Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-02-20
MIR. CONWAY.

Tie following interesting letter from Mr.. Bu-
chanan, the British consul, resident at the city
of N. York, is published IN the Albion, of last
Saturday. 1t relates to the Inflated Mr.. Con-
WAY whose melancholy fate, and premature
death, has excited the sympathies, and better
feelings, ola great proportion Of the American
pu5lic.-A perusal of the letter, will satisfy
the reader, that poor Conway, committed the
rash act, which terminated his existence, in q
fit of insanity.
To the Fditor of the Albion.
SIR-My official Auty having plac ed before
me the papers of the late Mr.. Conway, whose
melancholy death you so feelinely noticed in
your last number, the examination of which
brought to view some truly interesting incidents
to which it is deeply TO be daplored, SO highly
talented aud cultivated a mind should have been
subject. | feel so depressed with the fate Of this
,raly amiabie and unfortunate man, that nothing
but an imperious sense Of duty could lead me 10
enter upon the task of aGvertjng TO his death;
for although it is alone my peculiar province
to watch over British CommcrcIal interests,
and 10 a:ford protection TO the living subjects
of our Gracious Sovereign, | feel, upon tins oc-
! casion, an irresistible claim 10 afford protection
to the memory Of a British subject now no
more-even if that memory, by reason of the
unfeeling and unrcfccting disposition of the
world, may be branded with infamy. Far be
it from me TO advocate suicida-far be 1t from
me to say, that under the most distressing cir
cuinstances, any other refuge should be
sought after, than resignation to the divine
will, and to that which the Saviour OF men so
frop1y holds firth In all WIN ron1o pptn him,
and especially to the weary and heavy laden.
In performance of what | feel my duty, name
", to remove the aspcrsions which so aw ful a
tcrmination of life calls forth, | deem it proper
TO add, that with Mr.. Conway was wholly
una cquaintcd, not even knowing him person.
ally, which | regret, from the discovery | have
made Of his character, TO exhibit which, | beg
leave to give a few extra cts from his pa pcrs AS
they are eminentiy calculated to produce SYM
patty and regret to those who knew him no.,
and may afford some consolation TO his friends.
That Mr.. Conway had been a prev Ia mel
ancholy. previous to his leaving England,
gather from his lcttcrs-a melancholy, the
fruit of persecution and disappointment, too
deeply seated in his soul 10 be removed by
coming to the United States-and which u,ti-
mately broke down his mind, and drove him
from his profession, wherein he was laborng
10 secure n provision Tor an unpfONlded noun
er; a profession too, in which it was proved he
would have been successful. as it appears by
his Bankers account, he had saved a hand.
some sum at the close Of his theatrical career
in this city. | cannot, l am persuaded, render
a more acceptable service TO his memory, than
by ,ranscribing what he says on the subject to
his mother, which I have extracted from a du-
plicatc Of n letter, dated 9TH Dec. last. and
forwarded TO England but a few weeks before
the catastrophe.
"You mention, dearest Mother" your hav-
ing heard that I act seldom. and am preparing
myself for holy orders; in confirmation partly
of which, | Will inform you, thatcyonis beyono
my control having entirely separated me from
my professional am applying myself with as.
siduity to books Of Divinity, in order to ascer'
tain how Ear I may reasonably calculate uPor
success, saould | seriously embark in the TN
dcrtaking. The study is profound, extensive
and in a great degree new TO me; but bring
an unlimited devotion 10 the task, aud that Il
a main step towards achievement u every par