The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-05-18
JOHN Il. PLEASANTS.
TO JOHN RANDOLPH, ESQ.
WAsnIharNN, F.rldaY, IN May, ID

~ JOHN KANDOLHH, Esq,
WAsnItGros, Friday 5th May, 1926.
Sir: Having been absent from Rich
mond several days. | heard with much sur
PrlZe, on my return there, that you bad
deemed me worthy Of d special casligatlon
ia your speech Of Wednesday se'nuIelt,
On Nlr. Bran,h's resolutions.
On my arrival ~ tins place this morning
! applied to Messrs. Gales y Seaton for a
copy Of your remarks. as far as am con-
ceInrd but as they could not be suddenly
furnished, ADD, learning that you wetp on
the eve Of leaving thus place for England,
all | can d" al present is, To Stale The
charges as they have been verbally report
ed To me, accompanied by sch rnplada-
tlons as | am SURE VIII satisfy you that ou
have done mr Injustice.
understand tl,dt Sou pronounced me--
LIST. a dueIIlat "a. That | MAS III. profit
sats smut d worthy latner {: 81. That my
press had been brought up by the admin
IstraIlnn 4tl, TndI | had been dissraced
by my transactions With The banks in
LynchbuIs, III consequence Of which had
left that town for klchmopd. These are
tine dIstInct charges as far as } our reIuaiks
law ''b ltp'll'A w nv
fst. | abhor, sir, The character of a pro-
fesstd uurlist ds much as YOU eau. M
conduct of my lie, no opinion that | ever
uttered ~ entertained, can justify The ap.
pIleatlon of the eplthet to mr. On one
occasion only, | WAS forced by circuunstan-
,rs to embrace thai alternative, or submit
IL disgrace. On nat OCCASION, the mode
~ winch The ALLAH terminated, by the dc.
acknowledgement of the hIgh. minded young
gentle man Who Wa my antagonist. that hp
mad done me injustice, il the best pvldcuce
that ] had rot soiu tarliy sought the, COO
test. Yaur fiend Benjamin Watkins
Leigh of Richmond, is acquainted with the
circumstances, and | appeal with conf
deuce to his stdtrmrut. should yua deem
mmt unworthy of credit. Thai there are
situations thai Justify such d result, Your
OWL conduct, on twO occasions of Your lie,
ioe is you are IL the practIce, sufficiently
! demonstrates.
Your second ehargc | presume is ernbra-
ed ia the other tire, aud | viii therefore
proceed 10 IN. third.
81. That my paper had been purchased
mp 10y lht Administration THIS chargt, |
! presume, is based upon the fact, In part.
ih1t | WAS deputrd IN 1923, To cary urs-
patches for the Government to Buenrs
Ayrps. While | admit that that cifcum-
stance gives Il plauslbillty 10 tho charge, !
do not doubt my ability 10 satisfy tuu ri
It's l~ncOrrtctness. When | asked that ap
polDtment of the Secretary of State, |
told him thai | desired neither -in ,lumrnt
nor honor by It DOR WAS II possible by IT.
IL acquire either the one or the Other.
told hum further that a deranged state of
feeling made mr. desire a temporary alb
stncr from Virginia, and that my finances
being unequal tn the ch,rgr, that | should
be happy To act as a messenger 10 the Gov
ernmeat It any MAS shortly to br employ
ed. ! ayerred that | sought no Office, and
that | would exchange my business At
home for no office which the Government
could give me, and to which might as
plre. | have never asked any Office |
never mean tn ask any | do not publish
The laws " by authority" or without au-
thorIts | wou!d MT apply tor that ap-
pOintmFr', when the q Culdllon of any pa
per entitled ue Ia Il, because would not
incur the lmputatiuus which are iayishly
dealt upon lhO~e who have the misfortune
IL publish them. | do not advertise tx
cIuslvely for the Public Departments 10
w Washington nor to any thing like the ex-
tent that the Enquirer does. Three or
four members ouly Of the Government
subscribe 10 my paper-Hor am | patron
Z ID, nor do | wish to be pdtronized. ia a.
ny irregular way. | support such meas
hrrs VI the Government, and such only, as
/ approve. presume that this exercise
of my natural and constitutional right of
freedom of opinion and speech, ought not
70 subject me To 50 serious and disgraceful
a charge.
4th. That had left Lynchburs in dis
grace, from my transactions with the
Banks. Now, sir, it 30 happens, that | mr.
yer bad a transaction with either of the
banks IN Lynchburg. | never borrowed
from either Of them. | never was an 40
p%llcant, directly Or Indirectly, for their ia
'ors. This tact can he established BY their
records, and by tie ~ ldence of every bank
officer in the town. In another shape, I
had transactions with those institutions, if
may call them by hat term. | joined a
party, who, believing the banks ia that
place mIsmanaged to the oppression of
cei'.ln individuals, made annual Efforts Ia
ELECT u reform. AS this was the weaker
party, | had sacrifices to incur in forming
II. but nothing IN any event 10 gam indlyid,
nali!. That the citizens of Lypchbulg did
ee' consider NE dIsgraced. IS manifest