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 A SUPPLEMENT 
 
 TO THE 
 
 1 
 
 TO THE PUBLIC, 
 
 WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER, 182^. • 
 
 EXHXBXTINa FURTHER EVIDENCE 
 
 IS 
 
 REFUTATION OF THE CHARGES AGAmST HIM, 
 
 TOUCHINQ THE 
 
 r^AST JPRESlUtEJSTlJlL. ELECTIOJV^ * 
 
 MADE BT 
 
 €itn. ^nlrrtUi 3i^tUtion. 
 
 WASHINGTON : 
 
 PRINTED BT PETER FORCE, CORNER OF ELETENTH STI^EET A.V» 
 rRNNSVLVANIA AVENUE; 
 
 
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ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 In my Address of December last to the Public, iu 
 relation to tlie charges auainst me, concerning the 
 last Presidential Elec'ion, which originated with 
 General Andrew Jackson and some of his friends, I 
 stated that 1 had been disappointed in the receipt of 
 some testimony which I Imd expected ; and that, if I 
 should subsequently obtain it, I would present it to the 
 Public. 1 accordingly received several statements from 
 dift'erent gentlemen, some of which were communicated 
 without solicitation. Deeming them highly important, 
 I present them to the Public in this Supplement, with- 
 out a single conmient. I ofter only the following ex- 
 planation : 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Exhibits the statements of Messrs. William Sample, 
 Isaac Bennett, the Rev. A. Wylie, John Keel, Cuth- 
 bert T. Jones, and J. V. Waring. Upon perusing 
 them, in counexion with statements on the same sub- 
 ject which I formerly published, the Public will be able 
 to judge of the accuracy of General Jackson's asser- 
 tion, tliat " the origin — the beginning of this matter," 
 [the charge of bargain,] " was at my own house and 
 " fireside, where surely a freeman may be permitted to 
 " speak on public topics, without having ascribed to 
 '' him improper designs." 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Consists of the statements of Messrs. George Ro- 
 bertson and ( harles S. Todd, of Kentucky, and Dan- 
 iel Yertner and A. W. Wooley, of Alississippi, and 
 B. S. Forrest, of Maryland ; the four former narrating 
 conversations between other gentlemen and me, long 
 antecedent to the late Presidential Election, in which 
 I freely expressed my opinion respecting Mr. Adams 
 and General Jackson. Mr. Forrest's statement pro\ 
 that Colonel Benton, on his way to Congress in th^ 
 
Full of 1824, declared that " it was impossible that 3Ir . 
 ' Clay could vote tor General Jackson, and expressed 
 "■ much surprise at the suggestion." 
 
 I subjoin the statements of Colonel Benton, Mr. 
 Plumer, and Mr. Rob(*rtson of Ohio, which have been 
 already published, without having been previously com- 
 municated to me ; and of D. White, Esq., the only 
 Representative from Kentucky, voting for Mr. Adams^ 
 whose statement was not contained in my former pub- 
 lication : Also, two letters written by me, which had 
 escaped my recollection, and have been published by 
 the gentlemen to whom respectively they were ad- 
 dressed. 
 
 ir. CLAY. 
 Washington, lOth June^ 1828. 
 
 / 
 
SUPPLEMENT, &c. 
 
 Sialeintut of William Sample, transmittedin a Idler to H. Clay. 
 
 '''On Tuesday, the 22d day of March, 1825, when General Andrew 
 Jacksen was on his way from Washington Ciij'- to his residence in Ten- 
 nessee, he, with a number of the citizens of VVashington, Pennsylvania, 
 and of the county, were in the pubhc house of Mr. Chambers, inn-keeper, 
 West Alexandria, Pennsylvania. Mr. Edward M'Ghiughlin, a citizen of 
 Donegall township, Washington county, Pennsylvania, called at the public 
 house of Mr. Chambers, in the town of West Alexandria, for the special 
 purpose of seeing General Jackson. Mr. E. M'Glaughlin was introduced 
 to the General; and, after the common salutation of shaking hands, Mr. 
 M'Glaughlin said, " Well, General, we did all we could for you here, but 
 the rascals at Washington cheated you out of it." To this expressioPj 
 General Jackson made the following reply : " Indeed, my old friend, there 
 was cheatery, and corruptioii, and bribery too. The Editors of the Na- 
 tional Intelligencer were bribed to suppress the publication of honest 
 George Kremer's letter." Mr. M'Glaughlin's introduction was at his 
 own solicitation, in a public house, in the presence of a room full of gen- 
 tlemc/i ; and the conversation also in the same public house, in the pre- 
 sence of a large and promiscuous company. Samuel Workman, Thomas 
 Morgan, Joseph Henderson, Josiah Trensdell, William Sample, and others. 
 were present, v' 
 
 Brownsville, February 28, 1S28. 
 ' ■■*' 
 Dear Sirs: Your favor has been received, and in pursuance of your re- 
 quest I called on Mr. Slone to obtain a certificate of the conversation that 
 took place between«him and General Jackson, which he peremptorily re- 
 fused to give. Therefore, in conformity with 3fOur further request, that, 
 in case of a non compliance, I would transmit to you the purport of 
 that conversation delivered to me by Slnne, that took place between him 
 and the General; I, therefore, do certify, that I have heard him repeatedly 
 observe, in substance, as follows, that he, Mr. Slone, was one of a commit- 
 tee that left Brownsville to meet General Jackson on his return from Wash- 
 ington city in 1825; that, while in his company, he observed to the Ge- 
 neral that there had been much said respecting a corrupt bargain and in- 
 trigue pending the Presidenliiil election ; that he wished to ascertain from 
 him if there was any foundation to justify the report ; the General observ- 
 ed that it was a delicate matter for him to treat upon. Mr. Slone assured 
 him he was surrounded witii his friends ; tiiat he might speak freely 
 on the subject. The General then proceeded to slate, that, early one 
 morning, Mr. Clay called rsn liim at his lodgings, which was quite an ur • 
 usual circumstance, and, after a few compliments had passed, Mr. Clay ob 
 served : General, I have no doubt of your election now. The General 
 staled, I read his heart in a moment, but replied to Mr. Clay, that, if elect- 
 ed, he wonlH exercise his best iuHgmfMit in oK-ciftinff tliw duties of tlj© 
 
6 
 
 office; that Mr. Clay, meeting with no encouragemenf, politely bid him" 
 good iiioriiing, and left the room ; and, in a few days, he understood that 
 Clay hnd dfcl.<red himself in favor of John Q. Adams. This, said 
 the i.«enprnl, Mr. Clay will not have the hardihood to stand before me and 
 deny. 1 he General further stated, by way of comment, that there was 
 no tloubf, had he observed to Mr. Clay, if I am elected I will do some- 
 thing for you, that he, Jackson, would have been the Presidf^m. 
 
 ISAAC BLNNETT. 
 Mr. R. McKeef and Alexander Caldwell^ Esq. 
 
 Washington, February l^th, 1828, 
 
 Dear Sir: I received your note of the 28ih ult. in which you inform 
 me that, " by a letter just received from H. Clay he expresses a wish to 
 obtain a statement in writing from yourself, giving, in detail, a substantia! 
 account of that portion of the conversation of General Jackson which re- 
 lated to himsflf and Mr. Adams, or, in other words, the bargain and sale 
 story," and that " this statement is intended for self-protection only." 
 
 Y ur note should have been answered sooner, but that I found myself 
 unable to bring up the conversation alluded to so distinctly to my recol- 
 lection as to give it " in detail." The substance of it, even now, is all 
 that I can pretend to give. 
 
 When Gentr;il Jackson arrived at Bunland's, on his return from Con- 
 gress in the Spring of 1825, the agitation of the public mind was extreme, 
 from the btlief, then prevalent, that his elevation to the Presidency had 
 been presented by intrigue and management on the part of Mes>rs= 
 Adams and Clay. My own mind, I confess, was not altogether undis- 
 turbt'd on this subject, feeling, as the head of a large family, who, in the 
 common course of nature, must share, after me, in the destinies of our 
 beloved country, a deep interest in the preservation of its liberties, which 
 I believed, from what I knew of the history of Republics, were not likely 
 to perish in any popular convulsion, until the People themselves should 
 first find their rights to have been invaded by those in power. Feeling, 
 from the force of such considerations, a sympathy for General Jackson, i 
 was induced, though I had no previous personal acquaintance with him, to 
 pay him my respects. 
 
