C.T l£2l, r.n3 lie w-,s mot—W'Uh w’l.it r jtruhl
—a cofdial reception ?—i real readinoss mui’lis
ti»aot, alter so inucii j)rokssion on yuir
]>arl ? No, sir ; he was met wltU an
Order in C('uticil, excluding us wholly
.jroni tlie iJritish West Indies; pronuil-
f;ated, 1 believe, the very day of iiis ar
rival ; lollowed up by the very liberal
intimation, that, having ne}^lecled to
avail ourselves, in season, of the oppor
tunity to attain this “boon,^’ we should
not now have done it, even if we com
plied wilh the terms on which it vvas of-
iered ; or as you smoothly phrase it,
'I'lie British Government further owes
to the spirit of frankness, vvhich it wish
es to cultivate in all its relations with
the United Stales, to declare, that after
having been compelled to apply to any
country the inderdict prescribed by the
act of 1825, the British Government
cannot hold itself bound to remove tiie
interdict, as a matter of course, when
ever it may happen to suit the conven
ience of the foreign Government, to re
consider the measures by which the ap
plication of that interdict was occasion
ed/’
This is yomfrank way of meeting a
megotiation, which, three months only
before, you had invited us to losume.
Tlic Pav,-t;;ckrt Chronicle rr-
“Sncli is U>e duellist. He will
fight for honor, woundod for honor,
iDurdcr for honor ; but he will not pay lor
honor or justice.”
GEX. JAKSOX'S LKTTEIJ.
As for “reconsidering measures,” as
riOne were ever adopted by the Ameri
can Government, of the kind you pre
tend, none can be reconsidered. On
this point you are, (as I have abundant
ly sho\T!i,) in one of those new “ crea
tions of yours in the west,” of which
you boasted a few months after, in Par
liament, assimilating yourself to the im
mortal bard, who
Exhausted worlds and then imagined new.
It is literally true, throughout your
whole correspondence with Mr. Galla
tin, that, while your sarcasms are but
the rifacimento of the p )ignant dish
you served up to us, twenty years ago,
you derive your statements from a new
region of your own creation, borrowing,
as your earliest patron said of a less emi
nent minister, “your wit from memory,
and your facts from ijnagination.”
Of the whole mystery, hoWever, Mr.
Huskisson furnishes us the key, in his
speech of May 7th :
“ Another matter,” says he, remains to be
defemled, which 1 rccommciul to Parliament—
the act passed in lb25, by which the Crown was
enabled to open the trade of our colonies to
frirndly iiations, under certain conditions. For
this I was abused by the Mpping interest. The
reason [of the act of 1825] is, that the principal
objcctsof our navig^ation laws were, next to se
curing' our own trade, to wcvmt the carrying
Irai'p from falling into the hands of anyone par
ticular country. This trade [with the West
Indies] hail been opened to the United .States
in 182-, and that trade (the carryinjf tr.ade)
they carryed on w ith most maritime colonies ex
cept ours; and the cojisequcnce was, that their
tonnage was nearly equal to half of the whole
British tonnage, and, takinff Cuba andthe Span
ish colonies, exceeded that of Great Britain. I
did not wish the coninierceof the United States
to be injured, but, without prejudice to them
jt was only fair that the trade of other countries,
\ mean such as treated us upon principles of
equal favor, should be put on the same looting.
They tvere mit sati.'fud with this, and FEuuArs
IT IS FOHTrTfATE THET WEIIK NOT.”
No matter, Mr. Iluskisson, whether
Tv e were satisfied or not. It is true we
re satisfied ; it is true this was
known to the British Government from
the universal tone of the debates in the
Senate ; it is tiue Mr. Gallatin was in
structed ofiioially to communicate the
fact. Jjut by >b;up spurring you got
out your Order in Council the day Mr.
Gallatin arrived; it is very “fortunate,”
as you say, that you did ; because now,
isMr. Canning has the “frankness” to
tell us, little he cares whether we were
’’lining or not to accede to his terms.
