Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-07-30
Che Constitutional gzHbtg.
WEDNESDAY, MORNING, JULY rs, 1880.
THE LETTER.

THE LETTER.
The Literary Subaltern of the esd, reached this
place yesterday and if it does not put the question
Of the authenticity of Mr. Jeiersons letter finally to
rest, seems perfectly preparedto do it. we MAKO
the following quotation from it.
Erons The Literary subaltern, Of uly %.
MR.. JEFDERSON'S LETTER
'Fhe letter written by Mr. Jefferson, to distin-
guished capitalist and maDufacturerof Massachusetts,
expressive of his opinion of Mr.. Clay, and the Amer
lean System;-the which was originally published
in this paper has been assailed by variety of pres
SEES, from the Richmond Enquirer, down to the most
stupid and ssnseless paper that in the pay of the
present administration.
The Richmond Enquirer, expresses an opinion,
Tint the letter is forgery perpetratod by the editor
of this paper; whilst on the contrary side, the United
States Telegraph-the organ of :hc administration
asserts that it is most probable, that the editor of
the Subaltern is gutless of the charge Of forgery
but has been imposed upon We give the language
of the Telegraph as it stands. and here have 1t.
The Literary Subaen has published letter purportiug
to have been written by Mr. Jefferson one, whose
name rs not given, in which the veneraed
say 'shoud live many years ongerI hope him r
Clay hold the place of Chief Executive of the American Re
public No such letter appears his published memoirs and
independently of which, there circumstances which
justify the belief that the part here quoted forgery The
editor of the Literary Subaltem appehend been
posed upon circumstances of owes it
TO himself to make known the name of the impostor"
For the Information of our respected friend. Gen
eral Duff Green, of the T egraph, state,
that we have not been imposed upon. The letter is
10 the manuscript of Mr.. Jefferson;-it is properly
postmarked and, to the correctness ofhe chirogra-
ply hundreds are ready to attest 1t is genuine
letter. and conveys full and unqualified exposure
OF Dir. Jefferson's opinions of Mr.. CLAY The orr
ginal letter, is in possesson and will be exposed
to the observation and scrutiny of any gentleman
who may be disposed TO see it; and the of the
distinguished capitalist and citizen, to whom it was
addressed, can be thus easily ascertaned If we
we would do so but he is not disposed 70 appear
IN print, his name is for the present withheld,
Should Mr. Southworth establish the commences
of the letter, learned contemporary and his al
lies Of the Kentucky Argus, and the Telegraph, will
we should think, find themselves rather cornered -
BY publishing and over agajI. Gov Randoph'e
letter, and every semblance of opinion from Mr. Jef
ferson favorable the Hero they concede that his
opinions entitled to the highest authority--nay
they seem disposed to exact implicit obedience to
them When therefore these opinions are expressed
SO clearly and decisively in favor of HENRY CLAY
the consistent fraternity must either acknowledges
their authoriy--or, as usual, they must eat their
words. Again: their fears Of she effects of the
letter betrayed by their anxiety persuade the
public ofits being forgery. They could not give
stronger proof of the weight wA;h they are sens
to; and if the genuineness be established, the gen
tlemen have foreclosed themselves from arguing a.
gainst an authority which they pretend to consider
lnfalble So far has malice ahead Of prud eEce.
Phe Jackson paper in this place quotes the Ken
tncky Argus IA paper compared to which, the pee-
graph is model of purity and refinement author
y.for the statement, that Southworth Editor of the
Literary Subaltern, eis vagabond Rentuckan >
&c. Malice has again taken the reins South
worth was raised IN Providence, although he spent
several years Kentucky and Tennessee. What
makes this personal attack upon him seem ungrateful
is, that Southworth was and is even now, a Jackson
pan-uniting preference for Mr. Clay, with the
support of the present Chief Magistrate--a course
perhaps in which he has not single imitator.
We again invite Mr. s. to forward "the letter" to
US in this city, as the surest means of proving its
character. We shall take care if he does So that il
be submitted to the inspection of the wise of the
Enquirer and the Charlottesville Advocate-those
especial guardians Of Mr. Jeffsrsons fame and popu-
larity, who know what is his and what not as Pal
staff knew the true Prince The latter has oracu.
lary---livIng in sight of Monticello, and having ac
fuatty examined the autograph for May 23--circum.
stances which make the case @ E D.--pronoun-
ced the letter an UNPRINCIpLED FORGERY
without having seen it, and the former has endorsed
it, like Dutch Doctors, who tell the nature of diseases
by smelling at the urine. We shall be glad to con.
front the sages with the evidence Of their duaekery
and their uucharableDess.
NJ We have great aversion to publishing sole
news and have come to the determination 10 pub
lisb nothing where we are not put, by those who de-
sye the publication, upon the terms of equality
with the other papers oftbe city, by being furnished
simultaneously with copy. Nothing is more fire.
quent than application tous to publish something
the copy of which has been put into other hands;
leaving US to get il we can, to publish over what
nas already been published, or if fall to be blam
Cd Tor not punctualIy dong that for Others who
too indolen to make copies for our use and for their