 The following dialogue took place: 
 
 A. You return, General, from a boisterous campaign, ' 
 
 B. Yes, Sir. 
 
 A. One in which you were not quite so successful as in some furmej* 
 ones. 
 
 B. My success in those to which you allude was owing to ihc firmnesi: 
 of the brave men whom 1 had the honor to command. 
 
 A. Ii is more honorable, however, fieneral, t«» lose than to win in such I 
 '-^ corili'st as that laliiy concluded at the Federal city, if, indeed, things 
 
 nro managed as has been reported. 
 
 B. Anrt who can doubt it? I 
 A. Why, (Jeneral, one would hardly .suppose that sticl. men as J. Q» | 
 
 Adams and II. Clay wofild. in the face of tlio nation, f^ngage in such a j 
 trnnjactioi). i 
 
t 
 
 B. But let any man, lu his senses, tnke a view of the circumstances— 
 le{ liim compare, fur instance, the prediction of honest George kremer 
 with its accomplishment. 
 
 A. But, were not the tjUents and local situation of Mr. Clay sufficient 
 to justify the confid<Mit expectation ol his appointment? TheiC is, how- 
 ever, another circumstaiico wiiich, if true, will settle the point. 
 
 B. What is that ? 
 
 A. The proposition that is said to have been made to you — was that 
 a fact ? 
 
 B. Yes, Sir, such a proposition was made. I said to the bearer — Go, 
 tell Mr. Clay, tell Mr. Adams, that if I gc into that chair, I go with clear 
 hands, and a pure heart, and that I'd rather see them, together with my- 
 self, engulphed to the earth's centre than to compass it by such means. 
 The very qext day, (or shortly after, which of the expressions it was is 
 aot now recollected) Mr. Clay and his friends declared for Mr. Adams. 
 
 Such was the conversation^ as nearly as can be now recollected. It was 
 rapid, and carried on in such a tone of voice as not to be hpard by many 
 in the room. The Messrs, Murdocks, who were present, I believe must 
 have heard a part of it. Most of the sentences were not announced ia 
 full, but taken up and answered by the parties so soon as their drift and 
 bearing were understood, except the last, which was pronounced empha- 
 tically. Of this, I am the m<>re certain, as it made au impression which 
 was, on my mind, deed and vivid. 
 
 The foregoing statement is at the service of Mr. Clay. The allegations 
 which it contains against him and Mr, Adams, were believed by me at 
 the time, but have, in my view, been losing their evidence in the course 
 of public inquiry ; and now ought either to be sustained by additional 
 proof, or magnanimously abandoned; otherwise, I should tnink a reaction 
 In public sentiment may be expected. 
 
 Yours, with respect, 
 Th : BL Giffin, Esq. A. WYLIE. 
 
 Bowling Green, Feb-//. 23d, 1828. 
 Dear Sir: Your note of this date has been duly received, requesting 
 me to state whether or not, I was present at a conversation held by Gen- 
 eral Jackson, at the Washington Hall Tavern, in this town, in the month 
 of Aprd, 1825, when on his way from Washington; in which he made 
 charges of bargain and intrigue, against Mr. Adams and Mr. Clay In 
 answer to the above inquiries, I roust state that I was present at the Wash- 
 ington Hall on the evening after General Jackson arrived there, when on 
 h.s way from Washington in 1825 ; and heard him conversing freely re- 
 spectmg Mr. Adams, Mr. Clay, and the Presidential election, in which 
 conversation I heard General Jackson say, that he would not have the of- 
 fice of President of the United States, if he had to obtain it by bargain, 
 corruption, and intrigue, as Mr. Adams had done. This was the first 
 time 1 had ever heard the celebrated bargain and intrigue mentioned, 
 winch has since made so much noise throughout the United States. 
 Respectfully your obedient servant, 
 Col Fr. Johnson. JOH^ KEEL. 
 
8 
 
 Bowling Green, FeVy. \st, 1828. 
 I think It was some tiiue in the month c»l April, 1825, that G«n. Jack- 
 son, un his return frum the City with his fdmilv, put up at the \Vashi:igton 
 Hall Tavern, in this place, and remained until the next day after break- 
 f.ist. In the course i)f the afternaon of the dny of his arrival, many citi- 
 zens of tht' place called to see him; I then liv.-d at the Washington Hall 
 Tavern. He appeared to c<»nverse freely with the company who were 
 there, u()oii tlie subject of the Presidential election, 1 heard him repeat- 
 edly speaking of Mr. Adams and ^!r. Clay; and in speaking of the Presi- 
 dential election,! understood him to say, that propositions had been mads 
 to him, (Gen. Jackson,) cither by or through the friends of Mr. Clay — I do 
 noi now distinctly recollect whether it was by Mr. Clay's friends or through 
 Mr. Cluy's friends — that il he, General Jackson, would say he would make 
 JVlr. Clay Secretary of State, that Mr. Clay and his friends would vote for 
 him, and that they would .settle the Presidential election in one hour; and 
 I further understood General Jackson, that he told the messenger that he 
 Diigiu go back and tell Mr. Clay, that he would rather see the earth open 
 and swallow both himself, Mr Clay, and their friends, up together, than it 
 shtiuld b." said he pot into the Presidential chair by bargain, or intrigue, on 
 his part. This is substantially what I heard the General say; though it may 
 nut be till) precise wonJs he used, it substantially conveys what he said to 
 the company on that point. 
 
 CUTHBERT T. JONES. 
 
 FranJcfort, Kentuchj, March 21, 1 828, 
 
 Dear Sir : Your replication to the charges so often repeated against youj 
 of I- irr.i;itioii,&c. in the late Presidential" election, has been received in 
 Kentucky vviih murh satisfaction, by the friends of th'^ present Adminis- 
 tration, and more particularly by your well-wishers, while it has silenced 
 a large p.-rtion of your most open-mouthed defamers. 
 
 It is a fact probably known to you, that an extraordinary eflbrt has been 
 made and is making in this cnuiury to rally the shattered ranks of a des- 
 p.-rato party, upon the name of Jackson, although he has said that an hun- 
 osl jury would convict jany man of perjury who would vote for the^very 
 measures that have in Kentucky been so warmly supported by them. 
 
 In ycHir vindiratiim, yon refer to a cnnveisation had by General Jack- 
 son, in r.owling (iioen, upon his return from Congress, after the election 
 of Mr. Adams to the Piesidenry. I was present at one of those conver- 
 yations, when the General observed, in speaking of the late election, that 
 '« The peopli had hv.cn rkcahd.'' ''That the corruptions and intrigues at 
 '• irashington hud defeated the will of the people, in the election of their 
 '« Tnsidrnt." I wailed until this branch of the conversation was clo.sed, 
 and finding no palliative, loft the company, which was large, and composed 
 of p.-nllemen and ladies of the first respectability, and at a public tavern; 
 several foll-nved, and his remarks became the subject of street conversa- 
 tion, in whi. b I remaiked that, as highly as I was disposed to think of the 
 G.neral, parii.Milarly for his military success, 1 could not approve such a 
 couriP — that if coriiiption existrd, and that known to him, he surely should 
 not have been the fiist to greet Mr. Adams upon his elevation; and that, it 
 
 li 
 
9 
 
 you had participated, it was his duty to have exposed it when your nomi- 
 nalion was before the Sena'e. 
 
 It may l)e well to remark, that the General may have thought he was, 
 wholly siirrouiuled by political Iriends, as he had been well received there 
 
 by the citizens. 
 
 Respectfully, yours, 
 
 J. U. WARING. 
 
 tl. Clny. 
 P. S, By a sense of duty to an injured and much persecuted man. I. 
 have been induced to address (his letter to you, and you are at liberty to 
 use it as you may think proper; I would have communicated these facts to 
 you at an earlier period, but believing ihem unnecessary after the Gener- 
 al's letter giving up Mr. Buchanan. 
 
