Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-09-14
WAsillNsr.ros. .sent %. 4

distance, to take some notice Of statement
made by writer under the signature of L,,ius.
winch iirst made It's appearance in the Washing
ION Clty GaZette, and was thence transplanted
INTO the genial columns of the Richmond Enqui-
ref 10 be propagatcd throughout Virginia for
the avo"ed purpose of impeaching the private
character OF Mr.. Adams, in relation to a trans
action with MIR. Alexander Kerr, we have hi
therto forebornc TO de SO, from reluctance TO
drag before the public the names of private indi-
vIduals. We have felt this reluctance the more
strongly, as particular pains have been taken To
impress the friends of Mr.. Adams with the be-
lief, that the statement was published without
the knowledge or authority of the Individual
whose character will be likely to suffer most by
a public exposure of the facts. But as our for
bearance has been miscenstried, and as the
false statement continues to be reiterated, as If
with the sanction of the individual alluded to
we owe IT to the friends of MIR. Adams, and to
| the public, before whom he has been accused,
no longer to be silent.
The following is a narrative of the facts: the
| correctness of which, we are certain, will not
be disputed.
On the 18th of December, 1928 Mrs. Mary
U. Monl on made an application to Mrs. Adams,
representing that she, being herself ill., with
family of children, two of whom were also Ill
with the measles, and otherwise in extreme ne
cessity, had been subjected to a warrant of DIS
hess for rent, by MIR. alexander Kerr, for the
sum of hundred aud t,cenfy-fpe dollars.
I(Sl25.) That under this warrant, and while i'm
this situation, all her furniture had been taken
| from her, and locked up in one of the chambers
| of the house. That She had engaged apart
mcnts in the house to dodgers, from whom she
had expected to have the means, together with
her own industry, of making the payment in a
short time; but that by the seizure of the fi,rni-
ture, she would lose the benefit of the dodgers
who were TO enter lin the course ola few DAYS.
4
ut the house, ana found, by her own obscry atom,
that Mrs. Mouiton's representations OF the ca
lanitous condition of her family were not exag-
! geratcd.
| DESTROYS of aifording them relief, Mrs. adams
made kncwnt her husband these circu,nstan-
ces, and Mr. adams authorized her to. inform
| Nr. Kerr, that he would become security for
Mrs. Nloulton, for the sum necessary TO release
The furniture from the ,uary'axt of distress
I Mrs. Adams wrote accordingly to Mr.. Kerr,
and a note, in the handwriting of Mr.. Kerr, but
signed by Mrs. Moulton, and payable to the or
der of MIR. Adams, three months after date, was
brought 10 MIR. Adams for lis endorsements
but this note was for the SUN, not OF one hun
dred and TWENTY-FIVE, but of one hundred and
eighty-seyen dollars fifty cents. Mr.. Adams
Immediately objected that this sum was, by one
half, larger than that for which, he had conser-
ted to become security, and for which it had
been represented to hin that the furniture was
disttaine,l. Mrs. Adams wrote a second note
To Ar. Kerr, demonstrating against this increase
of the sum, and from the repre- sensations in
Mr.. Kerr's answer, Mr.. Adams concluded tina,
the first statement made TO him had been incor-
rect, and that the warrant of distress was really
for S187 80. He, therefore, endorsed his name
on the note, considering it as nor in IFS nature
negotiable, but merely as pledging him to see
that il should ultimately be paid; his object being
to relieve the furniture from the warrant of dis
! tress.
On the 18th of March, 1924, abont the hour
| when the Banks are closed MIR. ADAMS being
engaged upon public business at the Depaft.
ment OF State, received note from III. Kerr
as Cashier ot The Bank Of the .Metropoiis, an
nouncing that Mrs. Moulton's note was not paid:
lint Il ,cas then he hast day Of Srare, of which he
| informed MIR. Adams, suppOsing that he did not
wish it protested.
! This notice, at the last hour of the last dan of
grace, given at time and place, when and
where Mr. Kerr knew that Mr.. Adams must be
engaged on .ie public business of the Depart
meat was not the most extraordinary part of
this transaction. The attempt to cuny IT into
business note, negotiable at the Banks, for the
purpose of protesting ii, a note of married ,Yo-
man, given under the circumstances above re-
lated, and endorsed by Mr.. Adams as Mr.. Kerr
well knew, for the single purpose of saving ia
mi!y OF women ana children, perhaps from per-
isi.ing excited IN his mind still more surprise and
indignation.
| The next morning Mr.. Adams received from
! a Notary Public, formal notice, in the name of
The President 0ad Directors If tie 1,ink ofae
.WetropoIis, that the note had been protested, g.
would be returned to them.
On application TO Mrs. Moulton, made at the
desire of Mrs. Adams, il was ascertained
ti'at she was yet unable to pay the note. But
she now produced the order of distress in MIR.
Iierr's handwriting which, atthe time when the
note endorsed by Mr.. Adams was given, had
been locaed up Nth tie furniture. II is for one
hundred and fIcenfy;fre doiia,s and il is now in
the possession of Mr.. Adams.
MIR. Adams, ON The Goth of March, called af
Tie Bank of the Metropolis and there spoke 10
| MIR. Kerr, IN terms which he thought well de-
served, of the fraud practised upon him in OBJ
tanning from him, under promise To become
security for the sum upon which the warrant of
distress had been levied, stated to him at the
time to be rs dollars, his endorsement To
| note for half as much moro and of the extraor-
binary attempt to make the note negotiable TO
bring the President and Directors of tue Bank
OF the Metropolis parties to it, and to subject
| Mr. Adams 10 the iudignity OF a protest, by
notice gwen in such manner that hc could moi
avoid IT. As Mr.. Kerr, in his crs, had lit
lie more to say, than that he had not solicited
| Nr adams to- endorse the note, and had had no
direct agency with him in the transaction; that
ihe increase of the Sum from S125 to S1G7 so
| -fCIf - Ir1