Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-27

posed 10 have the control Of the vote of Missou-
ri; instead, therefore, of making oyertures to
Mr.. Scott, ii was thought most expedent to
gain the favor Of Col. Benton. The latter,
proud ofthe position which he supposed him
selfto occupy, naturally enough concluded, that
the election of President was in his own hands,
and having no very hattering hope of prefer
ment from Mr.. Adams, who might not so easi-
~ be persuaded OF his qualifications as General
Jackson, and influenced perhaps, by other con-
siderations, which have not been developed, he
declared for the General; and the vote OF Mis-
souri, was considered as disposed Of according
ly-but Mr. Scott either took offence at not be-
inc consulted personally, or was opposed, IN
principle, to that disposition OF his votes and the
nine years training of his friend, proved una
vailng; at the very moment his exertons were
most important, he took the bit in his teeth,
and bolted.
Upon the principles laid down by the Oppo-
sition, / have already shown tina, Mr.. Randolph
offered 10 be corrupted by seeking a mission TO
England, as reward for his services in the
election Of Mr.. Jefferson; that Mr.. Calhoun
corrupted, by the appointment of Secretary of
War TO these instances Of the purity OF the
principles Of the Opposition, | may add, that
Mr. Van Buren, was more than willing 10 have
accepted the appointment lately conferred on
Mr.. GaIlatin, and it is well known that Colonel
Benton has been soliciting foreign mission
ever since he has been in Congress, and those
who know him cannot be persuaded, tina, he
would have refused such an appointment even
from the present Administration; indeed, it has
been insinuated, that all his wrath would have
been spared, if Mr.. Adams had not unluckily
l. ~
ed the name of John Sergeant instead of his, in
the nomination Of the mission 70 Panama.-In
short, it is easy to perceive that if the AID ni-
! nistration were as corrupt as it is represented,
they might purchase the silence, and even the
support Of the most clamorous Of the Opposi-
ton We are, therefore, forced to conclude,
that the alledged corruption does not exist, or
that the Opposition is not worth the purchase
In making the application Of their own prin-
ciDies to themselves, wish, by no means, to be
understood, that believe the members of the
Opposition corrupt, or corruptble, their
own mode of reasoning, from particular facts,
would prove them to be- | believe many Of
them worthy the high stations they occupy
They, however, cannot complain, if the impure
motives which they have imputed to the mem
bers Of the Administration, by inference from
particular 1aClS, SHOuIG ne H%eQ OH themselves,
by like inference from similar facts. We have
no means Of penetrating the bosoms of men,
and developing the motives of human action -
Man, in the general, erects in his own mind
standard, by which he Judges the motives of o.
Tiers, and assigns to his fellow man the same
motives for particular acts, which he sup
poses could alone influence him TO do the same
thing, in a similar situation. The OPPOSE
ton, presume, have only the ordinary
means of ascertaining motives by outward
actions hence, when we find them argu-
ing the existence O. corruption from the ex-
istence Of particular acts, they cannot expect
TO escape imputation, when they are found do
ing the same things. But my object was only
to bring the gentlemen to the test of their own
principles, and mode of reasoning, and there /
will leave them for the present.
sOne of the Ohio papers compliments Col Benton
for having made this declaration while on his way to
Washington, in November 1924, being few weeks,
only before he directed Mr. Scott to vote for General
Jackson
Ertract of letter, dated London, July 1, 1926.
"Agreeabe to your request give you short
account of Mr. Randolph's conduct during the
passage across the Atlantic. He talked inCes-
sanity He is great eater, but even this did
not prevent him from monopollzing all the con-
versation at table, this would not have been of
much consequence if his talk had been amusing
oil oHDuf ~