Rhode Island American

MORE "DUPLICATE" LETTERS.

The letters of Monroe and Jackson, as published in the "National Intelligencer," and as published in the Philadelphia "Columbian Observer," are discovered to be quite different versions. Both copies have been compared, and the number of variations between them found to be eighty-nine, some of which are unimportant—yet others are thought to have "a highly essential bearing upon the subject." The correspondence, in both cases, seems to have come from Mr. Eaton, General Jackson's colleague in the Senate. His note to the Observer is dated the 9th of May, and that to the Intelligencer the 10th. In the latter he says: "Mr. Monroe's are authentick copies, procured from Nashville (Ten.) Those of General Jackson are the original letters themselves." In reference to this curious affair, the Harrisburgh (Pen.) Chronicle has the following: "Now the first inquiry is, Who made these alterations?—That matter determined, we shall ask for what purpose, were they made. If the Observer is correct, the Editors of the Intelligencer must bear the charge, so far as regards General Jackson's letters; because they had the originals; and there are but nine or ten variations in Mr. Monroe's copies. But if the Intelligencer be correct, does the fault rest with the transcriber or with the Editors of the Observer. Now let us have this matter cleared up. Although, as we have already said, some of the variations are, in themselves, unimportant; yet some of them have a highly essential bearing upon the subject. If the Intelligencer be correct, the Observer's version is highly prejudicial to General Jackson."