Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-11-10

railel IN Inc COnduCt OF puoiiC ueh ih VhSh"'S
and however Virginia may dislike Mr. Adams
and Mr.. Adams Adminis'i alton, we are CONN
dent that Mr.. Giles conduc, has me- with but
one seo,imen, Of execration; feeling enhanc-
ed by the pr.posterous and ridiculous pretence
that in suppre ssing one letter, and publishing
the other, he was actuated by tender regard
for Mr.. Jrfftrson's reputation! Fudge! The
Lord delivs, NJ. Jefferson's reputation from
his Exc. llency's keeping
We have kept The reader too long from MIR.
Jrfier son Randolph's nervous and manly letter;
bur we were exceedingly desirous to fix the
prominent features OF the transaction in the
Public mind. Mr.. Raudolph's explanation OF
Mr. Jrff rson's allusion To the War, as meaning
the War Of restrictive measures, and not the
War Of 1919, is completely saiisfact tory, and
while i, rsconciles the chronology Of The letter
Of the 2s:h, with that Of Mr. Adams exposl-
ton. il deprives his Excellency Gov. Giles, OF
the foundation of his hypothesis 10 Mr.. Jefier-
sons waning intellect.
To The Editor of the Enquirer.
GExTLEMEN: IN your paper Of the 22d over
the signature of "N m. b. Giles, lind my
name used in manner'as unexpected as II mas
been unmeriied AID uncour'eous
On the 18th Of October. Judge Stuart adj
dressed letter 10 me, wishing a coEy Of one
written by Mr.. Je ffrrson TO Mr.. Giles; request
ing il 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 improperly in my furnishing the
copy called for, and particularly as i, bore hon
orable testimony to the character oil an indivl'
dual; and the reques: came from the ancient
friend OF Mr.. jeff, rson. But il seems that in
complying with this request, ! have been false
to his memory, and false 10 my country, be-
cause there are some 6guratise expressions in
this letter, and because ii is an evidence Of the
patriotism and integrity of an individual. stand
ing high in the esrima ion Of large portion Of
his fellow citizens. Mr. Jefferson uses the ex
preston Of ",h- war then going or,' and again
DAT the close ofthr war" Having myself heard
The substance Of ttis letter from his own fps so
ofien, and its having been SO long familiar 10
me, i'd not, perhaps, sufficiently adverIec 10
the literal construction, which would be appli-
ed 10 these words, by persons 10 whom The sub
jecl would be new In III, first expression, he
a!ludes 10 the war waged by he belligerenrs or
our commerce, and 20 the war Of restrictive
M ssures on our par. In the latter he speaks
OF The &C ,ual war " hich was about 10 take place
and which the whole language of his c. RES
pondence Of ha d y shews tina, he b j., ed
to br immedi,e, aud me able. How Other
wise IS the Inconsistency of these expressions
with The following TO be accounted for? 81
saw the necessity Of abandoning il, and instead
Of eff"clinS oar purpose by THIS peaceful wea-
pon, we mus, fight il ou'." II The first ex-
pressions are to be taken liera ly, and not hgu-
rativriy, grea', indie d, must have been the
W, ne of mind and # memory, which haG be-
come inadequate to detect III striking incon
sis,encies Of so shor, letter; copying 100,
from the rough draught, Gas he always did,
and revising carefully every thing before j.
passed from his hands. AS an addi ional evil
dence that those words were used hgurativelv,
and not literally, quote from letter Of his,
dated January IS, 1909, TO MIR, Monroe, when
the events here sp ken of were in their aotual
transit the following expression: sour peace
and prosperity NAV be revived" This, taken
literally, would likewise suppose The actual ex |
;st"nce Of war; 70, "pa e" TO be "rs,iv, d. must
Els have been lost, and its opposite coudilio"
war. in ex,senc-; and yet PR sumo il is not
intendet 20 be insinuatrG; that this faulty ex
is,rd in 1909.
This hter TO Mr.. G. is dated on the 25th of
December. 1925; on the 26 h, the nex day, |
"ar;er nigh, ofrrpnse," Mr.. Giles finds him
in The tnll vigor Of his faculties, and upon thi,
expression IN that letter: viz. 'If Mr.. Giles
lrr,er) found me engaged in what could no
Law aside until this day" assumes the existence
Of "mental distress and embarrassing bu siness"
FIR "four days previous" to the 25th. which as
sumption IS utterly DIES itu,e of all founda ion |
il tact, and wholly ,rronrous Upon This as
he very pla"shy, and most humane
" and CONSIDERABLY, apol'gses for the alberto |
tons Of Mr.. ] # rson's memory, and the fatu
i,v of hi intellect that unfortunate momen;'
do most solfmnlv assure Mr.. Giles aud | |
have documents in my possessio" abundanlv 20
prove i, that his occupations for days previous
IT, the IS h, were Entirely Of public nature,
and n, a all calculated to produce "unplea
SAINT emba rss,ment" and "mental DISTRESS"
and when Mr. G shall have pseused the re-
sul Of his labnrs for those ''four days." he will
admit that it WAS not less f.r,unsle effort Of
his intellecr than that of the 90 h, which he is
pie srd to commend so highly. Mr.. Giles evil
IDENTIFY slludes by this unpleasant embarrass,
ment," Sc. to Mr. Jefftrsun's pee unary difficu'>
lies. ! can assure him that he never fel, these,
but in the abstract and in anticipation for MS |
family. The weight Of his pecuniary emba',
hrp ~.