Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-11-27
4aolittral Wistorp.
To The Editors Of the Enquirer.

III A0d my name useu IN manner as un-
expected as it has been unmerted and
uncourteous.
On the 18th of October. Judge Stuart
Il sddressed letter to me, wishing copy
Of one written by MIR. Jefferson 10 Mr..
Giles; requesting it as an act of justice,
due to Mr.. Adams, to remove certain
false impressions, entertained by the
public, of the estimation in which he
Was held by Mr.. Jefferson. saw then,
as see now, no impropriety in my fur
mshIng The copy called for, ard particu-
larly as il bore honorable testimony to
the character of an individual; and the
I request came from the ancient friend Of
al. Jefferson. But it seems that in com
lply,ug with this re1nest,l have been false
ito kis memory, aud fslse to my country,
because there are some figurative ex-
fpressions in this letter, and because it is
|ap evidence of the patriotism and int
jgrity oe an individual, standing high in
the estimation of large portion OF his
FELLOW citizens Mr.. Jefferson uses The
depression of ''the war then going on
land again "at the close of the war"
Having myself heard the substance nj
this letter from his own lips so often, and
its having been so long familiar ia me,
had not. perhaps, sufficiently adverted
10 the literal construction. which would
be applied to these words, by persons to
whoG the subject would be new. In the
first expression he alludes to the war wag
ed by the beligerents on our commerce,
and the war Of restrictive measures on
one part. In the latter, he speaks of
,be actual war which was about to take
place, and which the whole language Of
bis correspondence of that day shews
! that he believed to be immediately and
inevitable How otherwise is the consis
ency of these expressions with the fol-
lowing to be accounted fors II saw the
| necessity of abandoning it, and instead
of eGec;ing our purpose by this peaceful
weapon, we must fight it out" 1t the
/ first EXPIRE ssions are TO be taken literally,
and not fguratively, great, indeed, must
have been the wane of mind, and Of me-
mory, which had become inadequate to
detect the striking Inconsistencies of so
short letter; copying too, from the
rough draft, las he always did, and re-
vising carefully every thing before it
passed from his hands.-As an additional
evidence that those words were used fl.
guratively, and not literally, I quote
from letter of his, dated January %.
1909, to Mr. Monroe, when the events
here spoken of we're in their actual trans
it, the following expression: "our peace
aud prosperity may be revived" This,
taken literally, would likewise suppose
the actual existence of war; for peace"
to be revived" must first have been
lost, and its opposite condition war, in
existence: and yet presume it is not
intended to be nsinuated, that this fatu.
rlty existed ia 1909.
This letter to Mr.. G. is dated on the
ejth December, 1925: on the 26ih, the
next day latter night of repose,0 Mr.
Giles hnds him in the full vigor of his
faculties, and upon this expression in
that letter, viz: If Mr.. Giles letter.
found me engaged in what could mol
lay aside until this day." assumes the
existence of mental distress and EN-
0agrassiag business" for "tour days pre-
Vious" to the 25th, which assumption i:
utterly destitute of all foundation IL
fact, and wholly erroneous, Upon thi'
assumption he very plauslbly, and mos
hnmanely and CONSIDERABLY, apologies
Tor the alterations Of Mr.. Jefferson's me
mory, and the fatality of his intellect a
that unfortunate moment" do mos
soIemnly assure Mr.. Giles, and I have
documents in nv possession abundant.
to prove il, that his occupations for day
previous to the 25.h, were entirely OF {
public nature, and not at all calculate
toproduce unpleasant embarrassment
and mental DISTRESS" and when Nj
u, shall have perased the result Of hi
labors for those -four DAVIS" he will ad
nit that it was not less fortunate eHo,
OF his intellect, than that on the 26tl
which he is pleased to commend so high
". Mr. Giles evidently alludes by tn
unpleasant embarrassment sc. to Nj
Jstfersop's pecuuiary difficulties. l ca
assure him that he never felt theses b'
III The abstract and in anticipation for b
family: The weight of his pecunla'