'J'his is the denoxievient of the liberal
ovrrtnres of fhe Britisli Government I
1 have now, sir, brougiit thisteiiious
series of letters to a close. Had I bef'n
willing to take advantage of the exist
ing divisions of opinion in this country,
I could have made the statenjent of my
own views stronger, and pul you more
completely in the wrong. lUit 1 have,
throughout, as far as it was possible, argu
ed from premises univei‘ially ronrcdc'd
I funily
TO Tim PUBLIC.
A letter addressed l>y n»e to Mr. Car
ter Beverley, of Virfjinia, has lately, with
out any conscnt, agency, or wish on my
part, found its w’ay into the newspapers,
accoinpanicd by a statement over the si(»-
nature of H. Clay, contradicting and le-
nyinjj, not any thing I have written, but
that which he liiniself makes me to say.
It is not the interpretation giv»-n by him
to my letter, but niy own language and
own statement, that 1 am called upon to
defend, and exj)ecl to vindicate.
To explain the manner in which my
opinions have found their way into tlie
journals of the day, seems, in the first
place, to be due both to the pul)lic and
myself. Mr. Beverley, being on a visit
to my house, requested to know of me,
other gentlemen being present, whether
th«t overtures heretofore iniputed to Mr.
Clay were well founded, and if I had a
knowledge of any of the facts myself. I
answered him candidly ; being unable, as
unwilling, to rel’use telling things I had
heard and knew lo be true. A letter
detailing our conversation, shortly al'ter-
wards obuined publicity in the “ North
Ti/ii, d'.«-'o'iUi'e was made to nie by Mr.‘
Jamks IkciiANAN, a uicinljcr of ('ongies',
from Petitisy 1 vMuia, a genth inan of the
first respcctal)iii(y and iritclli^ence. The
evening before, he had commui.i'caled,
substnntiaUy, the same proposition to
Major Eaton, my Colleague in the Se
nate, wilh a desire v^arnd/ manifested
that he should communicate wilh me,
and ascertain n»y views on the Subject.
This he declined doing, suggesting to
Mr. Buchanan, that he, as well as him
self, could converse with me, and ascer
tain my opinion on the matter; though,
from his ktiow ledge of me, he thought he
could conjecture my answer—that I
would enter into no engagements what
ever. It was the morning succeeding
this interview, after Major Katon had
objected to converse with me on the sub
ject, and before I had set out from my
lodgings for the capitol, that Mr. Buch
anan came to visit me, and when the con
versation I have stated, took place. 1 he
answer returned has already been pub
lished, and need not be here repeated.
To lie thus approached by a gentleman
of Mr. Buchanan’s high character and
standing, with an apology profieied at
the time for whal he was about to remark
to me—one who, as I understood, had
always, to that moment, been on familiar
and Irieiidly terms with Mr. Clay, assur
ing me that on certain terms and con
ditions being assented to on my part,
then, “ bv a union of Mr. Clay and his
IViendn, they would pul an end to the
ville. On tlie 15th ef May last, from
’^ouisville, Kentucky, a communication
was addressed to me by Mr. Beverley,
stating, what before 1 had not known,
that he was the wiiter of this Fayetteville
letter. He explained the reasons for his
having lepeated the conversation, and
requested to be informed, if in any thin^;
he had mis-quf)ttd or mia conceived my
meaning. Under such circumstances,
concealment and silence might have
seemed mere affectation, or iniieed some
thing of a diflercni and even worse char
acter. Publicity having been given to
the conversation, and an appeal made to
me for its arcnracy, 1 felt it to be due lo
Mr. Beverley, that nothing of fabrication
should be imputed to him, and to myself,
that what 1 had stated should be correct
ly imderstood. Accordingly, on the 6lh
of June, and in reply to his ol'ihe 15th ol.
