Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-09-24

{. 90 support the republican pdrty," said /.
Bat must conclude for the present. IT,,
next paper shall contain some further e,tcIdati
ons of the Subjects spoken OF, aud perhaps EN-
brace sotne new matters. .Notc /. tie Uei,Y tii,
T believe TO put down the secret system OF 90.
vernin%. and, by AN united effort the peoplt
viii brlu% It abont without sensible struggle
50 weak is il, when ats power is brought before
the bar Of the public reason.
/ ihiH rcmark however. applies more partic ular.
~ to the eastern parts of the Uuited States ant
the in'rcce that si,ouli bedrawn f. ON the an.cdote
given below, erelusssey belongs to tile people OF
| that section.
| Communicated for HE .Naiicnal Journal
Nr. Alexander Kerr and Cen. Van Ncss
Gave published statements, in a late number q;
The Washington City Gazette, respecting the
! note i1r house-rent, given TO hIr. Kerr by Mrs
| Nouiton and endorsed by Mr. Adams. If the
circulation OF these sta teIneUts were confined n
tac li'ats at this District, where hiessrs Kerr
and Van Ness are personally known, no further
attention would be given TO the subject These
| gentlemen arc well known here, to be the per.
sonal and political enemies of Mr.. Adams This
| hostility has arisen more from party considera-
TONS, than objections To MIR. Adams personally:
ana the publications on this subject are design
ed 10 nave political effect, injurious to his in
liiteres's.-i here needs no other proof of this,
than the statement ofthe fact that 6. en-. raj Van
Ness was the writer of the pieces s,pnod :. R.,.
u.s." winch arraigned the conduct of Mr.. a.
Dams, on thus occasion, as dishonosabe and dis
honcst General Van Ness would, naturally.
icc' strong desire 10 substantiatc, BY his own
| cefli,'|atc The charges which he had made ave,
the SIGNATURE of"Srutus." MIR. Kerr could NOT
nave ieit less desire 10 justify his conduct, by
his o'vn evidence.
On ~, ,-;e g, 81
journal with the statements of Messrs. Kerr
and Van Ness. there win ne found but little con.
tradict'cn IA the material facts. They do not
reeobect the proposition made by Mr.. Adams. ,to
rcier 'le SUBJECT OF controversy to disinterested
'nalvidnaiS; II does moi, however, follow from
'heir statements, that such proposition was not
made. 1T may have been made, and was in
TACT, inade though in The excitement of the mo.
'nent they nny not have understood il. The
prohc attention Is invited to the material facts
Of ms case, On the exhibition of which. they
VIII re at &c loss 10 make up an opinion.
MIS- Hou!ton, II seems, is an unfortunate wo-
man, having beer abandoned by dissipated
husband, and left to provide for herself and 8. .
| verai helpless children. She rented house ri
s'ff. Kerr, but was unable to pa her rent will,
'hc punctuaiIty he required. After tie exni
ration OF two quarters, Mr.. Kerr, to collect the
| rent, Tcsortco ,o the summary process of dis
Y
her furniture, and every other article of y;lue.
Except clothing, which the house contained
| ms, ut once, reduced her and her suffering
chfidren, two OF whom had the measles. TO the
| most ablect distress. Mrs. MouIton was her
sell III state Of health that required the tender
est attention of tho friends of humanity In her
distress she sought relief from the charity OF
'trsh"cfs, by soliciting small donations 1t is
sal!, with what truth llSnow not that Mr.. Kerr
wrote the which 1r,,s uoJ a:
sion. she did not s;;cceed in these efforts and
as a last resort, addressed herself to The char;a
bic feelings OF Mrs. Adams. On any other oc
casion, II might be. improper to say of Mrs A
uans, what The circumstances of this case seem
to require. From her character for general
benevolcncc and sympathy, in. the Gistrcsscs Of
'he "niortunate irs. Moulton had good ground
70 conc hde that her appeal would not be il, vain
Mrs. Adams at once felt a deep interest I'm her
sufIerings, and sought to relieve them. After
arccrtaIn!ng, by personal observation, that Mrs.
Nnnitoo Did no. exaggersaic her distress She an
picG 10 NT. .9s'ams to become responsible To
Hir. lSer, for tic debt, that the prooerty rniolt
be- relieved. This debt, for which the rropertv
was held responsible, Amounted TO one hundred
and twenty-five dollars. Mr.. Adams assented.
aud Nr. i\crr was appTized of the GGct He
drew prornisory note for Si87 so, which was
signed by Mrs. Moulton, and handed fo Mr. A
dams Tor his endorsement. He objected be-
cause The amount was greater than that for
winch the property was bound. Some cores
rondence took place, which produced conyic
ton IN the mind of Mr.. Adams that Mrs. Mou-
ton had mistaken the amount for which her nro-
perry had been distrained. Mr. Kerr. il seems
has no recollection of this correspondence: and
II IS not extraordinary that he should fail to re
inernher It..as INSTRUMENTATION Of the amouui
| by which Mr.. ADAM responsibility had been
obtained Tor Il greater sum than was intended
wouid convict him OF fraud.
The intention of Nr. Adams is clear. from fbe
facts OF the case. BY paving the debt for which
.istTcss was made, the property would be re-
leased.-i!c could not have intended fo become
responsible for ether debts of Mrs. RIoulton.
no man except Mr.. Kerr, or the gentleman
who IS associated Wit, him in this transaction
would have placed tliis note in Bank for coIIec.
tor and treated II as common business note
| i'c knew that MIR Adams had received no con.
sidcration Tor h.s endorsement, aud that his in.
| i"rfcrenca was alone induced by charitable mo.
| tivcs. This however, is in character with all
nc other acts OF This gentleman, in This affair.
! There can be 10 IT,, Il objection to the time
at which the notice was given, and The protest
| made. ne protest was not necessary 10 so
cure rccOursc against Mr.. Adams on fbo en-.
| dorsernon but, IT seems tn have bcer, ,,ccoss,.
~ to crafty the feelings of this huD,t,c ignd.
! Io7M.
The Transaction, tlus far, was not calculate,
to make = very favourable impression of .1Ir
| Kerr. ON the mind Of Mr.. Adams. Ir tE,ere wa,
nothing 70 IinDC ach his honesty fbc,o r-.s I;,.i1