The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-02-22
WILLAMsgURG, February Is, 1912


| My DEAR UPsHUR: The enclosed has just been
handed to me by one of the gentlemen whose names
are subscribed to 1t, with request that would trans
NIT it to you do with the greatest pleasure, be-
am satisfied that to every candid mind 1t must
convey satisfactory reuation of the charge prefer
red against you. They are the only members of my
class who used tc be much with you and now at
the bar here
Yet am bound to say that myself do not feel the
surprise expressed by those gentlemen at the miscon-
struction of your sentiments by others On the con-
trary, myself have been present when believed
| that you were thus misconsrued. l much mis-
taken IT was not present at that particular converse
ton in this place which Mr.. Harrison audes, and
if you and were not much amused at the extrava-
of his alton, Sphils lstenng to santI
ments and arguments which certain pre- occup alton
of his mind rendered him incapable -of understanding
| in their right sense. That on occasion spoke
of this and diverted ourselves the sort of holy hor
ror with which he seemed to regard us, | do remem-
Der. have accounted for it thus To say " that il
the Constitution is to be Interpreted and administered
in certain way, it would be better to dissolve the
Union, and to say this to one to whom it Appeals abb
soluely clear that that is the true way and the only
way in which the Constitution to be interpreted and
administered is to run the risk of being understood by
| him to advocate dsunon absolutely and unquaiiedy.
To him the qualification you appears null
lily. He perhaps understands you at the time as mean
ing nothing by tor he understands it disingenuous
arthce to salve obnoxious statement; and if
neither of these ideas actually to him. the quail
ihcaon passes out of his mind altogether. To his
understanding it does not al all qualify the PROPOSE
ton, and hence the proposition stands in his memory
absolute and unqualified. This is true In re-
gard to men of discriminating and ingenious minds
! When there are those present by whom are sure
| OF being rightly understood evtn the most prudent
man may be tempted to amuse himself and others, by
deepening the impression which lie has been
made and provoking denunciations of the heresy
which his antagonist ina gineS has been avowed. |
ain very sure that have seen YOU who are not re-
markable for prudence, badger Mr.. Harrison in this
way, and send him away full of horrors that |
should hardly have been surprised his attributing
toyou any political heresy whatever without intend
ing at all TO misrepreseDt you. And yet declare most
positively that, in all our close and confidential init
| macy never heard you express sentiment incon-
sstent with those ascrbed to you by the writers of the
within letter.
| see that / have used the pronoun we'' in a way
which may lead the uncandid to regard me as bearing
testimony for myself, seeing that my name has been
| logged into this controversy But am not seeking,
to shelter my opinions by identifying them with yours.
| On the contrary am bound to add that | am the
more confident In my understanding of your senti-
ments, because ,cent beyond you To certain ex-
tent we agree. All that said by my young friends
of you is equally true of myself. too inculcated
the IDEAS and it was my care to bring them in
to your society, and to lie you explain Illustrate
and enforce what deemed right and true Beyond
this, neither of us went in conversation oiM them.
But when we two conversed together without wit
friends, question often which we differed.
Events had happened measures had been adopted,
principles had been avowed, which had led me to
doubt whether could ever expect to see the Co.
vernment administered on its true principles. This
doubt your more sanguine mind rejected | some
times despaired of the Republic. You never did
thought that foresaw evils that would render disuni
on inevitable You never did. So far from having
made up your mind to disunion as positive good
could never, even by my most gloomy Vaccinations,
do fhnpt tn balya faith in
the remaining conservative power Of existing consti
tutional deences' in which writer whose words
enormously attributed to YOU declares he has
lost all hope" In this state of mind you could ne
rest and presently returned to the conviction that
good men would one day get into power, and that
four years would be enough to enable such to restore
the Government to It's true principles About this |
cannot be mistaken, and have little doubt that JONES'
| Speed and Crump, may all remember discussions of
this sort. (See the P. S. of W. S. Peachy)
If speak of the Partisan Leader" | suppose
shall be understood as wishing to testify on my
behalf But this is not necessary. Whenever take
the trouble to plead to the charge against me- shall
be at no loss TO prove by sundry witnesses that the
book was written with view to operate on the Pre-
sidentia election of 1886, by alarming the friends Of
Union with a dread Of disunion a consequence of
Van Burens election that it was hurried to the press
that it might be out in time; that the sheets were
| sent off unrevlsed, they written, with that
view and that when for some cause, the publication
delayed too long, gave up all thoughts of cir
cuating the work, and made no attempt to push it
into notice. But this, as have said, do not care
about avowing for D,sef When necessary, if it
ever shall be, | shall aver and prove it. But do
aver, on your behalf that whatever other purpose
| might have had, none other was disclosed to you.
| You appraised of what was doing you were
| told that it was with a view to the coming election
and you were provided with the means of preparing
your review in urtherance of that object that the
/ after