May, I addressed him a letter of which
ihe public are already possessed. How,
and by what means, it found its way into
the columns of a newspaper, Mr. Bever
ley has explained ; he slates to me, that
he fjave it into the hands of Mr. Noah
Zaiie, of Wheeling, V'irgiiiia, at his own
earnest request, for perusal, under a
pledge of honor, that it should be return
ed ; and with no exj)eciation that any co
py of it was to be retained. Thai on his
applying for, and demanding the letter,
it was refused lo be restored, until two
copies should be made. He proceeds to
say :
“ Mr. Zane, an old and most respecta
ble gentleman, asked the lo:»n of your
letter as a favor; and contrary to all
custom and propriety in such matters,
he, in conjunciiou with Mr. Clay and his
friends, took copies of it, without my
knowledge or privily in any way, and
without asking my leave lo do so. Soon
as I understood that such was the use
they were making of it, I demanded of
Mr. Zane the letter, and remonstrated
against the unprecedented coiirse they
were taking. lie refused to restoieitto
me, most peremptorily, until ihey had
satisfied ihemstlves by lurnishing to Mr
Clay one copy, and reserving another for
their own use.'
The original conversation referred lo,
and the above ex.tract-of a letter from
Mr. Beverley at Wheelijig, dated 26th
of June, 1827, are presented lo show that
1 have not, as is charged, placed myscll
“in the attitude of a public accuser,”
and that w hatever publicity has been giv
en lO this transaction, has arisen from nu
agency or procurement of mine ; and that
Mr. Clay, in fan, has himself bild the
matter up to public gaze. In doing this, lie
bhould have iuote(i what I had wriiuii
accurately and fairly, foi- then, the Itxi
and his commentary would have sniletl
■■lojieiher ; at present bis contradicUon is
a something sui,^gesle*l by myself, and ib
nut contaitu'd in my letier.
'I’he siatemei't ccjiituined in my letter
or tacitlv admitted. And I firmly I i^' hy, is this: 1 hat, in Jan-
Snist, to The Koocl scnso ami p.Hriotism Ni*'-;• a 'nrmU-i- ..I ConKitss, ..I
' Miiyh I espet. labihly, visited me one mor
ning and (ibstrvcd—“lie h.id been in-
Carolina Journal,” printed at !• ayetie- presidential contest in one hour,” what
oiher conclusion or inference was to be
made, than that he spoke by authority,
either of Mr. Clay himself, cr some of
his confidential friends. The character
of Mr. Biichanan, with me, forbids the
idea that he was acting on his own re
sponsibiliiy, or that under any circum
stances he would have been induced to
propose an arrangement, unless possessed
of satisfactory assurances that, li accept
ed, it would be carried fully into efl'ect.
A weak mind wouhl seldom or ever be
thus disposed lo act, an intelligent one
never.
Under all the circumstances, appear
ing at the time, I did not resist the im
pression that Mr. Buchanan had ap
pr>ached me on the cautiously submitted
proposition of some authorised person;
anfl, therefore, in giving him my answer
did re(juest him “to say to Mr. Clay and
his friends,” what that answer had been.
Whether the rommunication was made
to Mr. Clay and his friends, I know not;
this, though i do know, that while the
opinions and course of Mr. Clay as to
the election, were but matter of conjec
ture with many, at and before this time,
very shortly after this conversation took
place, his, and his friends’ opinions be
came, forthwith malter of cerlainty and
general know ledge. Still 1 have not said,
nor do I now say that the proposal made
to me was “ with Ikeprivili) and consent"
of Mr. Clay, nor either have I saifl that
his friends in congress made propossilions to
me. These are Mr. (Clay’s inicrprcla-
lions of my letter to Mr. Beverley, and
not what my letter itself contains.—
What I have stated are the facts of a con
versation between myself and a member
of congress of high respectability. The
conclusions and inferences from that
conversation—the linie—manner and all
the circumstances satisfied my mind that
it was not unaiiihoristd.—So I have
thought and so 1 still think ; and yet I a-
gain repeat, that in this supposition I
may have possibly done Mr. Clay injus
tice.—If he shall be able to sustain the
averments he has made, and acquit him
self of any participation and agency in
the malter, I beg leave lo assure him that
so far from afl'ording me pain, it will give
me pleasure—I certainly ran ha^e no de
sire that the character of my country
througli the acts of a prominent citizen.
of the great mass of my countiymen, to
rriakc } ou yet legret the poor dilii^enre
(the only diligetiec you have used in
’'.his (iisctis.sioii) wilh which you hav«‘
loruiecl l)y liie mentis of Mr. Clay, tiiul
the li lends of Mr. Aiianis had made o-
vertun-sto tlitiii. saying, if Mr. C^hy aiiil
tcatched ('ur journals for resolutions | jViends would unite in aid of the elec
never inaf’p, and counted our yeas atul | won of Mj'. Adiuns, Mr. Clay should In
S
navs on questions never taken.
