Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-19
when | recovered, NY

~ + l.rc ,doptcd Tie nlethcd Of getting rid
,r n Iarre portion Of them by committing ,heHh u =.
a,mes instead of the committee, sich are une cohSt"".
Interruptions to which am suhysc"u ~ " a. I;,,Ic
room Of visitors, that | am able To make very ''e
n,orrcss in lesseninr nv file. You have IN the ABOVE,
nv apolopv for treating you with apparent hesiec,,
which il was impossible that ! shoaiu uo' 10 WI
from your high standing in society, as rom the f",
yard | feel for you IN consequence :" ny lo"s -
Intimate friendship and connexion between = iam'
,as RI, for these reasons, candor induces me TO
say. that | could never have brought inyseii 10 ans"ei
the political part of your letter At an: ! =" 1o.. ~
th,, unon reflection you will yourself THINK ina u was
,o,,,Iy unnecessary; for | cannot suppose that my per,
- fr;nnds and connexions IN my native State cou'd
Ih;ot that was less OF Il gentleman or an honest hi'n
than those ardent politicians farther South, otanty, ~.
f,rd. Lcgare, Dawson, King, &c, %c. Ihry 'aNc =
for Granted that could not suffer my ihcehhcsS Pee'"
ana plhcrs to be quoted ny my ''ea"s 81 III ~ LLLI
n;onS on the subject of Abolttionism, 1t DID not hoiG
those opinions al this time-thcy have therefore treated
With scorn and contempt the charge OF my being an
Abolitionist, and tr ~ assert that nave done an" SUI
fercd more to support Southern hign'3 tHan any otnr'
ncrsnn north of Mason and Dixnn's line. have had,
;,,la.d n ureat number of applications from IndIvidu-
ais (nine-tcnlhs, at least, my opponents) requiring me
10 reitcrnte what have said or written upon thc SUD
;ect of the U. S. Bank, AbolitIonism, NC. have de-
cIincd to answer them Of late at all; amongst other rea-
sons. because it was physically impossible that ! should
do il. and as they all require my opinions IN manu-
scrin,. partIculafly addressed 10 the writers, they would
moi be satisfied with my writing one letter and send
inc a printed copy to each. ! was determined, how
,vcr TO avail myself of the first favorable opportunity,
and referring to the letters and speeches | had made
on the subject ! have mentioned, 10 endorse them all.
This have recently done in a letter to q comml;te APP
poiuted bv the Wing members Of the Legislature OF
New York. You will probably see IL Published by the
time this reaches you. In relation TO the discussion be-
tween Mr.. Randolph and myself IN the Senate OF winch
\ statement is annexed 10 the address, what better cvi-
dencc could he given, that there is no possibility OF sat's-
fyinu my political enemies by any thing that could
write than the garbled account which they have gwen
Of that discussions If the charge made upon ne by MIR.
Randolph is authentic, taken from a newspaper report,
surely nv answer to him should be considered so also.
Il is worthy of remark too, that Nj. Randolph made no
reply 10 my answer TO his attack, and that he was not
a man to leave a matter in that situation If he could
avoid 1.-THE truth is, that believe he really regretted
his attack upon me. He rcaea'cdly told me 50, ana
dinner with him, which agrtt'to do. A, the dinner
were Mr.. Calhoun, MIR. Haynk and Gen. Hamilton and
many others, all but myself osthc then Jackson party.
Our friendly intercourse was never afterwards inter
rupted. In reply to your inquiry, as to my connection
with The old Federal party, will state to you the CIR.
cumstances under which received two appointments
from MIR. John Adams. In the year l7"G, General
Wavn. left the army on 4 visit to Philadcl phia. had
been recently married and rendered 10 him my resig.
nation rs his aid dc camp; but he declined receiving
it, saying he could very well dispense with ny services
III MS VI II - bhlih- VIC" up ''NA ~ 'D'h4h
ed-tllc proluis. OF Gen. Washington to give me a civil
appoin,!ncnt, as | had expressed my determination to
leave the Army. This promise, the President repeated
to nv brother, Carter b. HARRISON, then in Congress,
with some very kind remarks upon my conduct in the
Army. When General Washington left the Presidcn-
cy, have reason to believe, that Ic obtained a promise
from Mr.. Adams to fulfil his intentions. When the
Office of the Secretary Of the Northwestern Territory
became vacant, Mr.. Adams appointed me, although |
was opposed by Col. Pickering, the Secretary oil State.
