Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-04-21
RIoHMoMD, April on.
To ths Editors o the Enquirer.

y 10 make, for the purpose Of explaining aud
The injurious tendencies Of the Of thu practical ro
Verhnieht nave subjected to various false and
charges, and to Inscriptions of improper motive, ,ber
Amongst these, that which seems to have been attended
win the most success, the acripon Of personal yindi
tive eenss Mr. Monroe Akhoug no cause whatever of
private nature pretended exist which could tend to pre-
son assigned for the belief OF their existence; vet the
Perpeualy reitera.d and denial seem. 10 he u6een,
though myoPen and public dsapproba;on Of Mr. Mon1os
PSbli conduct may he traced . his to this country
reluctance feel compelled place myself so often befoE h
public yet hope will be excused, when it il sven 60 he in
brought agan; the for attempting discharge what
public duty For these well Others
the state of my feelings that day, towards Mr. Monroe
was addreed TO particular friend of Mr.. Nonroe in b.
Contested election between himself and Mr. Madon and in
both Tor the inspection Of Dir Munroe the public
that day-Mr Monroe believed to have been ,llx rn
Of rs contents al th. time but it then thought By him
sell and friends not prudent to give publicity have re-
eeivej the permission Of the gentleman 10 whom IL Wa, ID
Dressed to publish it, at my pleasure but expressed
you will be pleased to publish only of the letter az
latea to the subject OF the Presidential ell ctinn.
WM B. GILES.
WASHINGTON, March 9th, 1908.
Dear Sir: / early foresaw, and now deeplv ,a
Sret the oxtsnsioa of the nnliti..i
i-itatinrs si~ 1v'ivare lz..i.,,
cited by the unfortunate contest for the Presidential
Chair, and it has been my earnest desire and uni
form effort to prevent, or NJ least, to moderate
am now induced TO make one other attempt for tba,
purpose; and | am the more encouraged thereto. hv
observing, with pleasure, that there is nothing in
the tone sor temper, either of your letter. or Of
to forbid fair and candid comparison of opinion
and information upon the subject of this controversy
which, on many considerations, is important to be
made have another reason of great weight with
me Tor adopting this conduct. | wish Mr. Mon
roe himself TO be informed of the general course
eli conduct have observed in relation to the ap-
preaching Presidential Election, which il ,vopld
not be possible for him 10 be amidst the confusion
OF reports and interpretations From the time
OF my arrival here, to the time of the Republican
meeting Tor making the recommendation, retired.
as much as possible, from the electioneerjns scene
and do otrecollect ever mentioning the s,bec, TO
any gentleman, not from Virginia, until il wa, fro,
mentioned to me. then gave my opinion freely and
canGidly, with due respect 10 all the gentlemen
spoken Of Instead of making charges against Mr.
Monroe, it has been painful duty imposed on me
by letters from my friends, TO defend the admins
traiion against charges minated to have been
brought forward by the friends of Mr.. Monroe
The most serious of these charges shall be subs,an
tally stated, with my replies in general thereto. as
far as | now recollec 1t has been CHARGED that
Mr.. Jefferson and Mr.. Madison were in favor of
war with Great Britain. That Mr.. Monroe .vas in
favor of peace with that Nation, and if he had been
permitted, could, and would have prevented it
To this charge, have replied generally, that 7
knew both these gentlemen to be in favor of peace
with Great Britain, and all the rest of the world.
that they were so much eDamoured of peace. and
so jealous to preserve il, that they could not he
brought TO look with sufficient attention at the on
poste picture; nor 10 recollect that peace was No,
within their control; and that it might not be pos
siie Tor them TO indulge their Just and amiabls
ference OF It. That in the present temper of G..
Britain, it presuming too much for any man 10
say, that he possessed wisdom and power sufTcien,
to command peace with that nation: and therefore
presumed, that Mr.. Monroe could not have sane
toned this suggestion. The same gentlemen have
been also charged with having rejected a treaty
which was deemed both honorable and ADVANTAGE
Gus 70 the United States. have replied TO his
charge, by observing, that as far as could form
any opinion OF that instrument from a general re-
presentation OF its contents, it was not of that
character and If 1t were, it was accompanied with
declaration of the British commissioners. which
would, in my judgment, have rendered IFS ra,6ca-
ton inadmssible-that it it had been ratified il
would necessarily have involved the u s. in war.
either with France or Great Britain, before this
time. These opinions are fully confirmed by the
papers now disclosed in relation to that suhiee,
and by particular attention to Mr.. Monroe's vim
dicstion of the treaty, which accompanied those
papers have also said, in reply, that under
stood this treaty was made against instructions
which, presume, will be readily admitted by Mr.,
Monroe. Itmay perhaps be proper here TO observe.
that do not recollect ever to have given sny
opinion, as to the propriety or improperly ofsien
ing this treaty by the American Commissioners.
under all the circumstances Of the case; because,
whatever my own opinion may be upon the merits
of that question, am not now, and never was
disposed TO condemn gentlemen, who, in cases Of
great difficulty and deicscy, may differ with me in
the choice OF measures, provided they act with f.
deitJi and take great pleasure in saying, a,n
perfectly satisfied, that this was the case with The
American Commissioners on that occasion.
The administration has also been charged with
adding Mr.. Pinkoey to Mr.. Monroe in the nego-
tialion at London, with view to deprive Mr.. M
Of the eclst Of that negotiation; and likewise yv,l
other acts in relation 20 him, tending to lessen hi,
chance OF obtaining popularity; and thus, TO ex-
: clu5c him from the Presidency. could bsrdl,