Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-25

- he had information, oil the most unYucsu0DdDie
certainty, that certain citizens OF the Eastern
States a thiuk he named Massachusetts particu |
isrly) in negotiation with agents OF the Brit
i,h Government, the object OF which an agree
men,, that the New England States should take
no further part IN Me icdr Eies going 0a,' &c.
The embargo was enacted the 22d of Dec
1907, aud repealed by the non Intercourse act on
the Is, OF March, 1909. The war was declared in
June, 1872.
In August. 1909, Mr. Adams embarked for Ru,.
sia. nearly three years before the Declaration OF
War. and dill not return to the United States Till
Aug. 1917, nearly years after the conclusion OF
the peace.
Mr.. Madison was inaugura,od President of the
v. ). on the ith OF March. 1909.
1t was impossible, therefore, that Mr.. Adams
coud have given any information 10 Mr.. jefferson,
oi negotiations by citizens If Massachusetts,, with
British agents, during the Uo, having relation
TO 1t. MIR. Adams never had knowledge of any
such negotiations.
The interview, to which Mr. Jefferson audes,
took place ,lic 18th Of March, 1903, pending
the embargo but, at the session of Congress be-
fore the substitution for OF the non intercourse
act, The information, given by Mr. Adams 10 Mr..
Jefferson, had only an indirect reference even
TO the embargo, anh none 10 any cudcavors for
obtaining its repeal. IL the substance o. a
letter IRON the Governor OF ova Scotia, 10 per
son in the State of Massachusetts, written in tue
Summer OF 1907, and before the existence Of the
embargo which letter Mr.. Adams had seen IL
Had been shown 10 him without any Injunction OF
secrecy. and he betrayed no candcnce i'm COM
muuica,ing its purport 10 MIR Jefferson. lis OBJ
jcct Was 10 countcnancc and accredit ca!umny
uten extensively prevailing, among the cnemics
OF MIR. .. and the opponents OF his Administration,
that he and his measures were subservcnt 90
France; and il alleged that the British Govern
mcnt were informed of plan, determined upon
by France, to effect the conquest of the British
! PIoYinccS Oh tins Continent, and Revolution in
the GovcrnTen. ot the United States, as means To
which they were FIRST To produce war between
the United States and England. From the fact
| that the Governor of Nova Scotia had written
such letter 10 an individual IN Massachusetts,
connected with other facts, & with the movements
! OF the party then predominant i'll that State. Mr..
Adams and Mr. Jefferson drew their differences,
which subsequent events doubtless confirmed
| but w!hc! differences neither Mr. Jefferson
| MIR. Adams then communicated 10 each other.
| This was the only confidential! interview which.
during the Administration of Mr.. Jefferson, took
! place between him and MIR. Adams. IL took place
htst at the request OF Mr.. Wilson Carey Nicho-
| las. then member OF the House of Representa-
tives OF the United States, confidential friend OF
Mr.. Jeatrson next, OF Mr.. Robinson, then
Senator from Vermont; and. lastly, OF MIR. Giles,
! then Senator from Nirgiuia--wtich request is
the only Intervention of Dir. Giles, ever known TO-.
Mr.. Adams, between him and MIR. Jefferson. It-
Is therefore not surprising, that no such interview
ton occurred to the reccliec ton Of Mr. Jefferson
in December 1925.
This interview in March, 1905 In May, OF
the same year, Mr. Adams resigned his scat in
the Senate of The u =.
At,he next Session of Congress, which com
menccd in Nov, lSUS, MIR. Adams was private
citizen, residing a, Boston. The embargo was still
IN force; operating VIII. extreme pressure upon
! the interests Of he People, and was welded as
most elective instrument by the party prev ailins
iii the State, against the Administration of Mr. JEFF
ferson. The People were constantly instigated TO
iorcte resistance against il; and uIies after iures
acquitted the volators Of it, upon the ground that
IT was unconstitutional, assumed in the face OF a
solemn decision Of the District Court ofthe United
\ of
lated IN the public prints and Convention OF 4
delegates c! the n. England Safes meet at II. /
| Haven, was intended and proposed.
MIR. Giles, and several other members CT Con- !,
gTess during this session. wrote to Mr.. Adams
hdentiai letters, informing him of the various mea-
sures proposed as reniorcements substitutes lor
the embargo, and soliciting his opinions upon the
subject. He answered those letters with frankness
ana III confidence. He earnestly recommended the |
substitution OF The non intercourse for the embargo
and IN giving his reasons for this preference, was
necessarily led 10 enlarge upon the views S. pur- ,
poses 0! certain leaders OF the party which lad the
management Of the State Legislature in their |
hands. He urged that a continuance OF the embsr-
90 much longer would certainly be met by forcible |
resistance, supported by the Legislature, and pro-
badly by the Judiciary OF the State. That to guell
that TcSlStancc ii force should be resortcd 10 by
tie Government it would produce a civil war, and |
that in that event, he had no doub; the leaders OF
the party woud secure the Cooperation with |
them OF Great Britain. That their object was and
ion, and the establishment Of separate Confede-
ration, lac knew from uneqiyocal evidence al |
though not proveabe in Court Of Law; aud that, !,
IN the case Of civil war, the aid of Great Britain
10 effect that purpose would be as surely resorted
10, IS ii would be indispensabiy necessary TO the
design.
That these letters of Mr. Adams to MIR. Giles. /;
aud to other members of Congress, were read or
shewn 10 MIR Jefferson, he never was informed [!
They were written, not for communication TO |!
him, but To the letters of his CORES.
ponden;s, members oil Congress, soliciting his o. !;
plnions upon measures i'll deiberation before them
anu upon which they were 10 act He wrote |
ardent friends to the Administration, and to their
country. He wrote them 10 give to the supper |
tiers oil the Admin!st alton OF Mr.. Jefferson, i'm |
Congress, at that crisis, the best assistance by |
his Information and opinions, in his power He !
had certainly no objection that they should be |
communicated to Mi. Jefferson; but this was nei. |
thor his Intention desire. In one of the letters !
10 Mr. Giles he repeated assurance, which he |
had verbally given him during the preceding se-
sion Of Congress, that he had for his support of
MIR. Jeilerson's Administration, personal or in
.erested motive aid no favor TO ask Of him whate-
yer. |
Tha; these letters 20 Mr.. Giles were by him |
communicated TO Mr.. Jefferson, Mr.. Adams be- |
!ieyes from The import Of this letter from Mr. |!
Jefferson, now first published and which has eli !
cited this statement. He believes, likewise that !
other letters from him TO other members of Con.
gress, written during the session, aud up |
On the same subject, were also communicated TO +,
him. and that their contents, after lapse OF Sc
yenieen years, were blended conlusedly in his !
memory, first, IS ia the information given by Mr.
Adams 10 him at their interview in March, 1875, Z!
nine months before; aud next, with events which /.
occurred during the subsequent war, and OF !
which, however natural as a sequel to the infor. |
=