Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-02-17

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iudes, were OF the most public charac,ef; and the
most important OF item better known, in theirda,
to others, than they could be to him. residing inn
foreign country; and il the chain t-y which these
measures are connected with the suppussX Mo,
shall appear TO be wholly imaginary, these me a.
sures will reinan 10 ba supported ~ they ought 20
be, on their own merits. The letter froS, the Co
vernon OF Nova Scotia, as will presently be seen,
l. OF no possible significance in any view, buf thu.
OF having constituted the only infor,natio (as no
says) which Mr.. Adams communicated TO Mr.
Jefferson at tbetl.neos his first and only confiden
tial interview. 1t written in the summer Of
1877, this country being then in state of peace.
The Governors correspondent, is TO this honr un-
known TO us. He was ,o!. saws Mr. Adams :.
leader OF the Federal party. The conte nts %
the letter were altogether idle but the effect sup,
posed by Mr.. Adams 10 be contemplated by the
writer, could be produced only by giving ihen,
publicity. IL was communicated 70 Mr.. Adams
without any injunction OF secrecy He has no
doubt II was shewn 10 others. Its object was he
snpposes: TO accredit caluinny, that Mr.. Jeffer-
son, and his measures, subservient to
France. That the British government were. in
formed OF ap'an, determined upon by France TO
effect conquesto OF the British Provinces OH this
continent, and a revolution in the government as
the " s., az means 90 which they were first 10
produce war between the q. S. and England -.
Il letter oil this tenor was 40 doubt shewn To Mr.
Adams, as we must believe uron his word. The
discovery would not be surprising that British a,
well as French officers, aud citizens. in tine 81
peace with this country. awaited themselves o(
many channels for convey ing their specuIaoDs
and stratageus, ~ other innocent ears well as e,
those OF MI Adams, with a view 10 nIuen pub
lac opinion. But the subject matter cf the alter
was an absurty. Who did not know that in 1897
after the battle of Trafalgar the crippled navy
oil France could not undertake to Transport even !,
single regiment across the Bri ish ChanneR Ansii
the ohJ'ct was the conquest Of the British Pyoyit
ces BY the u. ,. alone how could a revolu.icn il,
their Cover nmen', which mus, tfviir, and weaker,
IL, promote that ent'
The folly OF British Government in ATTEMPTING
TO give cure ncy 10 story WI ici savours STRONGLY
OF the burlesQue, can be eqiaIled only by ihecre
duiy OF Mr. Adams, in believing il calculated "a,
produce Eject; and il he did believe, il furnish
es criterion by which 10 estimate the correct
ness and vitality of his III gucnt conceynins-
the weight and The application OF the other ey.-
aence' which he still withholds, and Gin wiicl.
he has undertaken with equal Influence to .t,ravv
MS interences. Aiter the adjustment oil the d
plomaIic preiminaries with MIR. Giles and others
MIR. Adams communicated NorIING 10 MIR J,f-
fcrSon, but the substance OF the Nova Scotia lei
ter. If Mr.. Adams had then knox n anG believe
III the project, (tlle key to a future proceed
ngs) il is incredible that il should not hive be- N
deemed worthy OF disc los uro--at that t.Dte ana
on that occasion.
In this eouneNion se advert for moment e,
the temper OF mind, and the state OF feelings,
which probably gave iise to- and accompanis,,
this comnauca ion OF Mr.. Adams. Crcuins an.
ces had occurred tending 10 enbi,ter his eeliugs
and 10 warp his Judgment.
