Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-12-02

publications. of Thos. Shelby II Todd. To which | r..
Piled, If MIR. Shelby real Objects to defend the memo.
ry.othi Is father from the iTlputatiu ns a. SANDERS OF Thos
HheiDy a. Todd, and had so written to me, | Shout,
cheeriully have aided him. That man while lv.
ing lPolnting to the portrait of Governor Shelby
could not have been base enough TO utter the tllin1s
charged by his relations, which the secret journal
under his own proper signature. will prove; ana which
oy applying to AlaJor Lewis. he was welcome, for his
satisfacilon, to see. Col. Combs said ne would ike
10 see IT, anu consent was gwen, that Major Lewis
shouia submit To MN an inspection oiit, but 10 prom
Use was given Tor him to have u copy, us he aliepes.
subsequently ne dId see it. ami admitted the sic.. aturr
TO be III Gov. Shclby's own hand writing. told
nm ne was ut liberty to see, not only the secret Jour
iai-o I'LL also tie statements OF tliosc gentlemen who
We're present at the Treaty. But as it appeared Mr..
Shelby, or his friends, had been SECRETLY wiring to
MAJ. Is. Sl,Eth tor information on this subject wilhcut
any communication or notice to me: ana ,nat MS Sl,cj-
oy ana Todd had published 20 the worli the declara-
uons OF their deceased father, whirh the secret Jour
nal over his signature showed to be pcsi;iveiy untrue
that they must now get out oithe difficulty in which,
they had voluntarily placed themselves, the best wav
they could, and without; assistance from me-tl,pt t!,a
lournui, and every thing N relation to the Treaty,
having been forwarded by The Commissioners Gov.
Shelby and myself to the Government at Washing-
.oh City, Generut Shelby certainly mad it III his pow
er, provided 1t had been "llIEri, OF deemed material,
to have obtained it that it the government choose to
take the responsibility Of publishing it, I had no obiec-
Ton to It's being done. Ii was only to SUI isfy Col.
Combs Of the incorrectn,ss of what Nrsers. S],eIbv
and Todd had published, and to prove to him, that the
secret journal had been signed in the proper hand
writing OF Gov. Shelby, that consent was Giycn TO see
1t. tie must have SO UnGcrs;ood, for at the time Of
reading 1t, he was given directly TO understand the
reason why ! had not permitted it 10 be unfinished
But notwithstanding ali this, he proceeded home. and
lost no time in publishing rarblel extracts; from it MS
Trying himself tor DOING SO, and Tor tins practised
breach OF conhdence. By no better reason than that b..
mas been unable to perceive any substantial or sutfi-
Gent reason for preserving its confidence.
Col. Combs then inquired OF me- ii would write to
MIR. James Jackson, Mr.. Currin ana Col. Butler. who
ne said, Gen. Shelby had learned were nj the treaty.
| asked if those gentlemen had been applied to by
MIR. 5. and if not, why seek MY consent? He answer
ed they had not been applied 10; and that he presu-
med they would not speak without uay 1eYn,iSsioa.
This inslnuation appeared SO very imDertinent, that nj
any other place, and under other circumstances, 1
might have admonished the Colonel ofthe improprie-
ty OF beng the bearer ofsucl insulting and ungentle-
manly expressions. | replied, this insinuation, pro.
ceedlng from Gen: Shelby. was highly iudecorar,s: apd
that ] thought no man possessing the proper feelinos
OF a gentleman, could SO express himself. remar-
ked that over these gentlemen had 10 controls; that
neither MIR. James Jackson Der MIR. Currin were at
inc treaty that L should not write 10 either: but he
was at perfect liberty to apply 10 them. and that thev
had my iull permission to detail all and cyery tkino
they, or either of them, knew on the subject of the
treaty, or any other matter respecting me; for that |
mad no secret kecpcrs--that | had received q letter
that morning from Col. Butler, inforIning me he Ind
Just seen the publication of Thomas Shelby and Todd.
ana was preparing a statement in reply, which would
" ici W Us 10 the u. - lcienraph for OibUcaflOn--
that james Jackson and myself had not gpoken for
some years, and from this marked hostility. / had no
doubt ne would relate any and every thing he knew.
which by any possibility might operate preiudicially
to me; and he was Authorized to say to Mr.. Jackson
then in Nashville that he was absolved from any
thing of secrecy and confidence in respect 10 me-rc-
peatlng that had no secret keepers; but that | would
not be compelled into a correspondence with him or
any body elee. The Colonel endured, if he sho.lG
be at liberty to communicate this to Mr.. Jackson:
| told him he was perfectly at liberty. and ! wished
him to do so. His reply was, this viii answer the
same purpose as though you had written.
Col. Combs then proceeded TO remark that he was
politically opposed 10 me; but in his canvass. and in
all his public speeches before the people, had stu
diousIy avoided Introducing my name improperly or
mdccorousIy into them: and that if / should be elect
ed, he would, with great pleasure, support nv admin
l%stratlon. I replied. Colonel, | have risked much that
every man might possess freedom of speech, OF
Thought, and opinion and where they conducted
themselves. in the exercise of those rights, az gentle
men always should DO it never had been, and never
would be, cause OF the least heart burning: but when
SANDER was resorted to, the country ransacked for
secret tales, end these promulgated to iniurC the feel
ings and character Of any one. those capablc of such
conduct ought to be contcmncd by aIl high minded.
honest, and honorable men. With the close OF this
sentiment we walked into the passage, when | OBJ
served, | was we'll advised. how all this matter was
managed; that had not such n man as Henry Clay
existed. Thomas Shelby aud Todd would never nave
put forth such talsehoods. In 'rnabing this remark. I
had reference to particular information confirmed in II
confidential letter received from Kcntucky,-Col.
Combs quotes my remark in this way, that if there
hid never been such a man as Henry Clay, these
matters would have slept in Inc grave with Governor
Shelby The latter member of this sentence. these
matters v Id have slept in tire grave with Governor
Shelby is untrue. ! used no such expression. and |
leave with Col. G. to explain, whether his statement
was made from want of memory. or thro' design, the
better to fill up his diplomatic report. At the time al
luded to, Governor Shclby's name was not used by
me. As TO the correctness of Ills recollection about
the secret journal. | refer you TO the instrument itself,
which can be seen by applying TO Major Lewis. 1t
will be there perceived, that either il or the statement
made by Messrs. Shelby and Todd, is folse. Every
thing donei in reference to the Treaty waslaid minute.
iy before the Government. Nothing took place.
known to me. that WINS in the slightest degree obicc-
ticnable, or improper; and if there did. it is equally
matter of objection against Governor Sholbv ne
myself, inasnuch as nothing was done or concluded
upon. that did not receive the appreciation and sane
ton Of both Of ia. Between Governor Shelby and