 December 17, 1827. 
 
 Sir: In the winter of 1824-5, I had frequent and free conversations 
 with many of my friends on the subject of the then approaching election 
 of President, by the House of Repr^sentativts. 
 
 In these, I expressed my own preference for Mr. Adams, and my confi- 
 dent belief, not only that he would be elected, but that a majority of the 
 Kentucky delegaliou would vote for him. I felt and expressed no doubt 
 that Mr. Clay would prefer him to Gen. Jackson. I believed that he could 
 not support the General consistently with his feelings or principles; and 
 in a frank conversation wiih him in September of 1824, I understood dis- 
 tinctly, that nothing could ever induce him to aid in or approve the Gen- 
 eral's'election. In these views, you concurred — and referred to a conver- 
 sation which you sdid you had had with Mr. Clay, in which he communi- 
 cated to you his determination, in any event, to oppose the election of 
 Gen. Jackson. 
 
 Indeed, before the election by the House of Representatives, I had 
 heard no one express the opinion that Mr. Clay would or could co-operate 
 with General Jackson's friends. 
 
 Before the election of Mr. Adams, I had ascertained satisfactorily to 
 myself, that those of the Kentucky delegation, who voted for him, would 
 do so : And I had been informed (and yet have no doubt that the in- 
 formation was true) that one of those from our State, who voted for the 
 General, had, when about leaving home for Washington, in the fall of 1824, 
 assured his constituents that he would not vote for General Jackson. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 CoL. Davidson. GEORGE ROBERTSON. 
 
 Shelby, Kentucky, 18th February, 182S. 
 Dear Sir : Adverting to that part of your late address, in which you 
 remark, "you have no doubt that in your promiscuotjs and unreserved in- 
 
10 
 
 Tercoiim'' nrnonj your acqnaint^ncos in this Statp, oiliPr<<, not recollected by 
 yocj, coul'l biMr !• s'iinoity to the iiii(li-vinii(ig mn) settlf'd detf^rmi!) hmd <>( 
 your miiul," I (Incni ii an not of duty ;iiid ofjuslici' to inlorfn you t!int a 
 CKinersHtioii, III lliH U'lidiiicy jillu'lt d i.», oermr' d Itei'.vfpii y u, my Ime 
 fHlher and iiiysi-ll, nt liis hous^ in K'a'ikroit, h Itnv days hftore vou st;<ritfd 
 honi »h;«t plat o i>n ynm j itirn»'y to VViisliin^t'n, e;iilv in i\(ive.nh(!r, i824. 
 I w 15 iiiit r«\vui»' tl) il yuii h:id it in ronti ni|il-iii(Mi lo in;ike a puhlicaiidn on 
 
 his subject, or 1 wnuld li.ive long siine cummunicatod the circuaisiance lo 
 > 11(1. 
 
 NVc conimpncf'd thf* conversation hy an f»n(|i)ii v of yon, as to the prot- 
 pfclsof «ho IVesidenti-d KlHciion, Hod particni.iily is to tlie import ot liie 
 lalt-st inloimali-ii im in »*vi'nt wliir.li we rei^anled vv'iili (.neat solioitiMlt-, 
 thai o( yuui beiofj returned by tho tl.-cloiHl c<d'ejje'to tin? lloose ot ili pf^- 
 sentatives — you were •>(' opinion that this result would depend chiefly on 
 the vote of Louisiana, an^ tiie riaiive extent ol'the vote for yourself and 
 Mr. Crawtoid in tiie State of Mew Y rk. Fiedirated on the idea of y<iiir 
 exclusion I'roni the House, my father enquired as to the actual and most 
 received opinion of the state of Mr. Crawford's hedih, anti iiiiiinated a pre- 
 leience ol tliat distiiii»iiislied iiniividnal on the contingency snp|K)sed, 
 should his health be considered as •illtiicl^•nl!y t'nut to t-nable hi:n lo dis- 
 charge the arduous and couipliculed duties of President, You spoke ofthe 
 last intelligeu'-.e as lo his health oem^ very unl'avorabl<", and concurred in 
 the kind opinion expressed of him by my lather, A comparison wis then 
 eiuered intoas lo the respective qiiaiifitalions .-f Mr, Adams and General 
 .'acksun. My father ni-ntionr-d liavii;g some prejudices against Mr. 
 
 Xdains, which, however, he aamiiiHd. v\ere not of a tiiaiacter to impeach 
 hi* pairioiisu) or his fi'ness for the iffi:e, both of whit h were ac- 
 knowledged, [le expresse.l a desire to invea Wesiern Piesident, but did 
 not tiiink that, in litis aspect of ihe ca-e, we shoahK ff*:c; thisol.j^ct by tiie 
 • lection of (Jeneral Jicks.in, as neii'.er he nor his immediate fiiends could 
 be relied on asfavmabh' to what was called the \\ estern policy, lie regar- 
 ded General Jackson — mi.reuver, as distiualilied by his temper, his edu- 
 cation, and hibits, to dischurge, satisfactoi ily, the duties of ihe oirjoe of 
 President. In these views you appe.ired to concur, and requested us lo 
 exert any personal i.illiieiicii we mi;^ht have willi the Legislature, in pre- 
 venting ihe inli.uluctiun or ad«)ptioii of a resolution to instruct the Kf ntuc- 
 ky delegation to vote for General Jackson. You deprecated the idea as 
 bring ill ilie highest d gree embarrassing, and hoped it would not be adop- 
 t'd The whole conveisilion inipresieil on my mind tlit- firtii conviciion 
 With which you seemed to be animateil, that you could not, nor ought not 
 to vote for (m neral Jai ksi.n under any circumstances whatever. I recol- 
 lect disiinclly,lhat yo.i for. boilnd the direst coiiseipiences lo the country in 
 thecvent of his election ; thai it wuld bean administration of fury and of 
 violence, ms had been foicibly staled b\ th author of an interesting pHioph- 
 lel jnsi publislied Ml iNcw York, and to wliich you adverted. As conlras- 
 Kd with llie ptet«Mi>ioiis of Gttneri.i Jackson, you referred to the ability 
 .-md long.-xperi. nee (,f Mr. Adams in the civil afirair> of the Nation, and 
 ni-nli .aed ibe incideni ol a liiendly ari'mnent with him in Ids ofTire, on 
 your leaving Wuhhiiigton in 18Jl-:!2, but in which you ddfeied in opin- 
 ion, Ht lo il,e most suitalde time to recognise .he independence of the new 
 U'lveinmenib .Smith ol the United St ,ies. I took occavi,,.., here, to speak 
 
 I the hiji ..pmitn of .Mr. Adams's patiiolism ai.d abilities produced on 
 
u 
 
 niy mind h\ the fipporttinity »tfori\t'(\ (if judoinf; of flH'in wlirn enpapfd in 
 tl f s rvi( »' (il tlv l^iiiied ■»! itt'S ahioad ; wliii'i tPiidcd in a gifal d» jrrpp \c\ 
 ri iiiovc ili^' prij;idii'< s inibilx d fi'ni iln misro, rt'st-iitations <^f his puliliciil 
 coiidiiri Hi ;tii t'aily p rind ol ihf (Invt^rnnient. 
 
