Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-17
CORRESPONDENCE.


citizens of every State in the Union have a deep in.
teccst In the reputation of every uther State.
IL Is Wen known, that during the EMBARGO. and the
succeeding restrictions our commerce. and also DUR
my the late war with Great Britain. the State of
massachusetts was sometimes charged with enter
teftanng designs, dangerous, il not hostile 10 the
Union OF the Suites. This caltlnv having been en-
gehdcred at period OF extreme political excitement,
una ocng considered like thousand others which at
such rues are fabricated by party animosi;y & which
hive out their day and expire has hitherto attracted
very ntue attention in this State. IL stood OH the,
same footing with the charge against Ilamlon for
Pecuiaion; against the late President Adams us be-
ing IN iavor o. monarchy and nobility, and against
washington himself, as hostile TO Franco, and de-
Voted TO British Interests. Caluunios which we're
seldom believed by any respectable members of the
party which circulated Them
lie publication BY Tin, President Of Tho Tinted
states IN the National Intellgenccr of October last
JUS given an entirely new character these charges
against the citizens of Massachusetts. They can
'o longer be considered as the Anonymous ISLANDERS OF
PouticaL partisaus; but A. a slemn aud deliberate
impeachment by the first ina gstrate of the United
states and under the responsibility OF his name. it
appears also that this denuncation, though for
ne irst 'ine lno',o known to tue plblic and TO the
parties implcatcd (whoevcr they may be- was con-
tanned III private letters OF Mr., Adams written twenty
years ago, TO members Of the general govcrnmeni
ana That he ventures TO state 1t founded on uncaui
vocal evidence within his own knowleioc
Ii was impossible for those who had any MA in tI,
affairs ~ massachusetts, during the period in question:
TO suffer such charge to- 90 forth to the world and
descend 10 posterlty. without notice. The high Off
cal rank of the accuSer, the silent bit baueil in
fuencc OF the original secret Recommendations and the
deliberate and unprovoked repetition Of it in public
journal, authorized appeal to Mr.. Adams for spe-
cficafon o:hc PARTIES and ofthc evidence and rcn-
dered such an appeal absolutely ipera No high
~ naed honorable man, OF any party. Or of any State
III our concdcracy. could expect that the memory OF
strious friends, deceased or the cha racters of rho
living should be Lett unattended through the fear OF
awakening long eXtingaiSlled controversies or OF dis
tnrOinG Mr. Adams retirement. Men who feel a lust
respect for their characters ana for pnblc
and wdo have corresponding sense of what is due To
the reputation of others, will admit the rirLt of NIL
wuo might be supposed by the public be included in
Mr.. Adams denunciaton to call upon him IN disnerc
the cloud with which he had envcioped their charac
ters. Snch persons had right to require that the
innocent should not suffer with the oity if my sucb
there were; and that the parties against whom the
charge was levelcd. should have ali opporunitv 10
repcl and dtsprove If. Mr.. Adams had inGeerl ad-
mltted that his allegations could not be proved in
court OF law, and thereby pr."cnty declined leu
investigation; but the persons implicated had still
right to know what the evidence was which he pro-
fessed to consider uneQuvocal.' in order to exhi-
bit 1t to the tribunal Of the public before which nc
had arratgncd them. He had spoken Of that evil
dence as entirely satisfactory to him. They had
right TO ascertain whether 1t would be alike satisfac-
tory to impartial, upright and honorable men,
1t being determined that this denunciation could
not he suffered TO pass unanswered some question
arose as to the mode in which It should be noticed
Should 1t be by solemn public denial, i'll the names
OF all those who came within the scope Mr. Adams
accusation, including it does all the leaders of the
eucraI parry nom r1ie ycur q. 1910 c.,,h -
course indeed would serve in Massachusetts, where
the characters OF the parties known most lv To
connerv1il the charges OF Mr.. Adams; but this i'm
parchment ofther character may be heard in distant
States and in future times. A convention might
have been called of all who had been members of the
federal party in the legislature during those eleven
nor % host fhnt,t h.,
bcrs, intelligence cducation talents and patriotism:
yet II might then lave been sad-'You mean to over
power your accuser by numbers; YOU intend to seize
this occasion revive the old and long extinct federal
party your purpose is to Cypress by popular Glamour
faliing chief; you are avongng Yourselves for his
ancient detection from Your party; YOU are consci-
ons OF guilt but you endcayor to diminish the odium
OF IT by increasing the number Of your acconpli-
ccs. These reasons had great weight aud the course
adopted after elaboration appeared to be fire. from
ali objection.
The undersigned, comprising so many of the fcde
raj party, that Mr.. Adams should b. nj liberty 10
treat them unworthy of attention and vet so few
that he could not charge them With arrayiap "a host
against him, addressed to him the above letter of
November 10Th They fcclno fear that the public
w accuse them of presumption in taking upon them
selves the task OF indicating The reputation of the
federal I"rty. The share which some of them had
IN public affairs during the period over which Mr.
Adams has extended his charges and i,sinuations
and the decided powerful. and well mcritcd influence
enjoyed by their INDUSTRIOUS friends, now deceased
most assnfedy gave to the undersigned rrt 10 de-
uand the grounds Of the accusation; Il right which
Mr. Adams himself repeatedly admits might have
been justly and properly exercised BY each of them
sevcrally. Their demand founded on the common
principle recognized alike in the code Of hoisr and
NJ civil Jurisprudence, that man should make
charge affecting the rights character Of others.
without giving them an opportunity Of knowing the
grounds OF which it was made, and of disprovint
IT, If untrue. To this plain and simple demand.
he undersigned received the answer contained in the
above letter Of Mr. Adams, dated on the 30th of Dc
ccf1brr.
II Will bc tlrnt Mr. Adams altogether rcfifsrs
Q produce any evidence in support o. his allegation
no former part OF his letter confirms his reasons for
hat REFUSAL and in the sthcr part he repcnts the ORR
rnal charges III terms even more offensive than be-
orc. When addressing to him DIR letter we Thought
vc might reasonably expect from Lis scrsn of what
vas due to HIMSELF MS well as TO us that he wonld
ully disclose all tie evidence which he protested 10
consider SO satisfactory and felt assured that in
hat event we should be able fully to explain or refue
T. or to show that it did not affect any distinguished
Members Of the federal party. And If, on the other
and he should refuse TO disclose that evidence we
T-tCd Tint fhp nffblic yvntd