The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-06-18

tain fate OF That publication would have
secured Mr.. Pickering against any injury
from any pant oft, If The character of Nh.
ADAMS observations concerning him, and
the reputation which Mr.. Pickering enjoy
I'd with the country at large were not, as
/ he and every one else should nave believed
them 10 be, full protection. person
of his age and pretensons, and emlnence
as it regards the posts which he had filled,
and the cause aud worthless with whom he
had been associated especially owed II 10
himself and the nation to set a signal ex-
ample of contempt aud abhorrence for the
periidy and baseness of which Mr.. Adams
was the chief victim, by refusing 10 handle
the Correspondence at all ; OI at least To
touch If for purposes of annoyance and re-
taliation. Whatever malice he might have
supposed 10 rapkle in tire breast of MIR.
Adams, whatever injustice TO be done to
| his life aud character in the eltusion OF that
malice, yet il became HIM tn consider, too,
the extreme senility Of the other the ear
nest endeayors of Mr.. Adams To prevent
the abuse of his confidence and the pain
which he must suffer from the execution of
Cunuingham's malignant designs.
The course which appears to us to have
been alone suitable and safe for Mr.. Pick
ering, was toconsign his defence to posteri-
! ~ in a poslhumous memoir-a plain, tenn
perate narrative and investigation Of facts
and to .conlide, for his fame and comfort
during the rest of his life, in the strength
of public opinion in his favor, the stead
ftstness of the many distinguished friends
Of whom he boasts, spread throughout the
country, and the consciousness, If he pos.
sessed it, u being wronged in the accnsato
ry and dfsparagng statements of Mr.. A
dams. He might have asserted this fact
in any form, bat should have added"
need go no further now--my vindtca-
tor shall be left behind me 10 materials for
the historian; cannot consent to pour out
the vials of wrath upon IA man like Mr. A .
dams-et him fab into the grave without
propelhng klow from me--iet not the spec
tnric be offered To the country, of Il rcvo
Iutionary patriot as | am,who stood so long
in high places, cndca,orng in his old age
10 fix opprobrium to the name and drive
irons into the soul, Of another, still further
advanced in years aud in the very arms of
death, with whom was closely linked in
the same elevated career. II would be
better even that ! should suffer for time
from his nnbrided and ,indictive resent.
mrnts, than In expose myselfto be tho'l 10
have the same feelings and spnii; than con-
eur in dishonouring the cause ard The par
ty of which we We're leaders, and affiordog
IA triumph 10 our conmon carnics, by
blind and ruthless scullle."
Dir. PEkering's ReUte,c implies the re-
verse at hli this-it is an elaborate, COM
picated piece of revenge-he has turned
licrce'y upon Mr.. Adams, Displaying, him
self, every kind aud degree of uncharita
hcncss and liltlemss of which he accuses
the chief ubIcr of his warfare. W" say
the chicf object, Mr.. Adams not being the
only person against whom he directs his
blows. He assais IN studied mcthodical
manner and with the l<penest desire of do
ing almost equal mischief, Mr.. Jefferson,
Mr.. john q. Adams, ElbrfdSe Gerry, and
Col. Smith, the son-in-law of the eidrf y
dams. The sins and deficiencies Of Mr..
Jefferson, real or imaginary, are sPiirinlly
embazourd anew, for those ostensihic fca-
SONS" that of all the persons viified and
slandrred by Mr.. Adams, Mr.. jefferson is
the only one to whom he appears 10 have
been solicitous 10 make reparatiou," and
that Mr.. Jefferson, overlooking the harsh
things said of him by Mr. Adams in the
Cunningham correspondence, had written
him soothing letter on the occasion of lis
perfdinus disclosure, which letter appeared
To Mr.. Pickering "cafcrlated to lead the
readers into Il misconccption of their chm
ractcrs, and Of the relations i'm which they
stand to each other" For sach reasons,
forsooth, is Mr.. Jefferson once more inn
peachcd by Mr.. Pickering, in the whole
history of his political lie and al parts OF
his political character. Mr.. John .. A
dams, and Colonel Smith, and Mr.. Gerry
are praised by Mr. Adams in the Cores
pondcnce aud therefore, Colonel Picker
ing 4" makes an essay 10 do justice 10 their
characters" that is 10 say, hc tcvntrs
whole sections ofhis book 10 the yiliicatinn
OF them. The trHth is that he has seized
the occasion "tO fight all his battles DER a
gain'--to discharge against >arioas old oh
.l"cts of his jealousy and antipaihy, most of
the hostile memoranda and anecdotes
which he had carefully collected and boar
drd, aud to try what he could do towards
preventing the election of Mr. John Quincy
Adams to the Office of President whom he
hates with a TWO fold rnmty-on his own
account aud that of his father.
From ne U'hig.
MIR. CRAWFORD'S HEALTH