Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

To the honorable Thomas Jefferson, Esq.
Vice President of the United States.

In my last, sir, I published the detached
parts of your letter to governor Henry. In
this I shall lay before you and my fellow-
citizens, the whole of that letter.

But first I must be permitted to state a
few facts, which preceded and which caused that letter to be written. The late go-
vernor Henry and myself became intimately
acquainted while students at Princeton
college, when both of us were very youths.
A friendship then commenced between us,
the continuance of which, in an uninter-
rupted state, after we should separate from
each seminary, was not very probable, con-
sidering the different parts of America in
which we were born. It so happened, how-
ever, that, on his return home from his tu-
dies, he found me settled in Maryland, in
a county adjoining to that in which he liv-
ed, and in the midst of his most respected
acquaintances. Our friendship was renew-
ed and only ceased with his death. I am
not, sir, luke warm in my affections--nor
do I ever suffer any person to speak with
disrespect of my friend, my country or my
God, without shewing immediately my most
marked disapprobation. Many, and many
a time have I, with all that ardency which
constitutes a prominent feature in my cha-
racter, vindicated that gentleman from the
obloquy and abuse which your friends and
partizans most unmercifully bestowed upon
him, at a time, when there most certainly
existed between you and him something
more than "shades of political difference."
My friendship for him and my conduct in
what related to him he well knew, and I
believe most perfectly reciprocated my sen-
timents.

It was in the month of November, eigh-
teen hundred and ninety seven, that I last
saw him after he was elected governor of
this state. At that time I had published
my letter to Fenno and copy of first letter ad-
dressed to you in Porcupine's gazette, but
which he had seen.

The first time we were alone, he, with
great delicacy, introduced the subject and
at the same time convincing me that he took an
interest in every thing which concerned you,
infinitely beyond what you merited from
him. He expressed to me a wish that the
discussion should not be continued in the
manner in which it was then proceeding;
and that a compromise of some kind could
be effected. I instantly told him that you
had circulated through the universe an infa-
mous calumny, injurious to a family which
was dear to me, with which I was connect-
ed, and from which my children were de-
scended.

That it was in my power to do them jus-
tice, by proving the falsehood of the charge,
and that I felt it my duty so to do. I then
stated to him the facts as they really existed;
as I was able to prove them; and as I have
since done; upon which he declared, that
if such were the facts, he thought you was
bound in honor, as a gentleman, who re-
garded his reputation, to come forward and
apologize for having been the circulator of
that falsehood, and that in his opinion there
was no consideration which could justify
you in adopting a contrary mode of prose-
cution; -And further added that, as he was
intimately acquainted with the senators in
Congress from the state of Virginia, he
would write to one of them expressive of
his sentiments on the subject

To this I replied that whatever he did of
that nature, must be done as from himself,
and not at my instance or request; that I
could do my family justice without your
aid; -that from you I asked nothing; -
and that if you acted with propriety on the
occasion, I should feel myself disappointed.
I further assured him that I would in no
respect pledge myself as to my future con-
duct, let you act what part you might
think proper. Thus ended our conver-
sation, the only conversation we had on that
subject. In consequence of what then pas-
sed between us, it appears that governor
Henry did write to Mr. Tazewell; and that
you in consequence did write a letter to go-
vernor Henry, which, keeping your secret,
he never communicated to me, but a copy
of which I have obtained from his near rela-
tion, a worthy friend of mine, who has in
his possession, the papers of the late govern-
or Henry, and to whom I applied for it, as
soon as I conveniently could (being at a di-
stance from him of more than one hundred
miles) after I saw the Richmond publica-
tion. And with the copy of this letter I
now present yourself and the public. -

* The letter which formerly conclud-
ed my correspondence with Mr. Jefferson
was No. 8, the last letter, to preserve the se-
ries, will be considered as No. 9-this of
course is No. 10.

Such parts of Mr. Jefferson's letter, as
were published in the Richmond Examiner
as being detached parts, are included in
brackets thus [ ]

Philadelphia, Dec. 31, 1797

DEAR SIR,

Mr. Tazewell has communicated to me
the enquiries you have been so kind as to
make relative, to the passage in the notes on
Virginia, which has lately excited some
newspaper publications: I feel with great
sensibility the interest you take in this bui-
ness, and with pleasure go into explanations
with one whose objects, I know to be truth
and justice alone. Had Mr. Martin tho't
proper to suggest to me that doubts might
be entertained of the transaction respecting
Logan, as stated in the notes of Virginia
and to enquire on what grounds that state-
ment was founded, I should have felt myself
obliged by the enquiry, have informed him
candidly of the grounds, cordially have co-