Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-05-10
RICHMOND. TUESDAY, MaY 10.
MR.. RANDOLPH

Mr.. RANDOLPH.
We lay this morning, before our readers, other direct
nolph. II must carry weight 10 every impartial mind
certainly not to MIR. walsh's. What can we expect
from an Editor. who makes so light of Prince Lieven's
direct and p,siive contradiction of these stories 10
Washington Irving : What from The candour OF tina,
man, who will say, hat The stress which is laid by
some OF the Administration papers. upon Prince Lie
vans civil reply concerning MIR. Randolph, must occa-
sion the " knowing ones' to laugh in their sleeves
What could a Russian ambassador in London, say ON
that subject, when formally Intercepted by a member
of the American legation ! Surely, nothing less than
the diplomatic speech reported-about as substantial as
the phrase your very ob't h'ble serv't, at the end OF
a letter, or John Doe and Richard Doe in law-declara-
tions."-Otc course, Mr.. Walsh means to say, that Prince
Lievcn, when he explicitly declared, that these stories
were "entireiy destitute of TRUTH told. and meant to
tell a liza diplomatic lie," If Mr.. w plsases. Is
II come to this, that on the lips of a Politician. these
positive and unequivocal words, are as hollow as mere
things OF form; as when you write, from mere custom,
at the loot OF a letter, " Your humble servant p" Does
SiI. w; say this-and does he mean to say, that
Prince l. told so gross a lie, without any occasion
because, the Prince might easily have waived a direct
rePly.--Why such an unnecessary, positive commit
ment OF his veracity Where the necessity of using
one oil the strongest phrases in the language, t" entire-
ly destitute of TRUTH"
II will come to this, however, in Mr.. WIS opinion
On the one side.w we have the direct authority OF the Prime
Minister OF Russia. and of the American Secretary
OF Legation-On the other, some ANONYMOUS letter
writers, som "knowing ones,'' as Mr.. W. is pleased
70 term them-and Mr.. w. will have the American
people to b. so stupid; so completely to reverse all
the laws OF Evidence. as to disregard all the authority
oil two known aud respectable names, ("knowing ones,
,oo)wand to take Tor granted the idle gossip, or the ma
iicieus lies OF anonymous scribblers. To this issue we
must como at last. And does Mr.. W's hatred for Mr.
H., hurry him into the belief, that the People Of This
country are SO Infatuated why does not MIR. w. tell
US who these " knowing ones are WHY does he
not produce the names o, his witnesses, and let us
judge OF their credibility!-Bu it is unnecessary TO 60
TURNER into this sueject.-The following is Mi. J. X.
Clay's letter:
MR.. RANDOLPH.
70 THE OF FL ENQUIRER.
GENrLEMEN Having seen in your Paper of the
9th November, 1880, an Epitome of a pubiica ion in
the New York Journal of Commerce, and the New
York Commercial, relative TO Mr.. John Randolph of
Roanoke, Envoy Extraordinary of the United States of
America to Russia, and seeing with Indignation, that the
accounts OF that Gentieman's department at ST. Peters
o9rgh, as published in those papers, are utterly devoid
OF truth, l deem il TO be nv duiy 10 contradict ,hen
In the most positive manner.
MT. Randolph conduct, on all occasions. was that
winch became himself and his ofice-such il was, and
wti always be, TO persons who are worthy of his no.
ice. The gross ISLANDERS contained in the Paragrapbs
alluded to above, are so preposterous that thew can
scarcely impose on the most credulous but as the wri-
ter oil Them may have had his owu purposes in view. il
may be well to ~disappoint him, by a fiat contradiction
oil his statements. But, TO be more PARTICULAR:
1t said, thai Mr.. Randolph conducted himself in a
most RIDICULOUS MANN r, before the Emperor. This is
false; and the best proof of lis being untrue is, that His
Imperial Majesty has expressed the greatest esteem for
him which would certainly not be the case. if anv
thing oufre had happened at the presentation. AS for
"SS oou W ave Dtcn uOne-SuCh as tearing
the Cards OF the Foreign Ministers TO pieces. &c &c o
the idea OF endeavouring to impose on the Public with
such trash, IS so shallow, and, at the same time so
case, that Jolly itself woud laugh at il.
Inen. say these ~inve7tive Editors, Mr.. Randolph re-
iusea, al nrst, TO receive a note from Prince Lieveu. the
principal Minister of State. This know TO be false
also aud moreover state, that there was the most cor
uiai, may say friendly, intercourse between the Min
ister and the American Envoy-so much so, that when
L went TO ask Tor Mr. RS Passports, and TO explain the
urgent necessity Of his leaving st. Petersburg, on ac-
count oil the very dan gerous state of his health, Prince
Lieven expressed the utmost concern, on hearing the
news, and immediately proposed to see Mr.. Randolph,
which was only prevented by a mistake of mine, in Civ
ing MIN the wrong number OF the house.
All the other charges are as much founded in truth.
as those which l have noticed particularly.
It's thus, that the wicked traduce the characters of
the Just: and II Is thus, that envy, conscious Of its own
dement's, endeavours to assassinate the regulations of
the exalted and worthy Conscious of the badness of
their cause and still anxious TO set rolling a ball. that
sy-bodies OF our nation invent the grossest calumnies.
and to effect their designs, they always lay hold of the
most conspicuous and generous men.
This is no defence OF MIR. Randolph's conduct-for. il
defends itself. To conclude-and as small events 90
Tar In circumstantial evidence, TO prove that facts are
true or not soft may be WELT observe, that it is stat
ed by these lovers OF veracity, that "Mr. n. took an
upper chamber at Mrs. Wilson's;'' whereas the fact is
that both MIR. Randolph and myselfoccupied lo,Der rooms
IN this good lady's house. This last, altho' rather a mi
mute circumstance 10 notice, serves TO show that the
correspondent of the New York Editors innapined he
lived at Mrs. Wilson'S, and imagined the whole tissue
OF SANDER and abuse.
l am, gentlemen,
Your most obedient sc rvnnt.
JOHN r.. CLAY,
Secretary OF Legation and Charge dAfairs of the
u. States al st petersburgh