'j'ill then, sir, bo nlraj^ed lo aee*'pt
the asMuanoe (j1'ihc hi;r!i consideralion,
'.vith which I am your obeiliont servant,
AN AMKIilCAN rniZllN. j- j
xcreiary
of Suite; that the f; iend.s of
.Mr. Adams were urging, as a reason to
induce tlie li iindsof Mr. Clay to accede
tfj thi:-i j)roj)i;sit!on, that if I was elected
President, .\lr. Adams w ould he continu-
i ed S* creiary of Slate Cinuemio, there
Mesbis. (’arey, Lea S; Catey, have at I would he no rootn for Kentucky)—that
length reci'ived the whole of the Life ol j the Iriendb ol Mr. Clay stated, the West
"Napoleon, hy Walter Scott; and il will be idnl not want to separate Irom the West,
published in a few days, in 5 octavo vols. and if I would say or permit any of niy
♦i-— 1 coniidential I'neiKls lo say, that in case 1
Ji mnn rf hnnr>r.—’I’he “foreigner of
distini who was lately wouudeil iii
u duel ill Rhode hland, atid-who was
oi.h.^ed to remain some tune in Paw iuckel
until his ttoii'ids vilujuld be lieakd, has,
Jt seems, ran oiT vviiliont pa) ing his lavei n
w ;.s elected I’l esident, .M r. Adams should
not be coniintii'tl Sfcretary td’ Slate, hy
H complete union of Mr. Clay and his
iViemU, they vMie'il put an end lo llie
e^ilenlial conii si in one lunir ; and he
wa>ot opinion h as rij,hi lo light such
V luu.'si a:ull concepliuu cd'honor, | Wiihjjjcii- owp. weapons.‘‘ tiLDiiidtM'iUwu lor iUaJii’caui'.ui of
shall rest under any serious imputation ;
for the honor of that country, I should
greatly jjrefer that any inference 1 have
made may turn out to be ill founded.
Mr. Clay declares ias great satisfac
tion that this matter has at lakt lieen
brought to light, and to public consider
ation. He feels rejoiced “thataspeci-
tic accusation by a res|)onsible accuser
has at length a|.peared.” To this a pas
sing notice IS due.
li must be tecollected, that in conser
qtjenceof a letter fiom Mr. (ieorgc Kre-
mer, in .lanuni y, 18.:s, an intpiiry was
set on foot in Conijress, upon the appli
cation olMr. Clay iiimself-
On ihis memorable occasion, of guilt
imputed on the one huvul, and innocence
maintained on the t)lh«T, Mr. McDidlie,
il will be recollecied, i.ii!>mitted for con
sideration to the House of Representa
tives, as matter of instruction lo the
commiitee, the following ies(jiuiion:
*• thai the said conuniltee t)e instructed
lo inquire whether the friends of Mr.
C'lay have hiii'ed, that they would fight
for thosi; who v.ouUI j)ay best, or any
thing to that tiVi.;:l ; anrl whether ovei-
lures were saiil to have been made by the
friends of MI’. Adams to the friends of
Mr. Clay, t-il’ciing the apjioiiumeiit of
Secretary of Slate foi- his aid to tied
Ailams ; and w heirer the friends of Clay
i^ave this iiiformaticjn to thefiicnds of
Jack>oii, atid htnteil tliat if his friends
wcriiid offer the same piiee they vv« uld
close witii iheiti ; and whether Henry
Clay his li unsfene'!, oi' lesolved to ir.ins-
lei, his iriicresi to Juan Q. Adams ; atid
whether it was said and beiuLved, that, as
duly to his eon-tituenis,
appointed Secretary of State; and hat
II,e said committee be authorized to u d
for persons and papers, and to compe the
persons so sent for to answer upon oath.
