Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-04-28

PROSTATE the charge made by Mr.. Adams and Mr..
iumer, but to rei'rte the allegation that any pro-
ject Tor the dismemberment OF the Union was In
contemplation. 1t Is unnecessary to dwell any,
longer this subject, If the weight Of such res
pectable testimony he not sufficient to degrade
them, whose accusations have, from the coinci.
denee oil circumstances. been entirely selfish, eli.
Their to advance their consequence with new po-
tical associates or TO crafty their spleen in re-
venge tor the disgrace Of having been neglected
and discarded from the high minded confidence OF
tie fedcralists Of the old school. If Mr.. Adams
lid not possess the capability Of most happy
equivocation aud the peculiar talent OF skilfully
blending and discoloring transactions Of various
kinds. his attacks the leaders Of the federal par
ty would be considered by die public as deiamato-
~ and llcentione.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
To the Editors of TIC Eccning Post.
Gentlemen-Snce handed to you, for publi-
cation. Mr. Plumer letter Of the 9th ult. i have
received from him the following answer to mine Of
the I'd April, bearing date the llth inst and Post
marked on the 18th April.
EpPINo, April IL, 1899.
Sir-Two days since, received your letter Of
the I'd inst, in which you say that my letter to
you OF the 9th March, affords no satisfaction to
the charge contained in my letter to Mr.. Adams.
In reply to this remark permit the to saw that i'm
my letter Of the goth of Dec. 1928. publishing in
the correspondence between Messrs. Adams, Otis,
and others, made no charge or accusation
against the late Gen. Hamilton. I simply stated
that member of Congress at the session OF 1903
informed me,that the General had consented to
attend meeting OF federasts at Boston in the
autumn OF 1874, upon the subject of considering
and recommending a system of government for
the northern states. On this point, can add no.
thing, SO far as relates to General Hamilton, to
the remarks made in my letter to you Of the 9th
March last.
You require me to Communicate the name If
the member of Congress, who made the foregoing
declaration to ME, and say the public consider me
obliged to comply with your request. Without
enqniring what the public consider me bound to
perform, you will excuse me for again saying,
cannot recognize your right to make such de-
mand. You appear to think it was improper for
me to have referred TO General Hamilton in my
letter OF the Goth of December, 1928. If that
opinion be correct, would not nv informant, if
living, or if dead, his children, have equal cause
OF complaint ganst me for naming him as you have
Tor referring to your late father feel no dispose
ton to withhold necessary useful information,
il have it, from any man; but of the propriety,
expediency, and utility of commune ting H. must
decide for myself.
1 am. sir. your ob't serv't,
WILLIAM PLUMER
Alex. Hamilton, Esq.
AS was anticipated, il seems to be Mr.. PIumer's
final determination to decline afording any means
through the channels Of which information may
be procured ,toshow that no meeting in Boston was
ever contemplated to take place. II is not to in
qairies made by me alone TO this gentleman, that
explanations have been refused to member of
Congress OF high respectabiity, Of the Session of
1903, he has declared, that he would neither
satisfy him nor any other person. He has, there
lore, resolved TO take the responsibility, what
ever may be the consequence, rather than submit
10 the issue of contradictory testimony. As this
affair now stands, Mr.. Adams may still consider
himseif entitled to the benefit of this witness,
which. he would undoubtedly lose, if free ex-
animation were submitted to; and aware how i'm
portant 1t was TO sustain Mr.. Plumer's credibility
Mr.. Adams has endorsed his statement, and ten
dered him certificate of responsibility. If any
other course had been pursued il would have
been entirely out OF keeping with the rest of this
The credbty Of the associate wit
ness must be sustained, regardless of the reputa-
ton and honor OF the accused; the charge of trca-
son must be fixed somewhere, aud the stamp of
infamy, if possible, made indeIibie.
This mighty project, TO dismember the union
seems only to be known to John @. Adams and
VIM. Plumer; the late President resortng to the
dead to bear him testimony, while the former
Governor of n. Hampshire dares not trust the liy-
ing or the dead. In 1904 Mr. Adams. by his own
knew that Gen. Hamilton advocated
the Union; in 1928, in his reply to the Boston
Federalists, he asserts that he fired on as the
military leader to carry the plan Of dist,aio, in
to execution; and, on the 9Th March, 1929 he
most graciously affects to believe that Gen. Ham
iiton entertained no reasonable disloyal views
ALEX. HAMILTON.
The following letters are from the Hon. Benz
laliTnadge. and the Hon. Jas. Hillhouse.
LITCHrIELD, Comm March IT, 1920
Sir-iour favor of the 9th inst. was received
by last evenings mail. Governor Plumer's letter
to Mr.. Adams had also seen. Having been
member Of Congress from March Iitb, 1901, to
March 4th, 1917, inclusive, had some opportupi-
~ OF noticing the changes which took place in
men. as well az some of the measures of govern
nent. OF the former, Messrs. Adams and Plu-
ner were prominent instances. Whether their
from Federalism TO Democracy was by |
agreement of the parties as to time and fact has
not yet been disclosed. In one thing no one can
be mistaken their malice against their former !
friends seems TO be unbounded.
During the sessions OF Congress for the wears
1904, as MIR. Plumer was professedly Fede- |
rdftst, he OF course quartered with his New-En- |
gland friends; and at one time, recollect that he
boarded at the same house with the Connecticut
Delegation, all of whom were Federalists of the
Old School. IL would be difficult TO recollect all
the subjects that were discussed during a winter
Of social intercourse; but think SO solemn sub
lect as thatof g forming a separate Government
in New England" could not even have been spo-
ken OF without leaving deep impression upon
the mind. For myself, can say have no recol-
iectonof any conversation having taken place,
among my Federal friends, during the sessions of
Congress, in the years 1904, advocating the
necessity OF forming separate Government in
New England; or OF having meeting, in Boston,
OF the leading Federalists, TO consult on such a
or that Gen. Hamilton had Consented 20
attend such meeting.
Although was acquainted with Cen Hamilton
during the Revolutionary war, and saw him after.
wards occasionally, while he was Secretary Of the
Treasury OF the United States, yet had not the
honor OF free intercourse with him, and do not
ever 10 have received a letter from
him in my life. Although have repeatedlv Wis
lied Gen. Hamilton at Philadelphia, in company