Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-01-01
From the Boston Patriot.
AND ADAMS.

puOucatl0D VI the cunningham cUsTeee
pohdence, to destroy the merited Popu-
larity of John G. Adams, from an ex-
peotation, that the friendship.which DIR.
jefferson had so long Entertained for his
venerable father. would be converted
iato resent ment, in which the rePubli
cans would out only participate, but visit
the supposed wrongs Of the father upon
the son. SO far from this desired re-
suit being produced, the people reco'l-
ed with horror from the deed, and their
indignation has been loud, deep & unl-
versal. Bnt to chow, still farther, how
impotent mas been the malignant blow,
aimed at an aged patriot. who is tremb-
ling on the verge Of the grave, permits.
sion has been granted to publish the
following voLu ,TARY communication.
from the illost. .ous sage OF Monticello
to his distingu ed compatriot, in the
glorious career Of the revolution, which
must overwhoIm with shame and NOR
LITIGATION, the participants in that wan
ton outrage upon confidential inter-
course, and hast forever, their despe.
rate hopes, to send to their tombs as
implacable enemies, two Of the only
three surviving signers OF the Declare
ton OF Indepen .ence. While the no.
Illness OF friendship is thus preserved
from vile protaRation. the citizens OF
the United States will rejoice, at the
triumph of vlrtas. and learn how to ap.
preciate, those lefty sentiments and that
exalted friendship, which neither time,
political dissepsions, or private enemies
can obliterate.
MONTICELLO, Oct. l2, 1928.
Dear Sir.-I do not write with the
ease which your lettsr of Sept Is, sup
poses. Crippled wrists and fingers
make writing slow and laborions; but.
while writing to you, lose the sense of
these things, in the recollection Of an
Gent times, when youth and health
made happiness out Of every thing. !
forg ct for while the hoary winter Of
age, whom we can think Of nothing but
how to keep ourselves warm, and now
to get rid OF our heavy hours until the
friendly hand of death shall rid as ofall
at once. Against this tedium vitae,
however, l an fortunately mounted on
= hobby, which indeed | should have
better managed some 80 or 40 years a.
90, but whose easy amole 10 still suffi-
cisnt to give exercise and Amusement
to an Octogenary rider. This is the
establishment of an University, on q
scale more comprehensive. and in a
country more healthy and central. than
our old William and Mary, which these
| obstacles have long kept in state OF
languor and inefhciency. But the tar.
diness with which such works proceed il,
live to see it 60 into action.
Putting aside those things, however,
for the present, l write this letter, rs
due to friendship, co-eval with our
government, and low attempted to be
! poisoned, when too late in life to he re-.
placed by new affections. had for
sometime observed, in the public pa.
pers, dark hints and lnysteriou. inuen.
dos Of correspondence Of yours with a
friend, to whom you had opened your
bosom without reserve, and which was
to be made public by that friend, or his
representative; and now it is said to be
actually published. 1t has not yet
reached US, but extracts have been Civ
en-, and such as seemed most likely to
draw curtain of separation between
you and myself. Were there no other
motive, than that of indignation against
the author Of this outrage on private
confidence: whose shaft seems to have
been aimed at yourself, moro particu.
larly; this would make it the duty Of
every honorable mind to diSappoint that
aim, by opposing to its impression, a
seven.fold sbield Of apathy and insensi
bility. With me however no such ar.
mour 10 needed. The circumstsnces Of
the times, in which we have happened
to live, and the Partially of our friends,
at particular period, placed Us in a
state Of apparent opposition, which
SOME might suppose to be persona! also:
and there might not be wanting those
who wished 20 make it 50, by filing our
ears with malignant fslsehoods by
dressing up hideous phantoms Of their
own creation, presenting them to you
under my name, to me under yours
and endeavoring to instilinto our minds,
things concerning each other, the most
destitute Of truth. And if there had
been at any time moment when we
we're off our guard, and in temper to
let the whispers of these people make
Us forget what We had known of each
other foriso many years--and years Of
SO much trial; yet all men who have at
tended to the workings of the human
mind, who have seen the false colors
under whish passion sometimes dress.