Now here is a resoluiion, ofhcially sub-
milted, covering more than the ground
of my communication to Mr. Beveihy .
and resting in connexion with an accusa
tion publicly charged in 'he newspapers;
and y^t Mr. Clay at this late period, pro
fesses to be rejoiced, that “a specific a-
cusation by a responsible accuser has at
length appeared.” Certainly more iMan
two years ago, an accuser respectable,
and an accusation specific were both be
fore him, were both within his reach,
Mid might have been met, had he been
at all disposed to the interview, or re
joiced at the prospect of meeting an ac
cuser. Had Mr. McDuffie believed the
charge groundless and untrue, he is a
man of too high sense of honor to have
pressed upon the consideration of the
committee, an instruction clothed in the
pointed phraseology that this is; nor can
it be inferred, that in a matter so serious,
the friends of Mr. Clay would have voted
against this asked for power to the com-
Uiittee. An innocent man, before an im
partial tribunal, fears not to meet the ex
ercise of any power that competent au
thority gives ; and far less should he dis
trust that exercise, w hen in the hands of
correct and honorable men. ^
Innocence never seeks for safety thro’
covert ways and hidden ambuscades ; she
fights by day and in the open pfain, and,
proud in her own strength, meets her
enemv fearlessly. In the propositon sub
mitted by Mr. 'M’Duflie, there was no
thing to alarm, nothing that innocence
should have doubted about; it was neither
more nor less than a call of the attention
of the Committee to particular inquiries,
with an application for power to ferret
out the truth, through an appeal to the
oath of those who might bs called upon
to depose before them.
Without documents, and unacquainted
wilh the number of Mr. Clay’s friends in
the House, I cannot assert that they were
in opposition to Mr. McDuffie’s re
solution. Yet it is obvious, that the
influence he possessed would have oeeti
amply sufficient to produce a different
result, had Mr. Clay been at all desirous
that a diflerent one should have been
produced. The resolution contained
strong imputations, and serious charges
—Mr. Clay and his friends were both
implicated. Can it be presumed, under
such a state of general excitement, that, if
Mr. Clay desired iu he could not have
found, present and at hand, some friend
to ask in his behalf, that the resolution
should be adopted, and full powers ex
tended to the committee? And, moreover,
can it be thought, that such an in-
dulf^epce, if desired by Mr. Clay, or any
of his friends, could or would have been
denied? And yet it was denied; inasmuch
as the resolution was rejected, and the
power asked for, refused to the com
mittee. A solicitude to find “ a specific
accusation, by a responsible accuser,”
could not have been so seriously entertain
ed then, as it is earnestly expressed now,
or else so excellent an opportunity being
afforded to encounter boih, both could not
have been so carelessly regarded, so con
demned, and so thrown away. A con
troversy wilh me can no more disclose or
render apparent Mr. Clay’s innocence,
than could the controversy placed within
his reach two and a half years ago ; and
yet, \fhile the one was avoided, or at any
rate not embraced wilh a zeal correspond
ing with the necessity of the occasion, at
the prospects presented by the other, ex
ceeding joy seems to be mauifestecL
Then, as now, a specific acctisaiion was
before him.
One further remark and I am done,
with a hope that, on this subject, I may
Mn. srATEMrxr
To iitC r.'iitor o f the Lancaater Journal
'I'he Cincinnati Advertiser was last nipht ph.
ce«l in my hands by a friend, containing- a,,
dress from tiencral .latkson to the public, dutci
on the 18th ultimo, in which he has anaoui,ctii
me to be the member of Congress with wlion^
he had conferred i;i his lettir to Mr. Reverler
of the 5th of June last. I he duty which I ou'v
to the public, soid to myself, now compels me
to publi>h to the world the only convprsHtion
whuh 1 ever keld with fieiieraf Jackson vipor
the subject of the last I’resiJential elcctiou
prior to its termination.
