Litchfield enquirer., 1829-08-20
[From The Ne,p. York SpsetatOr.l

histnrv of the course Of his own life, which
snneared In the shape ola reply to letter
fsrvn Mr.. J. 8. C. Knowlton, written to Amos
~ hia own request. The humbug Is a very |
weak one, Nobody will have either the Cre- |
Iulitv or the complaisance to believe that this
i any thing more than mere volunteer on
the part offriend Amos. His simpleNnnNls'
are nightly uninteresting; though he, OF
course, thinks otherwise, as he never was and
never win be indicted for modesty. In the
proclamation he made when he hOlted into
his Office, he informed US Of the astonishing
fact that "all men must die" It is very oh.
vious, however, that he thinks in his own
case. with HoraCe-"I shall not all die.
shal escape Libitina." He is man Of gen.
ius and has taste for Bells Lectures But, IN
addition to the provocatives Of vanity, Amos
!. has been made to feel that he labours undera
load Of odium, in consequence OF his conduct
to Mr.. Clay, who condescended to pntrcnlTe
him. "Hence these tears''--Nnd hence this
autobiography. Amos is no EnceIadus ; but
il he were, he can no more shake on the
mountain Of oblOquy which his ingratitnde
has brought down on his insignificant head,
than Titan could have heaved Etna into the
ocean.
As his self history Is too long to copy, we
at length in several Of the Boston papers, and
has been copied into two New York Journals.
He saws, after the humbug part Of the letter,
which Is preliminary, that he owes "unre.
Quilted obligations" to only three people In
New England; and that these are his parents,
and the gentleman with whom he studied
law. He denies that he ever was in state Of
"becgary and starvation" which we are glad
to learn because It 10 uncomfortable to think
ola fellow creature, bred to a liberal profess
sion, being placed in such predicament.-.
Amos proceeds to state that when he started
from home to 90 to Kentuck, he had $500 In
his breaches pocket. And we have nc doubt
that he was nice, wholesome looking Yankee
bow. When he got to Lexington he had 500
left, and took lodgings at Postletewait's, which
he describes rs grand and costly hotel.-
Here he lived, according to his own account
like ighting cock. But as the 500 began
20 melt, he began to be aware that he must do
something for a living; and accepted an offer
from Mrs. Clay to live In her family and teach
her children for $500 year.
"Insteal," says the intelligent 4th Auditor.
"of being Ia state Of starvation, rags and
misery, as has been so industriously represen.
ted, paid my bill Of fare at Postlethwait's
sumptuous table. purchased me q suit Of new
clothes, and had ST. left, when went to live
with Mrs. Clay"
with the si7, and new jacket and trow.
sers, our hero remained for n year under the
hospitable roof Of Mrs. Clay; when, being
ambitious, and 90 years old, he settled In
Georgetown as a lawyer.
~ went to Lexington the next summer to
attend Court, and was taken sick la my
clearinghouse. Az soon as became con-
valescent, Mrs. Clay sent her carriage, and had
ne conveyed to her house. There ! remain
Cd about three weeks, when was able to re-
'nrn to Georgetown"
and b @ RA MR k 81 d a e4 * eindns.:
The distinction 10 nice one, but Just. In in.
genuous hearts, the latter feeling, inburthe ned
with the weight Of obligation 10 stronger and
holier and more irradicabe, than that of
mere Indebtedness which might be discharg.
ed, however benevolent the creditor NAV he.
How strangely Amos has proved that re was
grateful, the people know, and they will not
forget It.
He goes on next to state that on Mr..
Clay's return from Europe, in order 10 curry
favor with that statesman, he took part In th.
controversy arising from the difference Of
opinion between the commissioners at Client.
and wrote several essays on the subject.
which he says were approved 0fby Mr.. CLAW.
Mr.. Adams having been elected President.
and having made Mr.. Clay Secretary Of
State, Amos remained two years, az he saws.
neutral ;--that ID, he waited for q fat oifice.-
None came and he now discovered that Mr..
Clay scos uagratefl! Mr.. Adams, who had
no Duff Green to dictate to him, very prop.
erly thought that Amos was not At for a for
eign mission and Amos saw, or "thought
he saw" that he would never cut figure In
diplomacy, under that administration,
Such 10 his own account of Che naatter.-
We must add q fact, which he has seen At to
omit. Soon after Mr.. Adams came into now
or, Amos wrote to Mr.. Clay for place. M.
Clay informed him In reply, that he could NOT
offer him a situation worth mere than $1,000
per annum. Here was somewhat of dam.
per to our hero's visions of glory and aInbi.
ton. He wrote back that he could not come
for less than $500 or $500 at the very low.
est. Mr.. Clay then replied that he would
have to stay; 40 in order to provide him with
such place, some old and faith tisl public OF.
ficer must be removed, which, IN the Secre- |
tarys opinion, would be an act of iniustice.-
Whereupon Amos kicked up his heels, and |
made adjurations and vows Of revenge. He
says, however. that he did not blacksuard |
Mr.. Clay 80 much az he did Mr.. Adams, un. |
oil the latter gentleman saw &c TO correct |
misrepresentation which Amos had made |
and then he went the whole hog. He regrets
that he did not begin sooner; and this he saws, il
YAH HnmA H. fNNn-- n