Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-17

warts 70 his doctrine Of dissolution, even among Tue
schoolboys Of William and Mary College, as CUES,
lion deeply involving tie interest oi .ne .o,,"J
S,,,.s And now lursooth, since lie mas acquica'
,u berth in the Union, with salary OF $oVoo year.
H. has lreo,ten that he entertained sucn Opinions
and is sure lie never expressed 'heih' ou, nc wv "
was ia the slctest confidence recognised "'''o"s g.
tlrmen ~, , oh.-,sd
r b, r;ng frveaIed-that has subjected ME 10 Inc
imortation OF dishonor Let me tell the hono'a0's o
cre,ary that il lad chosen to avail ihyseii OF "ha'
have heard in private conversation, or 10 lake peep
int, h;s r;rofe intercourse all have heard was true
ad over have dared to raise his head again III
,h fc. of nm honorable man and, let RE tell him.
"a thor tina, nm as far above looking into his private
transactions in life he is below the contempt OF
everv gentleman for making SO base and srouhdiess al
| ace usation. :, .,, ,;,
,oo,ni,ed either legal or moral perjury. lw simply
, The fact and let this enlightened nation dra" lis
own conclusion. At the time that Judge Upshur was
writing and talking, using his pen IN daily essays ana
his tongue in hourly hafangues IN eliof.s y, hahe coh
a,,s N the doctrine of dsunon, he held commas
sion of Judreship from his native State, wAich ne
could only obtain and hold by swearing upon The holy
EVANGELIST of Almighty God to support that Consttu
lion which lie was laboring to destroy
| Afier this exposure where will the Hon Secretary
f ,ba Navy look for his associates Will he seek them
IN The hipLer or the lower walks of lite: WI" ne ever
AMIN dare TO insnuae charge against an nonoraDie
man with the expectation that he VIII pe oci.eVea'
will he consent remain in situation where ms ON
cpl duties compel him confront The honorable high
minded chiyalric defenders of the far Of The Union,
knowing that they have no respect ior his person,
and that they contemn his principles;
But am not vet done with the Secretary. | said,
also he was the boased advocate Of dissolution How
fully am sustained in this portion oimy charge, VIII
appear by the following letter, to winch am referred
| Al ,Yfn IN prlyl communications.
/ (To The Editor Of The Whig.j
Sir regret perceive that your paper OF yesterday
makes reference 10 conversation which passed some
wears since in the streets of Norfolk between Judge Up
shur and myself Of which casually spoke on hearing
of ,s unpleasant difference between Mr. Bolts and the
Secretary Of the Navy II is due to both those gen.
temen. and proper, so far concerned, that my
statement shall be before the public, under my own
signature that no improper use may be made OF H.
| Conyersinr with Judge Upshur some years since in
The streets Of Norfolk on the subject Of Notification,
said considered the doctrine OF Notification here
sy dangerous in this, that many persons who had not
access 10 correct information would be led off by the
plausible arguments by which 1t was supported tor all
have their fe-leaders. The Judge said have no file
leader replied, you have no occasion Tor ie-leader,
as your situation in life enables you 10 obtain correct
information for yourself; although, said !, jestingly
some say Mr.. Calhoun syour fle-eaaer. Judge upshur
then made use Of the hgurative expression OF which |
have spoken: "No have no fileeader, and claim The
dsunion" What intended by this expression,
cannot say II was used have said, in come xon
with the subject of Notification, and if any qualIca-
ton accompanied the remark, it has escaped me.
! Fed, 1912 c. Nj. BRAXTON.
4 Taking his own writings as the foundation upon
which TO build up the charge Of unqualified advocacy
of disunion. with the letters already introduced,
might be content to stop, except that wish TO place
my own veracity that has been so rudely and wan
lonly assaed, upon the highest possible ground-it
being the first time in which mortal man has ever
ventured to dispute il; and | therefore proceed 10
) show that Mr.. Upshur not only dsunonis!, and
the first 10 raise the flag of dsunion in Virginia, but 10
demonstrate the purposes of the party 10 which he be-
onged being in truth 10 carry revolution in dis
quise to which cause he had pledged himself TO De.
vote the energies Of his future life. Yet, innocent
il apnears to him like q dream-"R0n ma rcOrd0'-he
has forgotten all about it. On what supefac,ion six
: thousand year will produce on some minds! What
delightful narcotic for nerves once shattered with
disunion Well let US jog his memory little further
4 See what Mr.. Johnston says:
"The Hon. John NJ. Bolts s pleased to consider the
facts which nm able to important to establish
what he has alleged in regard 10 the avowed opinions
of Judge A. P. Upshur, as 10 disunionism. Without
pretending myself decide whether the consequence
which he attaches to what aver will will not
attach TO il in the view of the public, do not feel al IL
bery TO refuse 10 gentleman who appears to me 10
have taken perfectly warranabc position, the bene
fl Of such knowledge Of the matter as possess.
"aS journalist, tdhiH9 dCilSe part III SuIoilHa
politics from 1893 to the close of 1885, and directing,
for large part Of that time the principal organ Of Null
; LITIGATION, the "Columbin Telescope, | was in CONT
nua communication with those 10 whom, from the pc
Rod OF his adopting the opinions Of that party Judge
Jpshur naturally disclosed his opinions the most free
ly AS one of their ablest defenders beyond the State,
and their Leading PARTISAN in the press OF Virginia, his
opinions and his efforts commanded much attention and
much admiration in Carolina; and on his part, need
not fear 10 say, that the confidence FELT then in him
must have led TO far uureserYed declaration OF
his opinions than he could we'll practise at home where
those opinions possessed much more limited currency
Towards the close of the year 1896, general feel
ing Of the jeopardy in which the entire social system OF
the South stood, induced movement throughout the
Carolina party 10 revive the "Southen Review, in
der that in the great interchange Of thought which now
influences 50 powerfully the fate Of civilized commune
ties the peculiar interests and ideas OF the planting States
might no longer he unrepesened In The attempt 10 ei-
feet this object myself took very active part and was
designated with the approval Of the leading men Of Ca
4 rolina, as the editor Of the proposed journal
"a corps OF the ublest writer's that could be brought
10 the defence Of the South was Of course TO be enlist
ed Most Of those who fitted 10 aid in such de-
sign consulted, either directly or through those
who could speak for them. II in forming this list
that while canvassing the assistance OF Judge Upshnr
\ learned what in Carolina, among his closer
friends reputed 10 be the length TO which his opinions
went. was told that he had passed far beyond nuh
caton that he regarded dsunion the only safe
for the South and that he had determined 10 devote
his future life 10 that cause.
"Of fact learned in that ighlyinformed circle &c
which Judge Upshur looked SO much, and with menl
: beers of which he communicated unreservedy,
could not doubt, especially asst in conformity with
n other things which | personally knew. had been
show the printed sheets of the dsunon novel OF The
Partisan Leader before yet it published had been
told the purpose for which it written and who
: was its author; and had received ntimaton from
: the publisher that the writer wished me or Judge
Upshur 10 bring favorably into public notice by
I review. was that the Judge stood in the mos
intimate association of political purposes with the author
G Of the novel, and approved its design. With those
proofs before me- could not do otherwise than to yield
entire credit information from high source,
so strongly confirmed; and therefore state, without
hesitation, my conviction that Judge Upshur, at The
end of 1885, was, view of the circumstances then
sting in the country, deliberately and Systematically
n dsunionist. EDWARD w. JOHNST0N.
Can il be necessary for now to add, that although
there common and very natural reluctance the