In the month of December, 1824, a short
time after the rommencement of the session of
Conprcss, I heard, among othernimors then irj
circulation, that General Jackson had determii/
td, should he be elected I’resident, tocuntinufc
Mr. Adunis in the office of Secretary of state
Althonerh I felt certain he had never intim
not be under any necessity of again ap
pearing in the newspapers. In saying
what I have, all the circumstances con
sidered, I have fell it was due to myself.
and to the i)ublic.—My wish would have
been, to avoid having any thing to s'ay or
do in this matter, from ar. apprehension
well conceived, that per.ions will not be
wanting vvho may cliarge whatever is
done, to a desii e to afTect others, and be
nefit myself. My own feelings, though,
are of higher importance and value to me
than the opinion of those who impose
censure whe'-e it is believed not to be
deserved. 1 have been actuated by no
such design, nor governed by any such
consideralion. 'i'he «)rigin—the begin
ning tif this matte;’, was at my ow-n house
aiid fire side ; where surely a freeman
may be permitted to speak on public
lo[)ics without having ascribed to him
improper designs. 1 have not gone into
the high-ways and markut places to
proclaim my opinintis, and in this, fee
that 1 have ddfered from some, who, even
at public dinner tables, have not sci upled
to consider me as a legitimate sui>jeci
for a s|)eech, and the eiiieriainmeni of the
company. Vet, for this, who has heard
me complaiji ? N'o one. 'Frusting to
the justice of an intelligent People, I have
burn content to rely for security on their
decision, against the countless assaults
ar.d slanders wh.ich so repeatedly are
sought to be pahned ujion them, withoui
seeking to present myself in my ownTte-
fi nce, and still less to become “ the re-
spoujibit' accuser” of Mr. Clay or any
oihei' person. ~
~ ANDKFAV J
t;-, JuV tr;:-
Although 1 reit ceriam iii- iiuo never intiniuteci
such an intention, yet I was sensible that noth
ing coulii be better calculated, both to conl the
ardor of his friends and inspire his enemies
with conficlence, than the belief that he had ul.
ready seh ctcd his chief crmpetilor, for tht
highest office within his gift. I thought Gen
eral Jackson ow ed it to himself and to the causa
in which his politic.al frionds were engapLd, to
contradict this report; and to declare that ha
would not appoint to that office the man, how-
ever worthy he might be, w ho stood at the head
of the most formidable party of his political en-
. niies. These being my impressions, 1 address,
ed a letter to a confidential friend in Pennsyl,
vania, then and still high in oflico, and exalted
in cliaracter, and one who had ever hcen the
decided advocate of C.eeeral Jackson’s election,
requesting his advice upon the subjcct. 1 re!
ceived his answer, dated 'JAh December, 1824,
upon the 29th, which is now before me, anj
which strengthened and confirmed my previous
opinion. I then finally determined, either that
1 would ask ('.eneral Jackson myself, or get an.
other of his friends to ask him, whetiur he had
ever declared he would appoint Mr. Ailatns his
Secretary of State. In this manner, I hoped &
contradiction of the report might be obtained
from himself, a’ul that he might probably dcclare
it vvas not ois intention to appoint Mr. Adams.
A short time previous to the receipt of the
letter to which I have referred, my friend Mr.
Markley and myself got into conversation, as
we very often did, both before and after, upon
the subject of the Presidential elt ction, and
concerning the person who would probably be
.selected by Ceneral Jackson to fill theofiicto:’
Secretary of State. I feel sincerely sorry tha‘;
I am conipelled thus to introduce his name, but
1 do sf> wilh the less reluctance, because it has
already, without any agency of mine, fouiid iti
way in the newspaper?, in connection with tliic
tran.iaction.
Mr. Markley adverted to the rumor which I
have mentioned, and said it was calculated to
injure the (ieneral. lie observed that Mr. Cluy’t;
friends were atti'ched to him, h. that he thought
they would endeavor to act in concert at the
election; that if they did so, they could elect
either Mr. .Vdams or tieneral Jackson at their
pleasure ; but that many of them w ould ncvef
ngree to vote for the 1 ’iter, if they knew he
had predetermined to prefer anotlu-r to Mr.
