Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-02-17

yer the most ready TO attribute corrupt and un-
i worthy motives TO Others. The most natural
/ and obvious rule Of conduct TO an honest, up
right, independent man, always appears to the
unprlncipled the result ct cunning calculation
and selfish design. So is it with the iumni
/ tors of Mr. Clay, who accuse him OF having
sols his voteana influence in the approaching
election, to Mr. Adams, for q promise OF future
executive favorl We have no idea that this IS
crsdted, even by tliose who seek so industri-
ous,y TO give il so much the vindication of Mr.
Clay, as the hope that we may 'chsnse sldnser
to remorse,' in those who LOOK thus to poison
all confidence betw cen man and man. The de-
terGninstio on which Mr. Clay has made to vote
for Mr. Adams, is called an 'n'aanTai alliance
"a 'nejars0us coaiition'-a conjunction of things
the most opposIte-an union necessarily in
volying the dhsaonor of the parliesl What is
there so i,orrible in the character OF Mr. Adams
that she preference OF him over his rival candi-
dates should be thought disgrscsful in MIR Cia.3
What is there migafgrdi III the alliance OF the
two greatest statesmen OF the c~uuntryi How
is il nefarious in Mr. Clay that be srouh sup
port Nj Adams! The only answer which We
have seen 10 all these questions. is that MIR
Clay, some two years ago, published a note,
il which he promised, at a more PROFIT ou'
time, to give to the public a memoir concern
ing CERTAIN lie gociatlons at Client, which would
l SltOW a oliNtCiSC VI kbbsUN, uDOl a SilrlG SNN~
| ject, between himself and MIR Adams, and a
difference ct recolecfion upon some minor points,
on which Mr. Adams had touched in his reno.
robe controversy with Jonathan Russell: and
that John Quincy Adams replied 10 this note,
by statins. his readiness at any moment 10 de-
fend his opinions, and to establish tho correct
ness of his Secohections. The public must be
familiar with the contents OF boeh these notes
for they have been published over and over
--w.- 80. he .4.,a A - -
on the subject of the Presidency. What is
there in either that should so irreconcilably Of
fend the writer of the Other, as TO shut the
door against al future reconciliation and mutu-
al respect Or what Is there in the present
stand which Mr. Gay has assumed towards Mr.
Adams, that should preclude HIM from hereaf-
ter redeem,ng his pledge to give 10 the public
his relations OF the transactions al Ghsntl lie
dad NOT prescribe to himseE any limited period
within winch 10 do this; and who has a right to
say that this or That moment is the precise point
OF lime IN which Mr. Clay, in Justice to his own
fame and the public expectation. ought to take
up his controversial penn The matter that may
be brought INTO controversy is for history. and
not tor the temporary qualification OF public
curiosity or private feeungs; and ali that Mr.
Clay has to say, may be sad with as much pro-
pretty and with a. perfect a redemption of his
pledge to his country. ten years hence, as at
this very moment. Nothing eau be more abb
surd hen, lnaa to urge the tenor of Mr. Clay's
note to tue pubic on The subject OF MIR Adams
controversy 9ttii Mr. Russell, as evidence that
Sir Clay cannot now express a preference for
Mr. ADAMS, over bis rival candidates, without
abandoning the high gioinds OF manly irde-
pend-nce Gp5n which he has always stood, and
furnishing a reputation hitherto unsullied.-
What is there, indeed, that could induce MIR
Cay, In honor, TO pursue a different counsel
Il MIR Adams so much inferior to his competi
tors, that the choice OF a statesman aud d man
ofhonor cannot naturally light upon him, with
cut involving the suspiclon OF corrupt and me-
farious motives? Have not some OF Tie wisest
and best men IN the nation showD the same
preference that Mr. Clay has donel Mr. Clay,
indeed, has done no more than echo the niauer-
sat voice OF tue calm, passionate, rejecting
portion OF the country. We believe there IS
scarcely an individual in the nation, capable OF
Discrimination, who does not readily concede to
Mr. Adams the merit of possessing. in a pre-
eminent degree, the talents. the Qualifications,
the requirements. and experience necessary in
a Cher Magistrate. These are surely fair and
substantial grounds of preference. They must
at least be regarded, in the eye OF common
feeling OF honest patriotism, as paramount to
those upon which the friends Of General Jack
son urbe hs pretensions. They are-lst. the
obligation OF two or three brilliant military a.
chlesements; and, 2diy, the fact OF his having
a small plurality OF the Electoral votes With
regard to the hrst OF these grounds OF claim,
we may be permitted to say, that many OF the
officers, both OF the army aud navy, during The
late war, at least equailed him in merit; but
who is there among them that would build up
a claim TO the first place in tie nation on that
ground2 As TO the second, it has been mathe-
maticalIy demonstrated that the Electoral votes
exhibit a iallacious indication ofthe comparative
popularity of Mr. Adams and General Jackson;
and that. if any weight is due to a mere piurai,-
~ Of popular voices. Mr. Adams and not Gene
raj Jackson, is entitled to the benefit OF the
argument-NaA. Jor.
TheB altimoreP Patriot gives the follow
ing as a true history of the state OF the
case'' at Washington, communicate in
substance to the editor of the Raleigh
N. G. Register, by a member of con-
eress, one OF Mr.. Crawford's friends,
and of the company to which the Ken
tlckydelegate made his communica ion:
"On the 2sdJanuary, the members OF
congress, boarding al a certain house,
and who were, it is believed, favorable
to Mr.. Crawford, were waited on by a
member from Kentucky, and formally
notified of the ultimate determination
of the delegation from Kentucky TO sap
port Mr.. Adams. At the same time he
said that he. was not authorized ospeak
for the other western states; but that
they had been consulted, and would,
nAoh khrourh THAR own aroan commit