 Ill npniopriiiie coimpxiiin with iho preopding narrativp, 1 can statf the 
 sihslaiicc of It ronversarmn of like tendency h 'd between yourself and 
 our vent lateii friend llie late Ciov. >he!hy, at his (esif'enre, as early as the 
 niMiith of Juiy, 1824. Hn cmnni-nced the conversation by asking what 
 von tiiooglit of the prospects of G( n Jrickson in the approaching elec- 
 li >n. Von r' plieiJ by stiUnir (halyn did not bfii'. vehe wniild be elected, 
 and spoke freely and fully of his comlucl and qnalfications, very much \a 
 the manner y "» '^'id tiealed of ihetn in your |iu'olic speeches — that you 
 did n.n expect from him or iiis counsoUurs any friendly feeling towards 
 keniucky or t!ie gieat Western interests, which she hitd so prominently 
 sniMjorted ; a.ul iliaf yon had stroii<> appreliensions that his Administration 
 w. nid be a rei-rn of fnryaiid of tiirbidence. Governor Shelby then lemarked 
 that lie ci>ncnirrd entiiely in tluse views, and proceeded to commnnicate 
 t « yoii, what he loot never meniiomd out of the circle of his immediate 
 fo ni!v, ihe ({le it clnnire effict' d In his mind towards General Jackson by 
 hi-, conduct at the Clii' kasaw Treaty in 1818, that the high estimation in 
 wliich he had titereiofore regarded the temper, tiie discr>tion, judgment 
 9vd disinfercstei,' patriufism of Genera! Jackson, had been gieatly lessened 
 b\ his cnndnct on th;it occasion. He sai.l, his rash, hot headed temper, 
 if it h id n ■! he^'n restrained, would have cost the nation double the snm 
 for which the l.nd was uiiim ■■V \y pur^ based; and li- had so permitted the 
 integrity of his principles to be ilie diipe of an intrigue as to propose, on 
 behalf of his personal friends, then present, to s.cnr. for them a reserva- 
 tion of the Big Sjuing, and a v du;d)|e tract of land around it. To this 
 pr 'position, he, Governor S'udliy, oppos d an indignant refusal; bnt at 
 len<;th consented to its paitial ad pti n, with the oind-rstanding that tiie 
 G>veinment slionld have the pre-erniition rij;ht at the pi ice stipulated. He, 
 arcoidinj^ly caused the neres;ary information to be transmitted to the 
 ProsiJenf, who pronipdy accepted tiie reservation on behalf of the Go- 
 vernment. In conclu.i <n, Gov. Shelby remarked, in a tone and style pe- 
 culiar to hins'df, that he believed tliere were five hundred men in the 
 Union with stronger citims and (pj difications to the Presidency than those 
 possess 'd hv General Jirks on. Frnm repeated and full cimversations, 
 winch I iiad'tiie s itislaction ..f siih'-pqoenily h Idiog with my r< veied father 
 and my venerated failn i-indiiw, f am persuaded iliat, ha.l yon voted for 
 G 'nera! Jackson, it woid.l have greatly impair d the confidence in yon, 
 wliich hnd been ifiiplicit and -xalted, and in th ■ friendship which had been 
 unclouded diring a period of tliiity yeais (if intimrite inirrconrs. Y u 
 will concnr with "me in ihe belirf, that no two individoals in the Western 
 St itrs, out of '!>nne.ssee, were so ihoron.ghly appii/.'^d of the rcrd rharor' 
 ter and quaUficat'unn of G* neral Jacks-n as were these two de;>K'teJ 
 patriots. 
 
 I have the honor to be, with ^'reat regard, 
 
 Voin obedient servant, 
 
 C. S. TODD. 
 
 Hon. H Ct^aYj IVnahhiginn. 
 
1^ 
 
 Fehruary T'h, I82S. 
 Mr. Johnston presents, willi great pleasure, to Mr. Clay two l^-tters from 
 Mr. VtMiner And Mr. Woolley, wliitli he is at liberty to use in any way he 
 may tliiiik proper. 
 
 Port CtMiso's, Jamiary lOi/i, 182S. 
 
 Dear Sir : I received some time ago your ll;t^'r, containing a rerjooRt 
 that I woul') furnish a statement of obst-rvations which I hoard Mr. Clay 
 make relative to the qualiticaiions of Mr. A'lams and Gerioral Jackson, for 
 the ollice of President of flie United Slates, pmviotis lo the last Presiden- 
 tial election. That statement I now proceed to furnish with great plea- 
 sure : 
 
 When on a visit to Kentucky, early in the month of Atignst, 1824, I 
 dined at a friend's house, in company with iMr. Clay and several otluT gen- 
 tlemen. After dinner, the conversation turned on the then approaching 
 Presidential election, which conversation elicited from .^Ir. Clay tlui fid- 
 lowing remarks in substance: That if the House of licpresenlalives had 
 to decide the election between those two sentlemen, there was very little 
 doubt on his mind as to the residt, and that it would undoubtedly be in 
 favor of IMr. Adams. He said that the House of Representatives was 
 composed of men possessing great political knowledge and e.xperience — 
 that they were acquainted with the superior pretensions of Mr. Adams, and 
 that superiority would secure his election — in fact, I recollect distinctly 
 that he spoke in terras of high commendation of the ability, great expe- 
 rience, and political accomplishmeuts of Mr. .\dams ; and that, for him- 
 self, he could not hesitate in giving his preference to Mr. Adams. He 
 pronounced his objections to General Jackson with great decision and 
 force, as entirely unfit for the situation ; and such was the impression 
 made on my mind by these remarks, that had iMr. Clay afterwards voted 
 for General Jackson, I should have been compelled to assign him some 
 motive otherwise than the public good, 
 
 I Have now given, in substance, what I heard Mr. Clay say, according 
 to you-- request, and I assure you it affords me great pleasure that the in- 
 formation is in my power to communicate. 
 
 I ain yours, with great respect, 
 
 D. VERTNEFv, 
 
 Hon.J. S. Johnston, Washington City, D. C. 
 
 Port Gibson, January 9th, 1828. 
 
 Dkar Sir: Your letter, bearing dale 14ih last October, I received im- 
 niediaiely previous to my departure from Kentucky. From considerations, 
 important to an accurate and full compliance with the request made in 
 your letter, I was induced to delay my answer until I arrived at this place. 
 1 regret extremely the delay, as 1 would cheerfully, aud at all times, afford 
 any issistauce in my power to exculpate the character of Mr. Clay from 
 the faUo afid di8n[raceful aspersions which Ids enemies have endeavored to 
 fix upon it. I recollect distinctly the cunversatioa to which yoo refer ; 
 
13 
 
 and sliiill stale it to you with a full conlidenrp in the corrprtness of ms' rp- 
 C'llt'ction ; altliougii smne yfars have eliipsed since its (>cciin<Micf, tor im- 
 iiierliatoly on my arrival at this place on the ijib day of DerHinb'-r, 1 Sl'4, I 
 suited to ninny of my friends, that the State of Kcnlncky would, in the 
 Hoiise of Keprespiit.ttives, vole for Mr. Adams, and «;;tvo iliem as niv rea- 
 son, the conversation I am going to relate. I further stated to tiiein tlio 
 conversation between Mr. Clay and Dr. Drake, bifore the disclosure of it 
 subseqiienily by Dr. Dfal:e. My informatinn of this conversation was oi)- 
 tiiined by me from Dr. Drake, before I l« ft Kentucky. Those friends I 
 have lately consulted, and their recollections correspond precisely with 
 what [ will now relate. 
 
 In the fall of the year 1824, somp time previous to the departure of Mr. 
 Clay from Lexington, fur the cily of Washington, I had the phasure to dino 
 with Mr. Clay at his own house, with a number of gentlemen, who, I be- 
 lieve, were generally, the p<.litical friencJs of Mr. Clay. The conversation 
 was various, but g>>iiprally of a poKrical charactei, embracing the subjects 
 of Internal Improvement and the TarilF. The List subject, I think, intro- 
 duced Mr. Adams and General Jackson into the conversation. At length 
 some observations were made by one of the company, n the unaccount- 
 able success (as far as information had been received,} of Gmeral Jackson, 
 howfareven beyond the expectations of those who first started him as a 
 candidate, and that it was strongly probable Adams and Jackson would go 
 before the House of Renresentatives with the "reatest vote from the elec- 
 toral college. Virions observations were then made in opposition to the 
 pretensions of Gen. Jackson, and many- apprehensions expressed. Mr. 
 Clay then remarked, that he felt no apprehension whatever for the elec- 
 tion of Gen. Jackson ; for, as beyond a doubt, it would be decided by the 
 House of Representatives, he could not for a moment believe they would 
 elect the General in preference to Mr. Adams. He then gave his reasons. 
 They were to me sound and satisfactory. He s[)oke of the rn wiy oppor- 
 tunities of Mr. Adams, and the many important distinguished civil and 
 political situations he h;id filled, and with great ability, and benefit to our 
 country ; he pronounced him an able and accomplished statesman. He 
 spoke of Geneial Jackson as of military reputation only; that he had given 
 no evidence whatever of ability or learning, except in that character: in 
 fact, from the political situations he had occupied, we had evidence to the 
 contrary. He said the House of Representatives was composed of men 
 of ability, political knowledge, and extended rpputalion, and that they 
 wnidd not, he felt certain, elevate a man to the highest civil situation in 
 our country, for his military character alone. I have now given you the 
 substance of Mr. Clay's observations at thsit time, and so independently 
 and forcibly were they expressed, that no doubt was left on my mind as to 
 the cour'se he would take. In fact, I know positively, that his sentiments 
 and inter iions were so well known on that subject, that many of his friends, 
 and next to him the friends of Gen. Jackson, expressed their fears of the 
 eflect the course he was going to pursue would have. This is the amount 
 of the itiformation I have, which I with great pleasure communicate, for I 
 do believe Mr, Clay the most injured and persecuted statesman we have 
 tver had, and one who has shed lustre and honor on the American charac- 
 ter. I am yours, with great resptct, 
 
 A. \V. WOOLLEY. 
 Hon. J. S. Johnston, Jfashington CUy^ D. C. 
 
14 
 
 RrCKVlLi.E, Nov. 4th, 1827. 
 
