Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-08-15

agency OF mine, found IT'S way into the newspapers, il
connection with this transaction.
Mr. h!arbiey advn:tei to the rumor which hay,
mentioned, ara sand II Was calculated inlure th,
ueneral He observed that MIR. CLAWS friends were
warmly attached to HIN, and that he thought they
wouio endeavor TO act IN concert the election.
mai II they did SO, they could either elect Mir
Adams or General jackson at their pleasure: BIN,
,hat many OF them would agree to vote for the
'auer II they knew he had pre- TO prefer
""o,her 10 Mr. Cay for the first Office his gift.
ana mat some OF the friends Of MIR. Adams had al
ready been holding out the idea, that in case he were
e,ec'ed' hr. Clay might probably be offered the
situation ri Secretary of State
l told MIR. Marktrv tina, | felt cooG,,op, f,.ro,,,
jackson had never said he wou,,, ,nuoi,, nIr ai,s
SECRETARY oil State because he not in the babi, of
cohVeis'tS upon the subject of the election and # Inc
were, whatever might he his secret in,rntiop mo had
more prudence Than to make such a declaration |
mentioned 10 hi;n that had been thinking either that
wonid call upon the Gcne al himself or e; ono nj liz
oher incas TO do and thus cndeayor to obtain from
him contradiction Of the report although doub,eb
whether he would hold any conversation upon tic sub
ject.
MIR. Marley urged me to do So; and observed If
"cherai Jackson had not determined whom he would
appoint Secretary OF State and should say that il would
not be Mr. Adams, might be of great adv an,ace t
our cause Tor us 10 declare upon his own au,hoity
we should ;hen be placed upon the same footing iii
the Adams men, and might fight them with their ow
weapons. That the western mcu,hcrs would naturally
prefer voting for western if there ere pro-
ba5y, that the claims of Mr.. Clay to the second Office
III the Government should be fairly estimated:
II 'hey thought proper Ga vote for General Jackson
tley could soon decide the contest in his favor.
snort tune after this conversation, on the 3O:h
December 1924, am enabled fix the time not only
from my own recollection hut trom letters which /
wrote on that day, on the day following and On the I'd
January, 1881 called on General Jackson Aucr
the company had leli him, by which found him snr
rounded. lie asked take walk with him. an,
whist we were walking together upon the street |
introduced the subject told him. wished to ak
Inn question IN relation 10 thc Presidential election
r iha' knew lac vas unwilling TO converse uron IA,
SUBJECT, That therefore II he deemed the atestiou i'm,
proper, he might refuse to give il an answer IT,
my only motive IN asking ii friendship for him AM
trusted nc w"r'i excuse Inc for thus introducing
SUBJECT about which knew he wished To be silent,
HIS IcFy was complimentary to myself, and accom-
= painted with request that Should proceed. ;he
i stated 10 hun, there was report in crcuation tia
lie had determined he would appoint Air. Adams Sec
tret9rY OF state, IN case he elected President an
u that wished to ascertain from him whether lie ba
ever animated such Intention. That he must a
oiEe perceive bow luxurious IL his election, sI!c re
port might be. That doubt, there were scycro
: able ana ambitious men IN the country amonr whom
u thought Dir. Clay might be included, who were aspi
Iirg 10 that oice and ii believed he had a.rea
! dy determined 10 appoint has chic competitors it NIGH
have most unhappy effect upon their eSertions an
those of er ftiends. That unless be had so determn
c Cd, thought that this report should be PROMPTLY con
. ttFadicted under his authority.
mentioned II had already probably dome him some
uInrE, anu proceeded TO relate TO him the substance
o! the conversation which had held with Ir R:atkley
= DO not remember whether mentioned his name d
merely described him friend OF Mr. CLAY
Aiter had finished, the encral declared he ha,
a not the least objection to answer my question. Tia
IN lie thought vel! of MIR Adams. but had never said q
- intended, that lie would or tat he would not appoin
him Secretary of State. That these were secrets i.
Il aid keep 10 hlnsef-ie would conceal them froI
n the very hairs OF lis bead That if he believed Il
right hand then knew what his left would do upon y,
+ SUBJECT OF appointments 10 Office, Inc would cut ii
ana cast 1t INTO the fire. That if he should ever b
o,,lJ ;y
is without intrigue upon lis part. That lie would tici
go into Office perfectly free and un,rarineed & wonlt
DC ieit AZ perfect liberty 10 ill The Offices of Tie Gov
: eFn!cn with The men, whom the time lie hslierc,
TO be the abes and the best men in the country.
told him that his answer 10 ny question was sucl
an one as had expected 10 receive f lie answered il
all; aud that lad moi sought obtain it, for y o?r
, satisfaction. then asked f!jI, If were at i!he {,
, 10 repeat his lie said was perfectly al lib,
ery 10 do SO TO any person thought proper. / nee,
y scarcely remark that afterwards av.od lny5as o
7 the privilege.
The conversation upon this topic here ended am! j.
al! orr intercourse since, whci;.er personality or il
the course o! oar correspondence, General .ac!so
never once adyes,ed TO the subject prior 10 II.
i, date of hrs letter to Fir. Beverly.
Il do not recoect that General Jackson told me
might repeat his answer 10 Mr. Clay and bis friends
. though shond be sorry TO say lie did not. Til
n whole conversation being npon the pnblIc street
ii might have escaped my observe lion.
few remarks, and trGst shall have don
y with this disagreeble business foretc?
called upon Gen Jackson, TN The occasion .yhic
have mentioned, solely as his friend upon nv indy
dual responsibility and not he agent of Ai: Clay
or any other person. .'eyer have been tie poIi!ica
friend Of MIR. Clay, since he became candidate 70
The Office OF president. you very well know. mi
saw Gen. JaCkson's letter 20 MIR. Beverly of o 81
uit. and at The same time Informed by letter iron
The editor of the United States Gecg FapFt, that vaa
r. The person TO whom he alluded, the conception nerer
once entered my mind, t'Ia he believed the TO have
been The agent OF Mr. Clay of ms friends, or that
had intended TO propose 10 Lin terms Of any kind from,
'bem. or that he could have surpr. TO be capa-
bic of expressing the "opimioD dat right TO fight
such i0tiiguers with their weapousD Such SUD.
position, bad entertained IL would have rendered nc
exceedingly unhappy. as there is upon ear:li
whose good opinion more valued than that of ZEN
Jackson. He could not, think, have received tits i'm
preston, until after Mr. Clay and his friends had ac
tnay elected Ntr. Adams President and Rlr Adams
n rad appointed MIR Clay SeCretsry Of State After
these events had tranpired il may be readily conec-
turei in what manner 10y communication might have
led him into the mistake. ] deeply dcpofe Iat such