The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-05-12

change had taken place. 4 have sudden
ly bpcemp,' said he, the cleYerest fello"
10 the world no peopie treat mt with so
much ritility and kindness az Mr.. Clay's
best friends my litter, they now say, con-
tains nothing against Mr. Clay, and all
they want of me is, that ! would say That
did not mean more than my letter i'm
porls.'
These opportunities were not confined
! TO Mr. krcmer, but more than one oi his
colleagues were solicited Ia use their lnha
ence with him. Ills uniform declaration
j IN answer 10 these artful entreatles was,
I that the letter must explain itself !; that
/ he could support all he had said and would
rciraet nothing He sometimes added,
that the only direct charge against Mr..
Clay, was, that he had transferred TO Mr..
! Adams, and when II WAS urged upon him
/ that the letter contained no charge of cor
ruption against MIR. Clay, as was frequent
! w done, il is not improbable that he may
/ have assentrd, from which Mr.. Brent, Mr..
Little aud Mr. Dggs, obtained the fonnda
1 ton of their statement. The confederation
of three witnesses To the precise form of
words in a sentence of some length, spoken
casually in conversation, is not exactly the
strongest evidence of substantial accuracy
i All who have arg experience on such sub
jrcts know, that conversations, are
] never recolectcd by different persons
! in the same words. ! have supposed
! it possible that some admission as to
the character of his letter, by Mr.. Kre
mcr, was made to Mr.. Brent s. Mr.. Little,
because | am sure they would not inten
tonally mistate fact. am equally sure
however that they were msled by reli
ance upon their memories, because the pa
pen which Mr.. Clay says put in my peck
81 was materially different from Mcssrs.
Brent & Co.'S. subsequent statement. This
paper was written, as believe, at the sug
geslion of, and dictated by, Mr. Brent, i'm
mediately after the alleged conversation
was said to have taken place, while yet
fresh in recollection, and pnrporring as un
derstood to contain what Mr.. Kremer had
said To him.
1t seems that this paper was shcwn to
Mr.. Clay, who no doubt was advised of,
and directed, all the movements IN opera
ton. Ills information, however was not al
waysaccurate. This written apology, hch,
he says, WAS refused by reason of the ad-
vice forced upon Mr.. Kremer, by his
friends, WAS not seen by me until the next
morning. When II was first offered 10 Mr..
h, he indignantly sa d that ne would. sign
no paper" and would not even read II ; nor
did lie read il until Mr. Breni's certificate
appeared about three weeks after ards,
when II Was only remembered for the sake
of being com pared with the statement. II
~ probable, after Mr. Kremer had express
ed in so decided manner his determine
ton TO nave nothing To do with it, nor tn
offer any explanation of his letter, in wri
ting or otherwise, that put the paper into
my pocket, for afterwards found il among
my papers. | certainly gave him no ad
vice before his refusal, nor had any occa
sion TO do it, or to urge him to consult his
friends ON that subject | have 10 hesita
lion to say, however, that if my advice had
been asked, should have urged him not
to sign it, even against the opinion ofevery
other friend he had. am confident that
no human power could have prevailed up
on him to sSne that paper, or TO have
retracted sing lie statement contained in
his letter.
The discussion on the commitment of
Mr.. Ciay's appeal lasted till late in the day.
| have already noticed the efforts of Mr.
Clay and his friends upon Mr.. Kremer du
ring that day. Mr.. Clay says Mr. Kfcmer
rendered an atonemcnt to Mr. Brent which
he was ready To make in his place the next
day. i So, Why did Mr.. w ls'cr, a yea 10
personal and political friend of Mr. Clay,
go to Mr.. kremer's lodgings that same
! night seek and obtain a private interview
with hin say to,him lh"t he had Just writ
ten a letter To Il friend, in which he had
spoken of him as an ardent, honest and
faithful representative ; expressing a sin
Cere regard for hun, aud an anxious wish
for The amicable adjustment of his differ
ence with Mr. Clay suggesting that some
slight explanation would be satisfactory,
and put an end To the Investigation? Why
did another friend Of MIR Clay propose to
! Mr.. kremer, only to say, that he did not
intend the letter for publication, and that
he would move reconsideration of the
vote to appoint the committee ? Some of
these 1attering attentions, were no doubt
intended 10 discover the nature of his evil
dence, as understood their enquiries were
often directed in that way. Never was a
more Jealous, unremttnG aud perSeyering
effort made by men more deeply skild, and
thoroughly versed in the art of controlling
! The operations of the human mind, than
W practised for "a hours by Mr.. Clay s,
ms friends in this case ) and never was there
a more complete abortion in such an I'm
/ dertaking Mr.. Clay aud all his host Of a.
gents and managers were deioiled upon all
| points thus far.
In the mean time public attention was
awakened to an enquiry that was most
/ portentous and appalling to the projected
combination. Their newly raised fabric
was trembling in every Joint, but they
were forced t" proceed, Chagrin, mortifi
cation and disappointment sat on every
brow. To go ON was desperation, but to