Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-02-16

80 him ,he above le:.er Of Nov 26,h. They
feel no fe ar tina, the public viii, accuse them OF
in taking upon themselves the task
Of vindicatipg The reputation OF the federal par
~. The share which some Of them had In
public affairs during the period over which Mr..
Adams has extended his charges and inslnua-
tons, and the decided, powerful, and well mel"
tied influence enjoyed by their illuslrous friends
now deceased, most assuredly gave TO the un.
dersigued right TO demand The grounds Of
the accusation; righr which Mr.. Adams him
sells repeatedly admits might have been justly
and properly exercised by each of them sever
ally. Their demand was founded on the COM
mon principle, recognized alike in the code OF
honor and of civil Jurisprudence, that no man
should make charge affecting the rights or
character Of others, without giving them an
opportunity Of knowing the grounds on which
j. was made, and of disproving LIT untrue
To this plain and simple demand the undersgn
ed received the answer contained IN the above
letter Of Mr. Adams, dated Oil the 30lh OF De-
cember
II will be seen tina, Mr.. Adams altogether re-
fuses to produce any evidence in support OF his
allie gstons The former part OF his letter con-
tans bis reasons Tor that refusal; and IN the
other part, lie repeats the original charges IN
terms even more offensive Than before. When
addrt ssing 10 him our letter, we thought we
might rea enably expect from his sense of what
was due to himself, as well TO Us, that he
would fully disclose all The evidence which he
nrofessed 10 consider so satisfactory; AID We
Tel, assured, tina, in that event, we should be
able fully 70 explain or refute il; or to show
that i, did no, sffrc, any distinguished member
| of The federal party And il, on The other hand,
| he should refuse 10 disclose that evidence, we
trusted that the public would presume, wha'
we unhe si,atingy pelievt, that il was because
he Ind no Evidence that ,couid bear 10 be submitted
10 an impnytiai and Intelligent community. Mr..
| Adams has adopted the latter curse; and II the
reasons tina, he has assigned for 1t should APP
pe ar to be unsatisfactory, our fellow. citizens,
we doubt not, will join US IN drawing the above
inference. We, therefore, proceed 10 an e1a-
mination Of those reasons.
Mr., Adams first objects to our making a
ioin, application 10 him: acknowledging the
right Of each one alone 10 inquire whether M
va. included in his vague and sweeping de-
annexation. II is not easy 10 see why any one
should loose this acknowledged right, by unit
inp with others in The exercise Of il: nor why
this mere change of form should authorize Mr.
Adams to disregard uur claim. But there are
two obi. ctions 10 the course which he has con
descended to pint out, as he only one in which
hr could be approached on This occasion. Any
individual who should have applied to him II
tina. mode nigh! haSs essR sAsEfp5bS sab1
in no danger Of stuff ring as one of the sleaders
in Massachusetts, and had no OCCASION 10 ex.
culpate hintse'! from charge conveyed in the
terms used by Mr. Adams The other obiec.
ton is sill more decisive. After allowing 10
this denunciation all the weight that it can ne
supposed To derive from the personal or off.
cial character Of the accuser, we trust there are
few ctIzrns of MASSACHUSETTS who would be
content 10 owe their poll il al reputation 10 his
estimation "f it, and condesceud 10 solicit his
certificate to acQuit them Of the suspicion OF
unreasonable practices.
Mr.. Adams TEXT objects, that we make our
applica ION asIthe representatives of grea, and
powerful party, which, at The time referred 10,
commanded, as he saws, ID devoted ma jority in
the Legislature Of The Commonwealth; and he
denies right 10 represent that party. We
have already stated The the objections 10 Joint
application by all, who nigh, be included in
ihis dennucia,ion, aud 10 separate inquiry by
each individual; and some Of the reasons which
we thought, justified the course which we have
pursued. We certainly did not arrogate ~
our.evrs the title OF 'lraders;' and Mr. Adams
may enjoy, undisturbed, all the advantage
which thai circum- lance can give him in this
Controversy. Blu. we free ly avnwed such close
political connection with all who could proba-
by have bern included under mat appellaron,
as 10 render Us responsible for all their polili,
cal measusss that were known TO US; and we
therefore, must have be- either their duoes, or
,hr associates in their guilt. In eth r case, we
were interested aud, as we apprehend, entitled,
20 make his demand Of Mr.. Adams
AS 10 the suggestion thai he spoke only of
'crl ain leaders Of the federal parry, and no,
Of ne party istlf, we certainly intended 10 de-
nv our knowledge and belief ha, ary such plot
had heen contrrsd by anv party whatever in
this Stait: and il is explicitly state in our
letter. This language would include any nun.
Der, whether large or small, who nigh be sup,
posed to have lragued together, for the pur-
pose .usges ed by Mr. Adams. There seems.
therrtorr, 10 be but li,le ground for this techs
nical objection, that we do not take The issue
rendered by his charge.
Blu W. wish to examine a little !ur' her this
dis'inc ion which Mr.. Adams relies upon, be-
tween 4 poiticsl party & It's leaders From the
nature DF al live nj n r..,,I,,