 L>*.tP ill tlio Autiinm of lr.Jl, I m* t wilh CoIoiihI Rt-uton and Geiieial 
 Rf«-tiiei, iii»Miil)trs lit l'«ii.i;if.ss, ill I' nvMJit's liiverii, in Rrnkv lilf, Albiv- 
 Uii'1, I'll tiieir vvrtv to iV asliintiUtii. I had iidI llm ^At-a^um of a peisoiial 
 anjuaiiitiiiicc *ith eiiiiei of llii-se geniU'riifii, bui lii-aiiJ vviio tl»e^ were from 
 oliicis; uiid altr-i vvaiiis, Steiiig (h^iii iu \V asiiiii^Ujii, <i:>c«'iiiiiued litul 1 was 
 corrt'clly iHforiiird. 
 
 It u'ls Itrlievpd bv most of tiie persons prPSRnt, tiiat tlie <'lection of a 
 Prosid' nl wojid (Icvi.lvf upoo tin- IJuusl- of U 'prfi.''m,ilivL'>.j jnid il).U t^Ji. 
 Clay w.is iiol one of ilie iiuinUcr fr'>ui wliicli tli*' IJouse would be autbo- 
 rii;Ld lo make ita s< Icciiou. Ai liial moiueiil tlir ['icsidf.'uti.il t»li ction was 
 a iiiobt imeitsiiiig subji ct of convtrisaiioii, ii) whicli ail pFesoiU participat- 
 ed; tbeie ttiiS niucii hpi ciil.iii II upon ibc coiiri.e nliich woiild pr. bably 
 be dur.picd by Mv, C lay «iiid liisf.ieiids. It was iU(;g< sled by some };tallt;- 
 maii, tiiai iM^-. Clay w.aild voip f.ir (jcri. Jitkson. I iliouglit dilfertr'iilly 
 m\siir, uiid eiiUTid int. I soi;.u ol ;ii»" coii. id^iaiioi.s v. hi( li I biliivcd wudd 
 fo.bid Slicil d Voie. 1 W.iJr\H!y i;Ld lu fi,.d llut (Jul. IJflilOll ayMed wi;!) 
 
 nij : lie dixiaic-d // u:uj> iinposo.blc iliut j\Jr. Cluft cauld vole fur General 
 Juc/kAOH, ii.d cx,<u.NScd ti.w. h .-liiprl-sH al the sugceitioii. 
 
 1 bad been liiuier liic iinpic .v->iuii that Col. Bei.lc.u was tlic friend of Mr. 
 Cla),aiid lUti c^iiticri>cilio4i ui liic uvciiiiig tended lu fadtn tliat iiiij-ression 
 oit 111) uiiitd. 
 
 B. S. FORREST. 
 
 Washington City, Dec. Jfh, 1827- 
 Sir : Voiir lettfr of tho I9t'i nil. covoring the Lexington Virginia Intel- 
 ligpijcer of iliat I'aie, has bton dtdy rfoeived, and in answer to the inquirits 
 you put to oiP, I have to state that the arti' le to which you invite my at- 
 tention, is substantially, not vfrbaiiv, cirrrct, so far as it represents me as 
 .saying that I was inlornied by Mr. Clay, in the forepart of December, 
 IS24, that lie intended to vote for Mr. Adams. There is no mistake in 
 the dale, as a visit whii h I made to your part >.f Vircinia about thil time 
 enables me to fix it with ceriainty. 1 left Washington, on that visit, about 
 the 15th of Dcctfmber, and had received the information of Mr. Clay be- 
 fore I set oul, and told it, wliilo absent, in the family of my falher-in-law, 
 Col. M'Dowell, of your cotiiiiy. But the inference so much iusisled up'^n, 
 that I must have told ihe same thing to Mr. fclaim and other of his politic- 
 al friends, is wholly erroneous ; fur, having no authority from Mr. Clay to 
 promulgate his iiiientions, I only spok*" of them in the bosom of a private 
 family at two hundred u)iles distance from Washington. Since that period, 
 and especially during the present summer, 1 have, on several occasions, 
 and sometimes in Ihe presence of political op|)on nts, when thecouise of 
 conversation led me to it, mentioned what I knew of Mr. (Clay's eaily in- 
 tention to vote for Mr. Adams; and in iIiIn way, I cartie to spe ik fit 
 again, some two or three weeks since, in the house of my father-in-law, 
 where I had first spoke of it near three years ago, and wli-nce, wilh some 
 adiiitions and variations, without the privily of any one present at ihe con- 
 versation, it has crept into the piper which you have sent me. No one 
 ever asked my have to publish what I said ; if any one had, the authors 
 
15 
 
 of (tie piihiiration in tlip Lt xingtnn paper might have been spared nn oflice 
 which :iiiist h:iv« been iiu^xpressibly piiiiiful to their honDiablf' freliiifjs, as 
 I should not have refused to the Admiiiistraiion any lesliinoiiy in mv I'lvor 
 to give, n twiihslandiiig the chaiacter ut" ihe war whiclj the great body of 
 iheir forces are carrying on against me. Yours, respr-ctl'ulU, 
 
 THOMAS 11. BENTON. 
 
 I^ I' ping, N. H. March 18, 1828. 
 
 The charge of corruption and intrigue in the late Presidential electiow, 
 fust broiigl)t against Mr. CMay by a member of the Hoii^e of Represeiua- 
 tive-5, and there iibanrioned by its autijor, havius be. mi since given to the 
 public, under the sarutiun of (ien. Jitckson's n;ime, has justly excited tlie 
 atttntion of the p-^ople in ev.ry patt .dthe ccuniry. The nature ol' the 
 charge itself, not less than the high standing of the parties, (both the accu- 
 ser and the accused.) his given lo tliis controversy an importance wiiich 
 justifies every new attem|)t to throw light up )ti the subject. 1 he late ad- 
 dress of Mr. Clay to the public, has brongiit to my recollection certain 
 circumstances, which appear to me to have some bearii g on this subj^ct, 
 and which, iherefr^^, I shall proceed to state. 
 
