Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-02-03

You have brought into this controversy new subject
OF accusation against mo, in what you say about my
votes IN relation To the James River and other public
improvements. What lc these votes to do with p
c,e you again bcray your true object and you greatly
pose they will not readily discover what that object IS
lou say, IL fccolcci right he has least upon ono
9cc2si6 .S5rcd large and wastefnl appropriation
5aics River. As YOU undertake I, give information
as to my vote upon this OCCASION YOU ought in
justice to have stated what this 'onc occasion
was You ought, too, to have stated il you knew--and
y Is not uirrasnnablc TO suppose that you did know
from your watchuncss Of all my for large sppro-
priationswhat whole had been in relation 10
thus James River improvement You might easily
have known what my votes had been upon other
sons this Zone occasion You mirht easily have
known, y you did net actually kno,c, that voted
against the law undertaking this Improvement on State
account; that voted against every appropriation for
undertaking any new section of this work and that |
nerer did rote TOR any appropriation which was not re-
'rcd to finish part Of il, upon which large sums
had been expended rthout and against mn rvc and
the complexion OF which was necessary to the State
Iron" great loss As 10 vote for the appropriation TO
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, shall be prepared TO
justify 1T TO my constituents, if proper occasion should
occur. IN your eagcrncss to condemn me, you have
pecn unfortunate IN selecting my vote for the subscrp-
ton on the part of the State to the Portsmouth and
Weldon Rail Road, ground ofcomplaint for con
siderable portion of constituents who had received
little benefit from the fund for Internal Improve
mcnt are much interested in the of that work
and would MT have been faithful to them if had
voted against it.
You commenced this controversy without justification
ana unprovokcd andyou now say that you meant
tnS personal III your address To my constituents, signed
"far Play. Those who have read that address will
probably think that in this declaration you are either no,
sincerc or that grossly ignorant of the proper
meaning OF the language you have used You say too
that you would have answered my letter. and inform
cd me- II 1T had not been for something somebody told
you about my intending to publish bitter answer to
AR Play, aud the ''plain threat in the letter itself
which wrote you, calling upon you repair voluntar
w. the unprovokcd wrong you had done me. Il,, rca
SONS you have given for declining that letter
may be thought by you sufficient excuse you for REL
iusng TO do justice to an injured neigbor your friends
will most probably think otherwise The letter wrote
YOU was read before IL forwarded n relative
and friend OF yours, whom you well know gentleman
ct mid and anabc character and of sound and discreet
understanding. lie will tell you that he approved il
anu that he expressed the hope that you would give
= the answer required He has false pride no
bitterness OF temper; and had you referred this sub
lcct to him, and taken his advice, there would have
ncen no occasion for controversy between us
twas suggested to before last address was pub
!shed, thatyou would probably endcavor throw me in
'ne wrong ny using language towards gross and
otensivea as to provoke make assault upon your
person, ana thereby exhibit myself brawcr i'm The
sreets The and abusive of that ndess
warrants me in believing that you either had that object
or that you fct that you bad immunity in the De-
cuiiar situation in which we stand i'm relation to eocb
other, and the society in which we live You probable
thnk tnt you have talent for viturcratiy writing
but inns Is aalent to be referred qualities Of the hen
winch j canhot envy you. Gro TO write and publish
Oh me- orcr your proper name whatever you think will
answer your purpose. II might, however be perLaps
better to read and learn Lesson prudence from the
iabie OF the viper and the file will not continue this
controversy IN anewspapcr-bccause il would be ridden
ous to suppose that it could be matter of any interest
10 the public; because il he thus settled and he
cause IL better refer il time ant, place when and
where evidence of facts can be conveniently had and
the truth accurately known.
HENRY E. WATKINS