Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-02-14

WILLIAM SGIi.t AN,
CHARLES JACK son,
WARREN BUTTON,
BENZ. P!CKAiAN.
HENRY CABOT,
Son Of the late George Cabot.
c. c. PARSONS,
Son Of Thaophilns Parsons, Er deceased.
FRANKLIN DEXTER.
Son Of the late Samuel Dexter.
MIR. ADAMS REPLY TO THE PRICE,
DING LETTER.
Washington, 50th Dee. 1928.
Mcssrs. III. 6. Otis. Israel Ihorndlhc, T. II. Per
kias, William Prescott, Daniel Sargent, John
Lowell, v iliidm Sullivan, Cherries Jackson
Warren Duuon, Benjamin Pckman, Henry Ca
eot, c. c. Parsons, aud Franklin Dexter
Cenle'nen-l have received your letter OF the
10Th ult. anu recognizing among The sigma ures TO
II, names oil PERSONS tor whom a long, and on my
part uninterrupted friendship, has survived all tie
bitterness OF political dsseLsion, il would have af-
iorded me pleasure 10 answer wi h eNplcitness and
candor not only those persons, but each and ev-
cry one you, upon the only questions in relation
to the sGbject matter OF your letter, which men
oT as citizens can acknowledge your right 10
ask; namely, whether the interrogation was him
sell one OF the persons, intended by in the
tract which you have given, from statement au-
thoriZcd by me aud published in the stional In
tellgencer OF 2lst October last.
Had you, or either OF you, thought proper 10 ask
me this question, it would have been more salts.
factory to TO receive the inquiry separately
from each individual, than arrsyed in solid pha-
lanx, each responsible not only for himself but
for all others. The for this must be so OBJ
vious TO persons OF your Intelligence, that trust
hat you will spare the the pain OF detailing them.
But, Gentlemen, this is not all. You under
take your nqusition, not in your own names a.
lone; but as the repTcscn a,ivcs of great and pow
eriui party, dispersed throughout the Stats OF
Massachusetts aud Maize; A party commanding,
! at the time 10 which yoUr inquiries refer, devo-
ted majority ia the Legislature Of the then United
Commonwealth; and now, If Judged o, by
the character OF ia volunteer delegation, OF great
influence and responsibility.
L cannot recognize you, on this occasion, as
the Representatives OF that party, for Two reasons
first, because you have neither Produced your
credentials for presenting yourselves their
champions. nor assigned satisfactory reasons for
presenting yourselves without them. But, second
~, and chiefly, because your Introduction OF that
party into this question is entirely gra:uiious
Your solemn declaration that you do not know
that the federal, any oher party, at the time 10
which my statement refers, intended 20 produce
the dissolution Of the snion, and the formation OF
new conicderacy, does not take the issue, which
your owa statement OF my charge (as you are
pleased to consider III had rendered. he statement
authorized by me, spoke, not Of the federal party,
but Of certain leaders OF that parry. In my own
letters 20 the Members oil Congress, S.yho did me
the honor at that agonzing crisis TO our Nalionl
Union o. soliciting my confidential opinions upon
measures under deliberations expressly acquitted
the great body of The federal party, not only OF
Participating III me secret designs Ci those lead
ers, but even of being privy to, or believing in
their existence. now cheerfu'ly repeat that de-
claiaiion. well know that the party were not
prepared FOR that CONFUSION, to which the mea-
srres aud designs OF their leaders instigatng
them; and my extreme anxiety for The substitu-
tCn OF the non intercourse for the embargo arose
from The imminent do ger, that the continuance
and enforcement Of this latter measure would pro-
mote the views ofthose leaders, by goadng a ma
jory OF the people and of the !egi Stature to the
pItch of DlVSical i,-S
gainSt the execution OF lie laws OF the Union; the
only cteciual means by which the Union could
be dissolved iour nocesy has prompted you 10
disclaim the character Of leaders of the federal
party at tina. time. If l am 10 consider this as
more than mere disavowa OF form, must saw
that ;he charge, which lament TO see has excl
ted 50 much OF your sensbiliy, had no reference
to any OF YOU.
or precise state Of facts and evidence not affect
ing so 'ar you know, any Of you, but TO ena-
bic You fairly TO meet and TO enswerit.
Andy you demand,
j. Who are the persons designated as leaders
Of the party prevailing in Massachusetts in tl:e
year 1893, whose object assert was and had
been, for several years dissolution o! the Union
and the establishment OF a separate coniederacy?
and
.. ?'hc whole evidence. on which hat charge
is founded
You observe that it Is admitted, in the statement
OF the charge, that il not proveabIe IN court OF
law, and your inference is that am of course not
in possession OF any legal evidence, by which TO
innnain it. Yet you call upon me TO name the
persons Affected by the charge; charge in your
estimate deeply stiginatisng upon those persons;
anu you permit yourselves 10 remind me that my
sense c: justice und setTespect oblige me 10 dis
close all hat do possess. NJ sense of Justice to
you, gentlemen, induces me TO remark, that l
leave your seiirespect to the moral influence Of
your own minds, without pGesulnng to measure il
by the dictation Of mine
suppose, then, that in compliance with your
call, should name one, two, three persons, as
intended 10 be included in the charge. Suppose
neither OF those persons to be of you. You,
however, have given them notice that have no
evidence against them, by which the charge i,
T~1"eablc in court OF law-aud YOU know that 1
as wen as yourselves, am amensble TO the laws
OF the lard. Does your seif-respect convince you
Wat the persons so named, if guilty, would furni-h
the evidence against themselves, which thew
have been notified that do not possessl Are you
sure that the correspondence, which would prove
their quit, may not in the lapse Of % years, have
been committed TO the flames? In these days OF
failing and Of treacherous memories, may they
not have forgotten that any such cnrre pom
cence ever existed? And have you any guar
autee TO offer, that should not be called by 4 sum
mons more imperative than yours to produce in
Inc temple o! justice tho proof, which YOU say ]
have not, oT be branded for foul and malignant
siandereT Oi spotless and prosecuted viftuei Isit
not besides, imaginable that persons may exist.
who though twenty five years since driven in the
desperation q disappoinlment,to the meditation and
preparation OF measures tending to ihe dissolution
OF the Union, perceived afterwards the error OF
their ways, and would now gladly wash out from
their own memories their participation III projects
upon which the stamp Of indelihle reprobation has
past f. il not possible lat some of the censpira-
tors have been called 10 account before an higher