 At the time of the late Presidential election,! had the honor of a seat in 
 tiie H'Use of Representatives ; and my anxiety to give eflVct to the known 
 wishes of my cnnsiituenfs for the ekction of JMr. Adams, did not siiQVr 
 me to neglect any opportunity of informing myself, minutely, of the pro- 
 gr^'ss of events, and of their caus'-s. With the fsi. nc's of tie several can- 
 didates, particularly those of Mr. Adams, Mr. Crawford, and Mr. Clay, my 
 intercourse was constant, intimate, and extensive. With mmy of then), I 
 convers^'d freely and frequently on the subject; and became early ac- 
 qtiaioted with th-^r ddferent views and feelings in relation to it, as well as 
 the motives by whicli they appeared to be iullueuced : and I can saudy 
 declare, that the re>ult of all my inquiries, in respect to Mr. Clay, in par- 
 ticular, was a conviction, (founded on innumerable facts ami indica- 
 tions of opinion, occurring under my own observati )n,) that, in this ttiffi- 
 cult and delicate ju cture, his conduct was distinguished by purity of motive, 
 by a deep sense of public duty, and gr^at prudence and devcernuient in the 
 course proper to be puisued. it wiis seen, from the ccmmencenrent of the 
 session, th a his opinion would have great iniluence in the electiim ; and 
 the frif^nds of jNIr. Adams never suffered themselves to believe that Mr, 
 Clay, himself an experienced ^tall'sman, bred from his youth to the civil 
 service of the country, would throw the decisive weight of bis powerful 
 influence into the scale of a '' :Mi!itary Chieftain," before whom all merits 
 and all services, merely civil, seemed to disappear. In his high oflice of 
 Speaker of the H use, he seemed anxious to preserve his usual mipanialiiy 
 between the conflii ting parties ; and though among his intimate friends 
 his opinions were known, he neither obtruded thun upon the nienibers 
 generally, nor, so far as 1 could oLserve, did he take any undue pains to 
 conceal them. 
 
 With respect to his friends, (I>y whom I mean th(^ members «»f Congress 
 from those States which had voted for him fir President,) it appeared to 
 me that, generally speaking, their attachment was not to Mr. Clay as an 
 
16 ~ 
 
 liidividuiil merely, but as a pDblic man — as a statesman, whose gpnrral 
 views of policy were in accorciance with their own ; and that, finding 
 tlu'v could not Ml ikf him Pri'sirlent, they Ixolifd round among the candi- 
 daifs tor Ihf man wh-s^^ vit ws of policy nearest resenibied those of ftlr. 
 Cl.»v — pariiciil irly on the two yreat questions of Internal Improvemeni 
 und Uonieslic Manufactures. Tliis was esperi illy the case with Ohio 
 members; ,ind I was ex[iresslv told by one of them, (Gen. McArthur,) 
 that, chiifit/ u/jon these gn/uuds, they had come to the det'^rmination of 
 voting for iVIr. Adams, bet'ore they had ascertained what would be Mr. 
 CI ly's co!)rse on this occasion. 
 
 Il is not, however, so much the object of this communication to express 
 my own opinion, either of Mr. Clay's motives, or uf the conduct of his 
 friends, as to exhibit »vid"iice in relali-n to cortnin facts stated by him, in 
 his late adilrtss to the [lublic. In a part of that address, it is his object to 
 show that he had, early and repeatedly, expressed his opinion that Gen. 
 Jackson WHS not qualified for the Presidency ; and, consequently, that tie 
 could, in no event, be expected to vote for him. To the great mass of 
 evidence which he has there adduced, it is in my power to add the follow- 
 iig. it was my practice, while a member of Congress, to note down, at 
 the close of each session, in a journitl which I kept for that [lurpose, what- 
 ever occurred to me of an interesting nature, during the session that had 
 just closed. The tirst session of tije h^ighleenth Congress closed on the 
 27th of May, 18*24. The followiuEf extract from this journal is undT date 
 of" June, IS24;" and was written by me immediately on my reiurn from 
 Washington. 
 
 " I spoke but twice, this session, to Mr. Clay, on this subject. The first 
 was on the caucus, against which he declared himself; but professed to be 
 governed, in this whole matter, entirely liy his frif-uds' advice. The other 
 conversation related to General Jackson. It w;is soon after Pennsylvania 
 declared for the General, and when he seemed, for the moment, to carry 
 all before him. He spt>ke with equal truth and feeling on this subject. 
 He said it w.is truly discourui^ini^ to see the People so intoxicated and 
 deluded, by a little military glory — that a man, totally unknown to the 
 civil history of the country — who knew nothing of the Constitution, or 
 laws of the land — and who, in short, had nn other recommendation than 
 that which grew out (d" hhj'orfunnf.e campaign at New Orleans, .should be 
 thought of for Piesident of the United Slates, and even preferred to all 
 others ; at a time, too, when some of the ablest m^ n the country had ever 
 produced, ; he did not mean, he said, to include himsnlf in the number,) 
 men who had giown grey in the civil departments of ihe Government, in 
 Congress, in diplomatic missions, and in the Cabinet, were before the pub- 
 lic, as camlidates for that olfire — was, he said, such a symptom of Ihe 
 diseased state of public sentiment, as must be equally alarming and dis- 
 couraging, whether viewed by those who saw the highest objects of lauda- 
 ble ambition siiatehed from them by a military chief, or by those calmer 
 ol)servers of passing events, who look vvith philosophical, or prophetic 
 eyes, on the causes of the permanence or decay of our free institutions." 
 
 The above extract contains but an imperfect sketch of Mr. Clay's re- 
 marks to me at that time. He declared, with great energy, his opinion, 
 that, whatever might be (i'-neral Jackson's other merits, he had no preten- 
 sions to the character of a Statesman ; and he painted, in lively colors, 
 
17 
 
 .'the dangers to which the country was exposed, iV'om the sudden overflow 
 'of military cmhusiasm, by wliioli he was buine nloi.g. It was, h.- said, an 
 "evil omen ; and uiie whicli lorcboded iu)lhiii!,' lavortiblo to th« Jiiiiue des- 
 tinies of the llepublic, I not oidy ci>usideri!d thesu opinions of Mr. llay 
 as woilhy to be receded, but spoke of them, at th- tim*-, as indicating 
 very clearly his intention to siippoil either Mr. Adi.nis or Mr. Crawford, 
 ngauisl General Jackson, should he ever be called upon to decide between 
 
 4hem. . 
 
 Recollecting this conversation, and knowing that Mr. Adams was the 
 second choice of many of Mr. Clay's friends, I expressed, at ihe commence- 
 ment of the next session, a very decided opinion that he would receive the 
 vote of Mr. Clay. The state of Mr. Crawford's health disqn.ilified him, 
 in the view of all but his particular friends, for the ofl'ice of President; 
 and knowing, as 1 did, Mr. Clay's early and deliberate opinion of General 
 Jacksun's want of the requisite qualifications, I cotdJ not doubt, that, as a 
 necessary consequence ol iliis slate of things, he would vote for iMi. Adams. 
 The fii'st week of the session did not pass without confirming me, very 
 strongly, in this belief. It was on the occasion of the recepti.>n of G-ni. 
 Lafayette, by the House of Representatives. In the address made to him, 
 as Speaker of the House, Mr. Clay dwelt with complacency on the civil 
 virtues of Lafayette; and spoke of his " uniform devotion to regulated 
 liberty," as commanding our " highest admiration.'' Inmiediately on the 
 adjournment, I expressed to Mr. Clay my satisfaction at the prefereiice 
 which he had given to the civic merit of Lafayette, over his mere military 
 exploits : and my hope that we shoulil not soon forget this just distinction, 
 lie replied to me, that it was chiefly as the friend of civil liberty that 
 Lafa^vette was admired in this country : and that it became the Ilou>e of 
 Representatives, in particular, as the guardians of our civil rights, to re- 
 ceive him in this, his highest character. He added, with peculiar empha- 
 sis, " You will not find me, Mr. Piumer, dis[)Osed, by an)/ act of mine, 
 unnecessarily to increase the military fever, which has already produced 
 such strange effects among us." From the manner in which thir. was 
 spoken, 1 could understand it no other way than as a direct answer to my 
 allusion to the approaching Presidential election ; and 1 drew from it the 
 obvious conclusion, that Mr, Clay intended to vote for Mr. Adams. This 
 was on the lOth December, 1824 — the day of Lafayette's reception, as 
 may be seen by a reference to the journals of the House. The supposed 
 ((jrrupt overture of Mr. Clay to Gen. Jackson is alksied to have been 
 made on the 30th of the same motith. 
 
 li- his address to the public, p. 18, Mr. Clay says : 
 
 " If I had received tlie vote of Louisiana, and been one of tiie three 
 candidates returned, I had resolved, at a time when there was every proba- 
 bility of my receiving it, that I would not allow n>y n;ime, in consequence 
 of the small nnrnber of votes by which it would be carried into the Housej 
 if I were returned, to cunsiituie an obstacle to an election." 
 