,-H, - L., ,l.-D ,urf, - Tho
Territorial Legislature TO be their candidate for the ap-
poin,mcnt ofdclegate to Congress. Between Mr.. Arthur
ST. Clair, Jr., the son Of Gov. st. Clair the Federal
candidate and m self, the votes were divided precisely
as the two parties stood in the Legislature, with the ex-
ccp;ion of one Republican who was induced by his re-
pard for the Governor 10 vote for his son. The vote
was II 10 10. not one of the nine FcderalIsts voting for
me. Before left Cincinnati the Republican members
made me promise not 10 suffer my known opposition
To The measures of the Administration TO Interfere with
the attainment of the great object for which | was
sent. Upon my arrival in PhIladcl pllia, was re-
ceivcd By Mr.. Adams in the most !latterIng manner.
At his dinner parties where, was often a guest, he
seemed to take great pleasure in speaking OF my father S
services in the Revolutionary Congress, relating many
anecdotes To slew his devotion TO the cause, and The
effect which his pleasantries produced in cheering
them in the gloom, which the occasionally unproi"lsing
state of their affairs often produced. had no CONVEX
sation with Mr.. Adams on politics, farther than 10 cx-
plain to HIM my views in relation to the change III the
system Of selling Che Public Lands, which was glad
10 find he approved. As soon as the law was passed
for The division Of the Northwestern Territory, | was
informed that it was the intention of Mr.. Adams to no.
inmate me TO the Government Of Indiana. hesitdtcd
not n moment to declare that | would not accept ii,
although very much pressed to do so by several leading
Federal members Of Congress. was not long in dis
covering the motives of those gentlemen. There had
been some meetings of the people of the Territory, in
which resolutions had been adopted recommending me
to the President for the Government of the Territory,
(Nortliwcslcrn) instead of Gov. st. Clair.
Those resolutions, with correspondents addresses, had
been forwarded to the President and Senate. Now it
50 happened that two distinguished Senators had fixed
their eyes upon the same Office. One of them, who
had been most urgent for me to 90 TO Indiana, had large
possessions in the North Western Territory, which was
probably one reason for his wishing 10 30 there. Butthc
main object was to secure the Territory to the Fedora!
party, when it should become a State, which II was
known would soon be- the case. To carry out this plan,
it was necessary 10 get me out OF the way. The appoint
ment was pressed upon me, Notwithstanding my refusal
10 take it. At length, my relations and friends, the
Mcssrs.. Nicholas, Wilson Cary Of the Senate, and John
oftie House, prevailed on me 10 a~cccptit. They pointed
out the advantages TO myself, and assured me that there
was no doubt of Mr.. Jcffrrson's election in the cnsu.
ing November, and that | wonld be continued Cover.
nor Of Indiana, and some Republican, succeed Cover
nor 81. Clair in the North Western Territory.
! therefore accepted the appointment, with a d'tcrGi-
nation, rs Indiana had no voice in the choice OF the Prc-
sidrnt, that would take no part in the contest.
| have thus gwen you a full account of my conncx-
ion with the Presidency of Mr.. Adams. | wall conclude
by SAYING, that Mr.. Jefferson lost no time, after his m
auguratIon, 10 assure me of his favor and his conf.
dcncc, and think there is sufficient evidence that re-
tanned boti, to the end of his administration.
In answer 10 the enquiry why ! used the word "Abo-
lition' in designating a society of which was a mem.
Der in Richmond, in the year 1871, instead of the word
"Humane,' which is known TO be the one by which the
society was really distinguished; All that | can say
upon the subject is, tIatif did really term II an Abo-
lition Society, a fact which | can still hardly believe,
for have not been able to see the paper containing
my address TO the people of the District IN 1922 1t
must have been from forgetfulnesS, which might easily
happen after a lapse of 81 years. At any rate, the
word Abolition was not understood to mean III lo22
what ii now means. There can be no doubt that the
society of which Mr.. Tarlton Peasants was 4 member,
and which in his publication IN The Richmond wing,
he calls the "Humane Society o. Richmond, (and by
this title Judge Catch, who gave me the certificate IN
1922, also designated it, was the same Of which was
n member. Mr.. Peasants was n member IN 1917, in
179l-Mr. Robert Peasants was the President at the
former period, as he was when | was admitted.