Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-10-18
GENERAL HAMiLroN's ExpLANAr,oN.
10 the EILtOr of the ~ Y Gn-.if.

VI SAAL nAhiLTON's EXPLANATION.
~ the Editor cffhs w. r. Gazette.
Sir,-On my arrival in this c,ty . few
days ''oce from England, I met the publi
Cation OF letter l addressed from London
70 MIR. R'tchie. the Editor of tho Richmond
Enquirer, bearing date 18th August, giving
. or'ei account Of tho late attack Of MIR. o.
Nenneii ON the American Minister and A:
merics, at the anti slavery meeting nj Ilir.
m'ngham, on the fret Of that ,Denik.
Although l placed al MIR. Ri,chie's on
lion the privilege Of publishing that letter or
not, % he might deem proper, L wished il to
oe distinctly understood, that he had n,y au.
'nortty Tor doing SO, and regret that this
should have either been Questioned or the
authenticity Of the communication itself. -
MY principle object, however, in making
this declaration, 10 10 have il lkewise distinct.
iy understood, thatI wrote the letter TO which
! refer without the knowledge or connivance
OF Nr. stevenson IN the Smallest particular,
as he would be utterly incapable, after &c.
cepting an accommodation at the hands of an
adversary, OF covertly questioning the truth
| on which il vas founded
As however bore no relation to Mr. O..
Connel' Of any kind, either personal or of,
cial, as ! neither saw him nor touk To him
any message, verbal or Otherwise, 1 cons
ceive that had clear right to make W hat
commentaries thought proper ain q public
correspondence which appeared in the pub.
Tic gaZettes.
My letter was written in great haste and
under . peculiar excitement, which shull
hereafter be explained. II, therefore, I in.
dulged Ia tone OF abuse too much in the
vein Of MIR. O'Conneli's own language TO his
opponents, ] admit II was unworthy OF nav
country and myself, and cannot but express
/ q L.
even 10 the most fastidious of my fellow >cit-
liens, as conceive that it is the duty of the
humblest man who goes abroad 10 feel lha,
the character Of his country is somew hat in
his own custody, whilst absent from his
home.
desire il however 10 be equally exslicih '
understood that ] specially except Mr.. o.
Cornell from the benefit Of this explanation
as have no apology TO make 10 him after
his atrocious assault on our country on the &c
casion 10 which l have referred. That lie
has no such claim, l shall make sufficiently
manifest in communication propose ad
dressing TO Dir. Richie at moment q
greater leisure, in redemption of the pledge
which made in my letter of the 18Th Az.
gust, when l promised TINT gentle man
would obtain, al Birmingham the proofs O.
the falsshood Of which Mr.. O'Connell had
been gully, 10 exempt himself from direct
responsibility TO Mr. Stevenson for his mos
extraordinary and unjusiifable outrage IN
that gentleman. l beg leave distinctly te
disAvow all Intention, in my letter to Mr..
RitcAie, TO treat the people OF Ireland with
the smallest c0ntumsiy or disrespect.
cherish for their genius and courage too high
an admiration, and for their sufferings aud
misforiues too sincere a sympathy, Tor one
Instant 10 entertain feeling 80 entirely on
posed 10 alltho associations and atta ch,ne a IS
OF my early life.
i remain, very respectfully,
Your obliged, obedient servant,
| j. HAMILTON.
} r: 5. Those papers which have published
my letter of 18th August, 10 Mr.. Richie,
will do me the fsvor 10 insert this card.