Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-09-10

vioas 60 the Westmoreland Adams' meeting {,
for Il is fact, that there was no advertisement
tu relation.t to the Westmoreland meeting, print
ed sooner than the Wednesday befoie the meet
ing He en6eay ours To make the impression, |
that the w esunOreland meeting was constituted
oy persons from each of these Counties, wheu il
IS fact, that there only two persons THAT
can possibly recOllect) who were not residents
OF Westrnoreland, and both of whom, have free
holds in that county IDLY. :. At length the
day, big with Importance, dawped; few Of the
Adams party were early OH the ground, and
greater excrtons with less success) to influence
the uatrstetfige1t, were never known 10 have
been witnessed, even when party spirit was al
ITS highest ptch!" believe it is universally
conceded, that If it is not our Indispensable duty,
IT Is at least privilege, to repel, if possible the
shafts of Islander and malignity--and now re-
qure of him who has had the hafdihOod TO make
and propagate this accusation, To designate the
persons who were &C early the ground, and
who endeavoured to influence the unintelli-
gent" n charge of so grave and serious an
import, in order to be believed, demands better
evidence than the wanton asseveration of an ano->
nymous writer. endeayour to hope, however,
that nc, who makes this charge, has mistaken
Sedf and dcftcify for attempt to 6 influence
the unintelligen;!n
| lie cannot have forgotten that the meeting
was held during the session of the court, when
an important aud interesting criminal trial was
/ ed to assemble even such as had previously dc
cIarcd themselves for Mr. Adams-some of
whom were detained in court by indispensable
] business, and others, who rctIained from "a wish
to witness the progress and decision of said trial
3diy. at about half past O'clock, the friends
OF Mr.. Adams were requested TO assemble at
the house formerly occupied by Mr.. Spence, as
a tavern. About 80 or 81, mostly Ious and
| YANKEES, attended ); Of that number about Il
were freeholders, which constituted so large and
| respectable convention of freellOlders, and
called forth the expressions OF pleasure from the
very respectable chairn,in." After the friends
OF Mr.. Adams had assembled the number SO
far exceeded expectation, that proposition as
| made, that such as might be present, WHO had
not attended for the avowed purpose of support
| ing MIR. Adams were requested for short time
to leave the room, and thereby afford an oppor-
EtunIty TO ascertain the number Of his actual
friends Several went out. The residue was
counted, and found to be 53.-The conductors
of the meeting were not SO particular as 10 en-.
quire OF each individual whether he possessed %
acres ofland; ana am aware that there were
some whowere .notfree holders. This fact how
ever, could not have been known by the ssaes-
/ pectnJte ctdirmdn,n nor did he then know that
the possession of 25 acres of land constituted
respectability Should he ever again, however
have occasion to officiatc in similar capacity
flatter myself lie will not forget and fail not to
be guided by the saiutary instructions of this
''rer-y respectable" freeholder That there were
three persons present who chad the misfortune
to be Graded" north of the Potomac, admit
two OF them, however, have for several years
been residents of this county, are frcehoiders
| and, are, suspect, in point of candour and inte-
gritty, equal at least, TO our implacable yankee
hater. In relation to the boys, it is said who at
tended, can only say, that saw meme; MANY
lgentlemen who attended, and of whom enonir-
ed, say, they sawn one nor do I believe that
there was one! 4thy. Ten persons were
placed on the corresponding committee of
whom i've were present, and two of those, ,cito
,cerc present have subsequently, declared their
preference for another candidate.n
or the eleoen gentlemen appointed members
tor corresponding committee there were pre-
sent seven, viz: Daniel Carmichael Lawrence
Washington, George r. Pitts, John Graham
Robert Bailey, John y Gale and Thomas Spen-
Ger; the Rev. Samuel Teinpleman was at the
Court house, in the forenoon, and particularly
requested OF me TO dispose of his name rs tiio't
proper; that any of these gentlemen have since
declared preference for another candidate, IS
what cannot believe until hear SO from niue |,
better authority. Indeed, have such implicit
confidence in the fidelity and independence of
these gentleman, that can venture to assert
that this is another mistake of our frecheIder,
The other three members of the corresponding,
committee, viz: Henry Taylor, Robert Beale,
and Col Nelson were not present. Mr.. Hen
ry L. Garnett, who, l bel:avc, appointed the
two hrst members, doubtless had authority
to do so. Their decided preference in
deed, Tor Mr.. adams has long since been well
known In this county. 1t was at my instance
that the other gentleman, Col. Nelson) was ap-
pointed, and sincerely do regret that AFRO
gated the responsibility; as have recently I'M
derstood, that he has refused TO serve as com
mittee man. That my intentions however were
pure, and that had understood from unexcep-
tionable authority that he had espouscd the
cause OF adams, are the only apologies can of
Ter him. Why he has refused to act as mem
Der of our committee, or, whether he has aban-
doned the cause that he once advocated, are en-
qulrIes which he alone can answer. | am now
done with this anonymous publication; but be.
tore j can part from IFS author,,1 have TO be-
seech that should he again atternpt to sscor-
rect the misrepresentations'of Others he will try
to remember that there are such qualities as can
dour and sincerity, and that / alone am amcna-
BILE Tor the sentiments avowed and the decJara
tons contained i'll this refutation!
GEO. r. PITTS.
/ Wcstmoreland c. II. ia. august 80, 1924.
Il P. S. There is another paragraph, in which
a. furious attempt Is made to distort the senti-
mcnts of Col. Somervil!c! 1t scarcely deserves
either analysis, examination or notice, for if any
person viii take the trouble to compare il with
the address, of Col. Sornerville, (which unfoytu
natety, rs not published in the Enquirer) il will
be readily discovered that this gentleman is
charged with having avowed opinions yhch are
not contained in his address,