Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-05-11


tion aud the most sacred rights OF the People.
"Disclaiming any alusioas to Tie motives
Of any member now upon the floor, | assert it
as fact, that the present Chief Magistrate was
elevated to the Presidency against the known
and undoubted majority of the People ct this
Union If the present Secretary Of State had
not preserved against all hope, and thereby dis
tracted the vote of the Western States. Gen.
Jackson would have Certainly received the
electoral votes Of Kentucky. Ohio. and Mis-
souri,. which, added to those he actually
eeived. would have sweled the whole number
to one hundred and thrty- wo--o more than
a m ,iorty Of the whole These flSfs i.eH moi.
cannot, be disputed; ard they show, in a striking
point Of view, the absurdty Of all the labored
attempts that have been made to prove the SUI
perior popularity of Mr.. Adams General
Jackson united himself larger portion of po-
rular foyour, larger number OF electoral votes
than both of his comp etilors who came before
the House of Repre- sentarves. And here, SIR,
rest the case: not that General Jackson had
DhsrGhtg Of votes in contest with all his com.
Detltors, FOR that might prove nothing; but that
there was ihdIsputable evidence befure the
House. that he would have received mqjofify of
all the electoral votes against any two OF his
councillors. And yet, IN the face of these
facts which they will neither meet nor deny,
gentlemen still persevere in asserting, in gen
eral terms, that the will of the nation was not
defeated.
'Let us now see VIA, part the present Sec
retarv of State acted in the late election. and
how it consisted with his position. his duty, and
his avowed political principles. In the frs,
place, then. | saw, IN round terms. that Nr
Clay made the President, IN opnustion To the
,tH nf daeiJaI ,a.o 80 II. -, nriq pf the
State ire represented. and of,he whole Union:
and assert the fac thus broadly nat he made
the President, with the view of illustrating
principle in the explanation of i When this
House is spoken Of as carpuptib'e body, gen
tlemen seem to take il For granted that tae
whole body must be corrupted. On the cor
trarv. il must frequently happen that a single
member. owing 10 his influence over others,
will have i n his power tu decide the election,
even when the election is mt close one. IT,
such case, the corruption of that N mber d.
cides not only his own vote. but all those which
he can control b, his ina renee. Nov have
the creates, respect for those gentlemen who
were the personal and political friends of NJ
Clay in ,he late election If Presid Mt, NeN to
N, owa personal friends there are no members
whom estimate more highly Yet have no
doubt--and it is no dsparaSemeot to them to
saw so--thatthere were MANY of them who bad
so much confidence IN NJ, Clay. that his course
on the Presidential election would determine
theirs. They had supported him for the Pro
sdrucv, and having become thus united by the
tie of their common attachment 10 him, II was
natural that they should desire to act in con-
rer. and il was equally natural that he should
have great influence in giving direction 10 their
common implements I have the most tharo,ieh
conviction that he had the influence, and that be
WAS thus the very hinge upon which the cleo
ton turned So that. however impure bis own
motives may have been. he had the power OF
exerciaing a controlling influence ovee heads Of
utmost souncness, and hearts OF the utmost
purity. What then, let us inquire. were those
motives OF his, Upon which SO much depended?
To ascertain them, we must look at his position
and his PRINCIPLES He represented a State
where an overwhelming majority OF the Poo.
pie were in favor of General Jackson, and OPP
posed to MIR Adams, and where he oblg alton
of the Representative to conform TO the viii
Of his constituents, is regarded as the funds-
mental article OF the true political creed He
had always himself. recognized that obligations
and in discussing the repeal Of the celebrated
compensation law. had avowed il in these decid-
ed and unqualified terms. "Whilst, then, he
had seat on this floor" said NJ Clay, III was
imme terial how he arrived at the will Of his
constituents, what was he evidence Of it,
! twas sufficient that he should know it. in al
cases Of erpedency he held the doctrine Of the
obligation on his part to observe the instruc.
tons. eIbreSs or implied. of his constituents
Yet 10 direct opposition to the will Of his con-
stiiuents, OF his State, and ofthe United States.
and in like opposition to his constitutional duty
as Il Representative, according 10 hiss own
principles. he threw the whole Of the weigh, OF
his influence in favor of a Candidate whom he
had hahitualiy professed 20 dcspse as a man,
detested as a politician, and the only one Of his
competitors whom he had denounced a. un-
worthy the high trust to w hich be aspired.
II is but too obvious, then that Mr.. Clay sscrif
ced his political aninosties and his political
principles his duty to himself and his duty 70
his country at the unhaliowsd shrine OF amb.
ton: Yes sir, ambitlon--corrupting ambition.
that sin by which the "Angeis' fell" Am ask.
ed for the proof? ianswer; that If circun.
stantial evidence be not reject as nadmssble,
it is full satisfactory. Hear it, lie gives the
vote of his State in opposition to his own princi-
ples-against the will of the People of that
State-and thereby makes the President, and
then has The tronless, shameless audaci:y, to
set public opinion at defiance, by instantly and
openl, receiving, as the reward OF his treachery
TO the People and his own principles, The high
est office that the President can confer upon
! him! Can any thing be more plani 1t is the
common case, sir. OF sale IN market overt, and
none but man of the mos consummate bold.
ness and efirontery could hold up his head in so.
ciety after such transaction. Sir, have little
claim to set myself up as standard ot political
morality; but | solemnIy declare that there is
no extreme OF political marlyrdom, that would
not suffer, rather than accept pf the office OF
Secretary OF State, or any other office. OF
I 4