 This statement is confirmed by ilie letter of fVlr. Johnston, of Louisiana, 
 to whom be made known his determination, before the meeting of Con- 
 gress. It may be further confirm d by the fallowing extract from my 
 journal, under date of <' M irrh, 1S25," written immediately on my return 
 IronJ the session of 1824 — 5. 
 
 *' General M'Arthur, of Ohio, told me, that, meeting Mr. Clay one day, 
 when it was thought that he would receive the vote of Louisiana, he told 
 
 ni! 
 
 jPS t 
 
1» 
 
 itfin ihitt if lie came into ".e House, it woiilil be by so stiwill a vote thfit h© 
 w.ts itVaid bis tViomls cdiiM dn bim vt-i y litlb; st^vicc ibcro : tliat l\lr. Clav 
 aii>wer»'»i, lie bupcd h*' •^bmibl imt be icluiin'fl iis otic of the caudiddtes, 
 siiin- it was evident thul iiis el ction, if it could take place, would be con- 
 «r;iiy to ibe t-xprcsset) <i[»iiiion of a vasX tnajority of thr people; and tliat, 
 if reiiiriied to tbt House under sucb circiinistancos, bv receiving the Lou- 
 isiiina votes, be should think it bis duty to decline the support of bis friends, 
 and use bis own iiflucnrr in support of one o( the other candidates." 
 
 Thf prtcediMjr extiacts app.ar to nie entitbd to niore weight tlKin an^ 
 statement I could now make iVoni mere recollection ; as they were written 
 at the lime, for my us*^ only, and with no expectation that they would ever 
 be seen by any other person, if the tacts iht^y contain should add any 
 thing to the just dt-ff-nce of an irjured fellow-citizen, my object, in their 
 publication, will have bv-en accomplished. To stand by, in silence, and 
 see another unjustly assailed, when it is in my power to aid in bis defence, 
 by the exnibiiion ol facts known only to me, would, in my opinion, be lit- 
 tle less criminal than to be myself the author of tbt^ wrong. 
 
 WILLIAM PLUMER, Jun. 
 
 Union Township, RnsitCounfi/, Jan. 12, 1828. 
 
 Dear Sir ; Your note of the Sih inst. has been duly received, wliicli 1 
 take great I'leasure in answering, by furnishing you with the following 
 statement : 
 
 I left ClAilirothe on the 1511) <.f N vember. 1824, for ibe ik igliborbood -^ 
 of Staunton, in Virginia, and on the night of tb-- 18tb, I lodged at the 
 house of Samuel Shrewsberry»,on tlie (jreat Kenbawa, tn company with 
 Henry Clay, (ieneral Motcalte, and Major David White, three of the re- 
 piesentatives in Congress from Kentucky, then on their way to Washing- 
 Ion. Upon ascertaining that I was a resident of (Jtiio, and from the neigh- 
 borhood of Cbilicolbe, they inquired whether I could inform them how 
 the electoral vote of Ohio bad gone; and having a number of the Scioto 
 Gazette in my poeket, which contained the cflFr ial statement of the vote, 
 1 handed it to Mr. Clay. This ciicumstance led us into conversation, and 
 aho to an acquaintance. 
 
 The Rest m uning the above named gentlemen and inyself set out in 
 company for Staunton, to which place we traveled during a journey of 
 six davs. To tlip coiirs<' of our journey, I bad rejieated and frequent con- 
 versiitioiis with Mi. Clay, on ibo sobj' ct of the Tresideiitial election, and 
 of the prohnbte chances of success which w.)uld attend each qf the can- 
 d'ulat< s who mipiil be relurnocL to be eb^cted by the House of RepresRii- 
 taiives-. Rlr. C|;iy gave it as his ()pinion that be would not be one of those 
 who would be retiirn-'d. And fiom the reported ill health of Mr. Craw- 
 ford, it was not very probable that if even he were elected, he coidd dis- 
 charge ttie arduous duties of President. For these reasons, bo said there 
 was little doubt but that the choice would be nllimately restricted to either' 
 Mr. Adams or Cu-n. J.ickson; in which event, hr rtpcatcdly sfatrd that it 
 was bis seitfed intention to vote for Mr. Aflams; alb'ging as a reason for 
 this deifimioati'.n, tliat be i oul.l not consent to aid in elevating a man j 
 \y llie Prcsideuiy who stood recoinmendod before the people by no otlveu jj 
 
 r^ 
 
qualifications than those which were purely military. The other gentlemeu, 
 ill Irrqiieiil coiivtMsatiuiis with ino on this siibjuct, txpressfiJ the sunie opin- 
 ions. On our arrival at Siauntun we sepuiaieJ; ihey to ^o on a visit to 
 Mr. Ji fterson, and I to my Iriends in iln^ nciglihurliood ol' Staunton. 
 
 It' you shall helieve that this slittenient w II c.mlrihute to vindicate tlie 
 character of Mr. Clay from ilie fmil cahnnnies which h.ivi; h'-eii cisi upon 
 it, in consequence of his vote for Mr. Adams, you have niy permission to 
 aiake it public. Yours, with much respect, 
 
 ALK X A N D t:il UO B K RTSON. 
 R. Kenhecal, Esq. Chilkotht. 
 
 TO TlIK PUBLIC. 
 
 Lawkkncebijro, February I7lh, 1828. 
 
 I have witnessed with no little anxiety and astonishment, the progress 
 of the investigation now before the public, in ref rence t" the circunislan- 
 ^ces growing out of the election of the President of the United States, by 
 the House of Kepresentalives of the eigbleeiill) l?oiigiess. 
 
 The ccntest between the friends of Mr. Adams and General Jackson, 
 has indeed assumed a most extraordinary character. Parties have bet n 
 formed and arrayed against each otiier, and ate made the organs of tiie 
 most bitter and vindictive denunciatinus against men and principles. Se- 
 rious charges have been made and rxliibitcd to the public, in every possi 
 ble f rm, with a view to forestal public smtiment, on subjects that demand 
 solemn and sober enquiry. The leading partisans of bt)th the proniinfeot 
 candidates for the next presidential term, actuated alike by the fury of 
 party spirit, instead of prosecuting the enquiry presented to the American 
 people for their consideration, through those m^ans most likely to result 
 in just conclusions, have, to a great extent, lost sight of principle, a.id rest 
 their hopes of victory and success upon the issue of a war of extermina- 
 tion. That party spirit and blind zeal, which knows no bounds, and is 
 governed alone by overbearing and vindictive feelings, has snpeiseded all 
 rational and sober investiyation, and the reputations of the best men in the 
 nation are offered up a comiaon sacrifice upon tlie altar of prejudice. 
 
 The press is no longer the sentinel and guardian of civil liijeity, but is 
 prostituted to the base purposes of giving currencv to the most unfounded 
 and infamous slanders against public and private character. Even honor- 
 able Senators, invested with special delegated powers, forgetting their own 
 dignity and the duties they owe to their country and constituents, acting 
 under the impulse of this political fever, and goaded on by the same mad 
 and furious zeal, under the flimsy pretext of settling important principles, 
 and regardless of the subjects of legitimate legislation, have formed them- 
 selveslnto a body, infinitely more terrible than a Spanish Inquisition, in 
 order to whitewash their political friends, and blackball their political 
 enemies ! The sanctity of privat"- character has been violated, and, coii- 
 liary to constitutional and legal forms, the reputation of private individu- 
 als, in theii absence, has been diagged before the tribunal of this self-cre- 
 ated court of judicature, and without the means of defence, are subjected 
 to insinuations and sneers from the lowest and most couiempiible of your 
 titled political knaves. 
 
 How far the people will sanction or reward the authors of this usurpa- 
 tioii upon private right, is not for me to determine. Perhaps they have 
 
already had their reward foi- this pitiful and cowanlly service, by protract^ 
 ing their ffssion at the expense of th.- treasury. Eqmlly d. linqiient, the 
 parties i-aniiDt expect to escape public indignation, by the crimination and 
 re-crin)inatii)n of each other. 
 
