Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-12-08
CORRESP0N DE.NCE.
WIGwAai Nov. 26, 1926
JOHN MARSHALL. ESQ. .a,lthor of NE Y

x1,,- " iGWAM NOV. rs, 1925
JOiiN MARSHALL, EsQ. -Auftor of the Life
IF Vashagt0n.
SIR: In the 5th volume, page 722, of the Life
oil w ashington, you nave int oduced my name in
the following words. 4" La support of this motion
"ner urging the indelicacy of exutIns over the
misiortunes OF others by contrasting our bappnes.
Nlth their misery, MIR. Giles said - and Immediate
ly follows the speech sscrihed to me under mari
OF quotation. ltmisht possibly be inferred, from
h'S mode OF stating these facts, that | had given
some authority or sanction to this quotation I'M
mediately after first this statement. I deter
mined to address respectful note toyou Sir unon
the snD]ect, requesting some explanation and cor
recuon thereof; and had reference to two files nj
papers, the Aurora and United States Gazette the
one edited by AIR Bache, the other by Mr. Fenno
io ascertain whether or noi the speech ascrihed 10
me- Hhdef marks oil qiotation, was to De found in
either OF those pspers--And think (those papers
not being now before me, } that although both nj
those editors had published of the speecb vet
neither OF them had used the version quoted A
oo"t the time OF making this eXainin ltion I CON
'empated writing work upon the origin and pro-.
gress OF the government of the u. s. with an
andIySs OF The constitution oi The u s. and of The
several sta e., grounded upon legislative nierpreta-
tons oil each, as far as was known 10 me ,rbis
work would necessarily have involved revie,v q,
certain parts OF The I4ife OF Washington" In
| the execution of The contemplated work / sbo,LI
nave been enabled To have given the necessary ev
plantations myself 10 relation 10 the ,lebare referred
TO- retired rom public life with this deiernioa
ton; bat was arrested in the undertaking bv q
severe provideBal visitation. Since ltat disappont
inent have frequently intended 10 address note TO
you upon the same subject, but from various causes
nave hitherto deferred 1t. am now informed ibre'
the newspapers, that you are engaged in reviewing
g Tie Lie OF Washington" III so. il will Afford
you opportunity, without rn,trh incorve,io,c.
oil dons me an act of justice, which am perfectly
confident would afford you pleasure / therefore
respectfully ask the favor OF YOU Sir 10 inform the
public; LIST, Whether or not you have ever rereiy-
ed IRON me, either directly or indirectly any artbo-
rity whaieyefio ascribe to me the speech under
marks oil quotation, or whether you have any evi.
dence that have ever given the smallest SANCTION
whatever to the said speech: "a, To State TO the
public the paper or document from which tina,
! speech was transcribed into "the Lie of Wash.
Ingion." must presume the speech ascribeI to
me, was taken from some newspaper unknown to
'nej but ron whatever source it may have come
now d'sclaIo eoery expression in IL, and am per-
iecly confident that never used anu frBresSieu
imputed to me by the note-tskee Of that spescb nor
any other bearing any just resemblance thereto The
NOES Of the speech printed seem TO me To have
been taken ny rude, uncultivaled, preudiced mind
| or which do not feel the least responsibility so
lar as regards Ihe language used by the noie-taer
andi seems, IN this case, that the objections taken
to ne course ] pursued, arise principally from the
Language used, and not the principle, advocated by
me on 'hat occasion II the draft of the answ er to
me Presidents speech be critically examined it " 81
9s ioind to have been made with great ability and
address, oy the majority Of tic committee who
repoded 1t. II was prepared in times Of high party
oxc@eineai, and was evidently pressed upon the