MIR. Adams Isi before thu time Of his inter
view with NJ Jefferson, hal voted Tor the en-
barge. Tie had been reprC aohcd fur having n be
this on The aYovcd principle, ~ potiaS, and ,ifs
deli5eT6ting, upon the Executive recommend
tion. lie had been engaged with lis roilcapUe IA
a controversy on this subject His conduct As h6
affirm, and "a was The fact, bad been cens,reG ia.
terms OF severity, III the public press. The EegS-
latuIe Of Massachusetts, had elected anoti er.iier-
TO succeed him in tire Senate of the T. Sit e.
and had herwSc expressed such strong and de-.
cidcd disdPpEobA;iou OF the measures which he hak
supported, that he felt compel ~ resign his scar
before The expiration OF MS term. These m,rh,
he felt az injuries by men OF pacable tei,..
per. IL is probable that his feelings Of ilri.afloi
may be traced back 10 the contest heiwocn Jel,
teTs0n and the elder Adams. 1t il no secret tia,
the latter had cherished deep ami bitter resSn,-
ment against Hamilton, aud certain other lead,
ers' OF the federal party. supposed 10 be HaiIii-
teas friends. /, would nor he unma,utal that the
shout participate IN these feelings OF the "a
g e.. When Mr.. Adams visited Elr. Jefferson,
aud aI,ew ard' made his disclosures TO Mr., Giea
and others, having lost The condolences Of his oi,a,
party. hc hId decided, 'ds subsclu evenly
doubtless confirmed 10 throw himself into the
| arms of his fathers opponents. But there was %
load c. political guilt personal and hereditary, slb
resting upon him, in the opinions of the adyersc
party No ordinary proof OF his unqualified abtr
ration of his late politics would be sasfac tory
some slcijhce. which should put his sincerity IN
the test. ana place an impossible barrier BETWEEN
hun and his former party, was indispensa'le -
And wha, sacrifice was 50 natural, what plsaya
so perfect, this private denunci3lion Ncr
does the effect seoin 10 have been ni.calcifa-
! ted or ovcF-ra;ed. Mr.. Jefferson 6ecLaree III 2
| it raised Mr.. Adams in bis mind. It's even'nat,
Consequences were highly, an5 permanently adj
! vantageousiO M. hdafns 4 III though he As-
surei Mr.. Giles, that he hal rencunced his par
without PERSONAL views; ys, this dcniar co,rsde
ing that he bad HE good fortune 10 receive lDiftG.
fen months. the embassy to Russia, :ronuscic,i
wi d ou.eF circumsi3Dces,' which enfe- in hi.
elevation 10 he presidency. does indeed, according
70 his own principles OF presumpiivs evidence re
quire an eifor, OF the charity which bshsve'h siI
things 10 gani 'cFejengs.
To ;hcer public, and iniispdtabIe tacis. va
should NOT now revert, had Mr.. Adams sj,eiN
~ the mames, anil evidence, 80 requested and
had he fJretprnc TO reiie5ate ls iIhIrous L..
TnUtio's. Hu; - they now rest wholly hr-
on The fanciion nj his opinion, re pering evil
dence hch be alone possesses, think it but-
rea. enable 70 c9ts der. how far these cirounsfan
ces may have heated hs imag nation. disi3,,e,l
ih3 equ'nimiiy. ana gwen 20 the evidence wl,ic,,
he Keeps fom The pabitc eye, anil Inos iural, aa-i
false cuniule irr.
We proceed 'en 70 a biief examination of the
alleged project o. 1903 lof tie kogthefD eOnied|
erdcy
10 ti.s Gr4, irsc~, ne soleviriy disGvo,p,aI
hpowieti,e NJ s3ph prOjefi ana all remc1-
/ 6rHuce oftbs 11futOp of u, ar of any plan an
afogous IN u at thot ar anu sHbse9UeIt p,rie1
Secondly " bile IT j. obviously impossible FOR us
10 confr, vert evideBcc Of which wc arc ignorant,
wc are Well assured u must nc equally impCssLis
~ hing any f1cts which re c.,r st'efe5 evil
dsrcs ~. hear upon Ire 3s.eu4 O. ne as,ires qr
to.e wh". - the time Of hir. &.ians' interview
wits Air g. rs0n,ani afterwards, du,jhz The war,
TOOK an 'cNye Psri ia mo public afrtifs q Mas
.sciutptts
L 81