Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-06-20

eislnfure. who voted for the resolutions in favor
of Gen. Jackson, afterwards'wrote to members
of Congress, disappearing OF their own record.
ed vote See Mr. Gays Letter to MS Compliments
That the instructions Of the Kentucky legis-
lature were regarded as an act oil usurpation ey
the constituents of MIR Clay, was manifested
nv their conduct both before and after the cleo
ton Before the election, Mr.. Clay received the
following instructions, signed by respectable
number of his constituents:
owe. the undersigned, voters in the Congressional
district having viewed the instructions OF request OF
the legislature of Kentucky on the subject OF choos
ing President and Vice President OF the United
States with regret and the said request or instructions
10 the representative in Congress from this District,
being without our knowledge consent, we, tor ma
nv reasons known to ourselves connected with so mo-
mentous an OCCASION hereby instruct our representa-
tive in Congress to vote the occasion agreeaby TO
his own Judgment and by the best lights he may have
on the subject with without the consent OF the ie
gslature of kentucky"
We think our frs, proposition is complete
ly substan,iated. Mr.. Clay was bound to sup
port MIR. Adams. Why! because he was not
instructed to vote for any particular candidate,
under any contingency which might happen;
but, on The contrary, was expressly told "to
vote agreeably to his own judgment That
Judgment pointed TO MIR. Adams; and it he had
not obeyed its dictates, he would have been
worthy Of the denunciations which have been
so unsparingly heaped upon his head.
We have vet one other particular 10 refer 10,
which, though not Of the positive character Of
the preceding, is yet, when viewed collateraly,
no insignificant proof of the truth Of our posi-
ton. Afer Mr.. Clay had taken his stand, and
recorded his vote-after Mr.. Adams had been
inaugura,ed, and Mr. Clay had accepted the
Secretaryship Of State; his conduct was up.
proved and defended by the very constituents
whose voice, il was said, he had misrepresent-
ed, and whose interests, it was loudly proclaim
ed, he had sacrificed 10 his ambi,ion Strange!
that MIR. Clay's constituents should have been
of such dull perception as not to have been
aware of their own wishes and interests, OF
such cowardly slaves as to conceal the one and
tamely abandon the other! Sill more strange,
that their wishes should have been discerned
with so much readiness from afar, and their in
terests taken into the keeping of entire stran-
gers! Such Roman justice and Christian gene
rosity are of SO rare occurrence that the act
will form bright page in the annals OF the
United States! When the mists of prejudice
shall have been scattered BY the rays Of truth,
and the turbulence Of faction hushed into peace,
posteri,y will no doubt do that justice to the
memories of Kremer and his abettors,. which
their contemporaries unjustly withhold from
their labors! But, to be serious.-Mr Clay,
directly after he had accepted the office Of Sc
cretary Of State, returned to his former resi-
dence He went to meet his constituents: and
TO explain and defend his conduct. He did so,
and they ,pere satisfied. To them, Mr.. Clay
was responsible, and by them his conduct was
approved. What justice, then, is there
what truth-in saying that he disobeyed their
instructions, either implied or positive' Is not
the very reverse the fact? 1t undoubtedly is Mr.
CLAW, on his return home, instead Of exhibiting
the trembling steps Of a conscious culprt APP
prehensi,e Of deserved punishment, and instead
Of being met with SCOTS and murmurs ofdisap-
probation, went in the fearlessness Of unsullied
rectitude, and was hailed with the honors OF
Roman triumph Wherever he Iourneyed, his
fellow-citizens greeted him with loud applause,
and testified their mistaken confidence in his
honesty. This was an ample recomP1nse Tor
the SANDERS which the Kr mer faction had aim
ed at his reputation, and Tor the unworthy
means they had employed to destroy him. But
i, was reserved for Lexington, where he had
lived, since his eloquence first brought him In
to notice-for Lexington, which had cherished
his early genius, until it ripened into maturity,
and spread such lustre on the character OF his
country.-,o seal his triumph with the proudest
dispay'of its increased attachment. a spien'
did dinner, was given him, at which, nolwith-
standing heavy rain, more than 500 voters
sat down, and, with all unanimous voice, APP
proved his conduct. What said they?
"Our respected guest, beloved fellow citizen, and
able representative, Ecnry Clay rejoice on this
occasion of expressing to The uord, and emphGEeaAy TO
his enemies, our unlminshed confidence IN his incor
ruptible integrity, and our unqualified appreciation
his conduct from his first to his last most important act,
as our representative" "ihe Sd Congressional Dis
trct is now speaking its instructions in language not to
be misunderstood Or msrepresented. Let DemagoSues
listen"
Such were the circumstances, before and at
ter the Presidential election, which warrant US
in saying, (and which cannot admit Of denial
by any candid man. that Henry Clay was bound
to vote for John Q. Adams, in preference to
Andrew Jackson, even admitting that the right
of instruction is binding upon the representa-
tive in his constitutional capacity OF Presiden-
lial EIector; schich, however, We deny. This po-
sition shall be elucidated in our next No.
From the Malone FRANKLIN COY telegraph
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS.
Casting our eyes the other day over the In
ven,ory of debts of gentleman who was about
To take the benefit of the insolvent laws, our