y,,,,
ing NE pendency IF n'y nomination before the
Senator
The hon. John s. Barber, on his examination.
says, "hlr Elxins informed me, in a conversa
ton sought by myself, that he bad heard COVER
nor Edwards incidentally remark s,Doa yea,Ij,,o
this article an the Ricl,mond ENQUIRER. in which
he is spohen Of as ''.N;ntan Ed,oards, of "A. b.
Plot memory" that he was no more the author
of that plot, than the Editor of the Enquirer
You, sir, referring to the alleged a,ticie in the
Richinond Enquirer, relative 10 my nomination,
as Minister to Mexico expressly say, upon your
Oafh, that 81 S0,1 article, in the Richmond
Enquirer, stating, that ".Nin,nn Ed,oards, The
author Of Il. b. or Of II. 3. plot memory,n II
do not recollect which) had been so noDi,aoied.
The paper SnW at the boarding house of Mrs
Qneen, and, think, IN The hands of .lf,. En-
bins
But Notwithstanding both you and Mr.. Ell
kins have solcnnly and positively sworn to this
statement, and have repeatedly made il TO va,i
rIous individuals, it is fact, terrible one for
you, that you have both sworn to that ssuhich
DdS not" have at length been fortunate g.
nough to obtain file of that paper, and find
that there was no such drticle in it, as you and
Mr.. Elkins describe; nor any thing like if. On
the contrary, 1t had copied into its own columns
from Baltimore paper, letter very flatterng
to me. Nor, indeed, did it contain single nm
friendly remark IN relation to my nominations
from the time 1T was made. till about eleven or
twelve days after its confirmation.
That you have at least been mistaken in re-
gard to the period OF my alleged Hversation
with you, presume your own refreshed TecoI.
lection of the state bf my health, of the conse-
quent imProbability of my having been in your,
room at that time, and of my inability to have
| accompanied my remarks with a manner less
vehement, and gesticulations less violent than
those which your examination before the
committee, you ascrbcd to me, must, ere this
lave fully satisfied you.
But, independent of the sickness which them
confined me to my room, nothing can be more
certain than the corporeal debility, the conse-
qucnce OF long previous confinement TO nv
| bed, together with the complaint under which
still labored, rendered me utterly unable to have
performed the active evolutions of placing. nv
feet high upon the lambs of the fireplace, rapid
ly changing my position, by whirliug round, and
vigorously gcsticulatipg, as Jealous aud high.
~ respectable friend of Mr.. Crawford has
heard you represent me to have done OH the
same occasion.
You will recOllect, or If you should not others
do, that, on the day which certain witnesses
testified before the committee TO nv sickness.
you observed, 81 will do Gov Edwards the ms
tee to say, he was very sick, and myself car.
RED letter from Mr.. King to him in his owl,
roon.n
intending to use this, with other circurnsfap
ces, to show that you must unquestionabIy have
been mistaken IN the testimony which YOU have
given, trust the situation i'm which YOU have
placed me- gives me fair claim upon your can.
dor TO confess or deny that fact, Truth is fear
less-cvasion would be suspicious, and a refusal
to answer cannot fail TO be interpreted to your
disadvantage, by discerning public.
Upon being asked by MIR. Cook whether YOU
understood my conversation as INTENDED to affect
your vote on the then pending nomination. YOU
reply, 81 dtd not suppose That wdS is deSign, nor
hdd II my S'tch C6eci Hpo1 mysciE"
But upon being asked by Mr.. Forsyth, ON the
part Of Mr.. Crawford ''wIat do you now un-
deTstand as having been the effect intended 10
have been produced by the convcrsation;n A.
Vailing yourself of most felicitous after
thought, you say, consider him as having ex-
pected that would take this information which
he gave me into that body, (tbe senate,) and it
would be The means Of securing tue continuation
| Oh his r,or-,ira., fio1t- y