 I regret that necessity compels me at this time to vindicate myself. — 
 Standing in the altitude I do in reference to the iate election, nothing 
 should have tempted me to appear before the public, but the indispensa- 
 ble duty which I owe to my own reputation; and if any apology is due 
 from me, for making this publication, I rely for my jusiification upon the 
 extraoidinary and unnecessary use that has been made of my name. On 
 all f»i occasions, I have explained to niV late constituents the views and 
 motives which led me to vote for Mr, Adams, To them I have been ex- 
 plicit and uniform ; and yet I am often made to speak facts and senti- 
 ment* which 1 never Jelivered or ejitertained. This may be the effect of 
 accident or of misapprehension, growins; out of di tached parts of the 
 game conversation ; but one thing is certain, that [ never have authorized 
 my name to be used to crimmate any man or parly. I have not before 
 this written any thing on the subject; and from that circumstance, many 
 persons believe that I am possessed of some important secret, which, if 
 disci. ised, would shed abundant light upon the matter of controversy, and 
 henre 1 have alternately been the subject of crnsnre and of misrepresent- 
 ation by both parties. I have no secrets t.i communicate. When I gave 
 my vote lor Mr. Adams, 1 did it tindt r ih- firm persuasion, from the infor- 
 m'-itio!'. 1 liad received through many intelligent gentlemen of high politi- 
 cal stapjiiig within my district, that I was acting in strict rnnrorniity to 
 the will of my ronstitucnis. That will, I sh ill always be proud to obey; 
 -..and al:i-ougti ih'.- choice made may be disapprnbated, yet I feel assured 
 ihbrt my motives wiU not b« impugned by those disposed to do me jusiice, 
 Legid'.t.ive instrunion had been received, it is true ; but that instruc- 
 tion had lost its induence beiore it had reached its destination. Jt was 
 ci-nsidered, and so represented, as a kind of political jug*>le for efTcct upon 
 local politics. So far as 1 have been implicated, in coimexinn with my 
 lai.. cclleagues, in the alleged mana;^cincnt, bargain, sale, S;c. in the elec- 
 tion of the President, and iu the formation of his cabinet, I plead con- 
 gci'Mis inni'cence, and am willing to buw with humble submission to the 
 aw ird of an intelligent and just people. That my colleagues, or either of 
 . the:n, were guilty of the charge, cannot be established by me. 1 know 
 of no I -propriety of conduct or impropriety of motive, on the part of 
 cither of them, which would authorize mc to attach to them the least 
 Crim uality, 
 
 I sliall. in the exercise ..f my constitutional right of suffrage, vote for 
 the Jackson ticket, and 1 will support it with zeal. Any opposition I may 
 o er to the re el'<'tiun of Mr. Adams, gr.>ws out of ciicumstances foreign 
 fr -m, and entirely unconnected with, his late election by the House of 
 
 Representatives. 
 
 DAVID WHITE 
 
 Washington, Aih February, 1825. 
 Mv Dfar Sir: I received your obliging letter of the 1st instant. Al- 
 thougli my h-tter, to which it is an answer, was not intended for publica- 
 tion, I would rather that it should be published, and spoak for itself, than 
 
91 
 
 that its contents slioultl appear through the mediam of Mr. Ritchie's re- 
 presentations of thi'm. VV^iih regard <o its publication, you will be pleased 
 to do as you may think proper. All that I teel anxious about, is, that the 
 public should not receive an impression that it was tiii/ intention that it 
 should be publishi d. 
 
 My condition at this moment is most peculiar. The batteries of some 
 of (ho frit-nds of every man who would now be President, or who, four or 
 eight years hence, would be President, are directed against me with only 
 the exce()tion of those of Mr. Adams. Some of the friends of General 
 Jackson, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Calhoun, and Mr. Clinton, with very differ- 
 ent ultimate ends, agree for the present, to unite in assailing me. The 
 object now is, on the part of Mr. Crawford and Gen. Jackson, to drive me 
 from the couisc which my deliberate judgment points out, and, for the 
 future, on the part of Mr. Clinton and Mr. Calhoun, to remove me, as an 
 obstacle to their elevation. They all have yet to learn my character, if 
 ihey suppose it possible to make me swerve from my duty, by any species 
 of intimidation or denunciation. But I did not suppose that my old friend, 
 Ritchie, would join in the general cry. He ought to recollect that he is 
 struggling for a man, I for the country — he to elevate an unfortunate gen- 
 tleman, worn down by disease, I to preserve our youthful institutions from 
 the bane which has destroyed all the Republics of the old world. I might 
 have expected from the patriotism of Thorn is Ritchie, that he would have 
 surrendered his personal predilections, and joined with me, in the effort to 
 save us from a precedent fraught with the most pernicious consequences. 
 I am so far (lisappt)inted — T say it with mortificaiion and regret. But all 
 attempts to makti me unite with him — to induce me to give up the defence 
 of our institutions, that we may elect a sick gentleman, who has also been 
 rejected by the great body of the Nation, are vain, and utterly fruitless. 
 Mr. Ritchie ougiit to awake, should be himself again, and love Rome more 
 than Caesar. 
 
 I observe what you kindly tell me about the future Cabinet. My dear 
 Sir, I want no otlice. When have I shewn an avidity for office ? In re- 
 jecting the mission to Russia, and the Department of War under one Ad- 
 ministration : In rejecting the same department, the mission to England, 
 or any other foreign mission, under the succeeding Administration ? If Mr. 
 Adams is elected, I know not who will be his Cabinet. I know not whether 
 1 shall be offered a place in it or not. If there should be any offer, I shall 
 decide upon it when it may be made, according to my sense of duty B't; 
 do you not [jerceive that this denunciation of me by anticipation is a part 
 of the common system between the discordant cont^ederates which 3 h^ve 
 above described ? Most certainly, if an office should be offered to m* 
 under the new Administration, and I should be induced to think that i 
 ought to accept it, I shall not be deterred from accepting it, either by the 
 denunciations of open er secret enemies, or the hypocrisy of preteoded 
 friends. With great respect. 
 
 Judge Brooke. lam, faithfully, your friend, H.CLAY. 
 
 GexNito, April 11th, 1828. 
 
 To the Editors of the Constitutional Whig. 
 Gentlemen : The annexed is a copy of a 1 tter written by Mr. Clay to a 
 member of the Virginia Legislature, in answer to one written by that gen- 
 
22 
 
 i1?man to Mr. Clay, at the particular solicitation of several members who 
 : kww iln I'lieiidsliip that existed betwet^n those two gentlemen. I have 
 I been endeavoring for the last 18 months to get Mr. Clay's letter, but in 
 
 consequence of its being mislaid, 1 have been unable to do so until now. 
 J Ii gof's, (together with ihe numerous other letters written by him pending 
 ' the election) to sliow ihe high-minded and independent course adopted by 
 ^ him throughout that contest. I have the original now in my possession. 
 
 Washington, 4th February, 1825. 
 
 ' My Dear Sir: 1 have received and read, with all the attention due to 
 our ancient and unbroken friendship, your letter of the 2d instant. You 
 
 ' state that the convicticn has been forced upon the Richmond public, by the 
 
 ' papers which are ddily received from this city, that "I have gone over to 
 
 ' the party of Mr. Adams with a viciv to constitute a part of his cabinet.''* 
 
 ^ Do you believe it? Then you ought not to respect me. Do you wish 
 
 • me to deny it? Then you cannot respect me. What do you desire ? — 
 ' That I should vote for Mr. Crawford .-^ 1 cannot. For General Jack- 
 
 • son ? 1 will not, I shall pursue the course which ray conscience dic- 
 ' tates, regardless of all imputations and all consequences. 1 love the State 
 
 which gave me birth more than she loves me. Personally I would make 
 ' any sacrifices to evince this attachment. But I have public duties to per- 
 
 * form which comprehend a consideration of her peculiar interest and wish* 
 
 * 68, and those of the rest of the Confederacy. Those I shall perform. In 
 ' doing so, I may incur unfortunately her displeasure. Be it so. I cannot 
 
 help it. The quiet of my conscience is of more importance to me than 
 ■ the good opinion of even Virginia, highly as I do and ever must respect 
 ' ft» Your faithful friend. 
 
 H. CLAY 
 
'.-5 *■/