Clay, for the first office in his gift; and that;
some of the friends of Mr. Adauis had already
been hohhr.g out the idia, that, in case he wera
elected, Mr. (May might probably be od'ercd tho
situation of Secretaiy of State.
I told Mr. Markley that 1 felt confident Gen.
Jackson had never said he would ajipoiht Mr.
Adams Secretary of State ; because he was not
in the habit of conversing up('n the subject of
the election ; and if he were, whatever tnij,dit
be his secret intention, he had more prudence
tiihn to make such a declaration. 1 mentioned
to him that I had been thinking, either that I
would call upon tlie General myself, or get one
of his other friends to do so, and thus endeavor
to obtain from him a contradiction of the n porti
although I doubted whether he would hold :tny
conversation upon the subject.
Mr. M'>rkley urged me to do so ; and obser
ved, if Gen. Jack.son had not determined whom
he would appoint Secrelary of State, and .should
say that it would not be Mr. Adams, it might be
of great advantage to our cause, for us so to
declare, upon his ov\ n authority; we shoulJ
then be placed upon the same footing withtbo
Adams men, and might tight thtm with f>’eir
ov.n weapons. That the western mtmt)ers
would naturally prefer voting for a uettern
man, if there were aprobabilitv that the claim*
of Mr. Clay to the second oflice in the Govcni-
nient should be fairly csliniuted ; and that it
they thought proper to vole for Gen. .lacksjii,
they could soon decide the co: test in his favcr'.
A short time after this conversation, on the
30th of December, 1834, (t am enabled to fii
the time not only from my ovvn ncollcction,
but from letters which I wrote on that duv, on
the day following, and on the 2d Jan. lil2o.)
called upon tien. Jackson. Alter the companj
had left him, by w hich 1 found him surroundi’d,
he asked me to take a walk with him, awl wl.ils^
we were walking together upon the street, I
introduced the subject—1 told him I wished to
ask a question in relation to the I’residentia
election; that I kn w he was viuw ilhng to co:;-
verse upon tlie sul jfCt; that, Iluri0>re, d
deemed the qtiestion improper, he mif,dit refuse
to give an answer: that my only im't'-ve it-
asking it was fricndshi]) for him, and I trustee
he would excuse me for thus introducing a suD
jcrt upon v\hich I knew he w ished to b sdcn .
11 is reply w'as complimentury to my.scif, si"
accompanied with a request th'\t 1 would pro^
ceed. 1 then stated to him there was a
in circulation that he !iad determined he'VoU'*
appoint Mr. Adams Secretary of State,
he were i leeted Frrsident, and that 1
t(» ascertain Irom him, whethor he had
timatcil %ueli an intention. That h. ''
once perceive how injuriou.'> to hi:i ckctKUi s'l i-
a report might be. 1 hat no doul)t then- «-
several able and ambitious men in ' *
among whom 1 thought Mr. filay mi^"^
cliulfd, uho were aspiring to th:«t ofnce, an' '
It were hi lieved he liad already dcterniiiH t ^
;tppoint liis chief com])i titor, it might ^
most unhappy erf'ect upon their
those of their friends. I'hut unless he '•
determined, i thought this report ._
proniptlv contradicted under his ov^ nan •
! mentioned, it l ad ah-e:uly prehahly
him sonic injury, and proceeded to
the substance of the con ver-i.itiou i
v.ith Mr. Markley. I do not
tr I nieiilioneil his name, or n.ercly
him as a friend of Mr. Clay.
After I hadtiuished, the ^-eneral dec
had not the least objection to answer i'- i
tioii. That hethougl't well of Mr. . ‘
had never said or intimated that he v
that he wouhl nv)t, ap[)oint hiui occ ‘ .
stale-. Th.t tlR'..- ».r«
to himself—he would tonceal tin m ' , i
ry h.irsof hi. bead, 'i hat d ‘’IJ.,
hand knew '