The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-09-12
From the Boston Courier, of March 1, 1876.
TO THE PUBLIC.


The American edition ofthe History of the United
States, by Mr. James Grahame, with memoir Of
the author, prepared at the request of the Massa-
chusetts Historical Society, recently published by
Mr.. Josiah Quincy, late president OF Harvard Col
ese, under the patronage of the lamented Story, of
Mr.. James Savage, of Mr.. Jared Sparks, and of my
highly -chershed friend, Mr.. William II. Prescott,
contains passages which demand my notice, both
from the auspices under which the publication
prepared and made and still more because its ground
less attack includes grevous wrong to the
memory of one of the purest statesmen that ever
did service to humanity.
In narrating the mission of John Clarke, of Rhode
Island, to England, Mr.. Grahame, misapprehend-
ing the author whom he followed, attributed TO
Clarke what done by Others and in his addi-
ton of 1886, charged Clarke with ''baseness."
repelIed the charge. Mr.. Grahame, though the ma
ture of his error was explained to him. persevered
in his accusations. Mr. Quincy has come
forward to defend Mr.. Grahamc, and giving pub
city to personal ordinations of me, still insists on
attribung TO Clarke the dishonest part OF making
"holloic pretencsS 10 loyalty" and adducing "Spposi
ttious proofs" of ii; with what degree of injustice to
Mr.. Clarke and to me will appear from the follow
ing statement
"Mr. Clarke" says Backus, the historian of the
| Baptists of New England-for on this occasion |
prefer to quote the words of another and Backus
was an honest and indefatigable inquirer familiar
| with records of towns and parishes and de-
| servedly esteemed for his accuracy and dill
gcnce-"Mr Clarke" says Backus, cleft spot
| less a character as any man know of, that
| ever acted in any public station in this coun-
| try The Massachusetts writers have been
| wachful and careful to publish whatever they
could find, which might seem to counenanco
the seventies they used towards dissenters from
| their way, that | expected to find something of
| that nature against Mr.. Clarke, but have happily
been disappointed. Though he dsarmed by
them in 1887 and imprisoned and fined at Boston in
1861, and he exposed their injustice and cruey,fo
him and his brethren, in print the next year, and
continued in England, to oppose and defeat all their
attempts at the court there against his colony, till he
| obtained their present charter yet among all their
| authors records that have searched have not
met with single reflection cast upon him by any
| one, which think is very extraordinary. There
was, doubtless, enough said against him. for his prn-
| ciples Of believers baptism and liberty of COR
science, to secure him from the wo of being spoken
| well Of by all men; vet, like Daniel it seems as
if his enemies could find no fault in him in matter Of
the kingdom, but only concerning the law Of his
| God"
| To this add, that had made extensive and
careful examinations Of the records Of the time, as
well manuscript as printed, both in Massachusetts
and in Rhode Island, and had been assisted by those
familiar with the records and best informed and
could not but confirm the statement of the historian
of the Baptss being true to the letter and true in
| spirit. No one is able to controvert it.
1t is one of the most beautiful things in history to
| see how the disinteresed and humble Baptist by
the attractive force Of his love of Rhode Island and
the persuasive eloquence Of sincerity gained from
Charles II in the ministry Of Clarendon, the char
ter that sanctioned in that colony the experiment OF
a state, resting on popular and religious liberty.
| In introducing the mission of Clarke, Mr. Ora.
hame in the edition Of 1896, COMPRISING many err
rors into fourteen or fifteen lines, wrote as follows
"The restored monarchical government WINS pro-
claimed with eager haste in this colony Rhode Isl.
and;l and one Clarke was soon after despatch as
deputy from the colonists to England in order to
carry their dutu respects to the foot Of the throne
and to solicit charter in their favor. Clarke
conducted his negotiation with baseness that rem
dsred the success Of il dearly bought He not only
Wanted in courty strains the loyalty Of the inhsb-
itants Of Rhode Island Of which the sole proof he
could give was, that they had bestowed the Of