Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-08-11
BY THE STEAM BOAT.
TO TIE PUBLIC.

ten, but that which he himself makes me to
say. II :, not the Interpretation given by him
10 my letter, but my own language and my own
statement, that am called upon to defend and
expect to vindicatc.
TO explain the manner in which my opin-
ions have found their way into the journals Of
the day, seems, in the first place, TO be due
both to the public and myself. MIR. Beverly,
being on visit TO my house, requested to
know Of me, other gentlemen being present,
whether the oyertures heretofore imputed TO
Mr. Clay were well founded, and if | had any
knowledge Of any Of tie facts myself. / ans
wered aim candIdly; being unabe, as unwil-
ling, to refuse telling things had heard and
knew to be true. A letter detailing our con-
versation, shortly afterwards obtained publicity
in the "North Carolina Journal" printed at
Fayetteville. On the 25th of May last, from
Louisville, Kentucky, a communication was
addressed to me by MIR. Beverly, stating, what
before had not known, that he was the wri-
ter of the Fayetteville letter. He explain d
the reasons for his having repeated the con-
versaton, and requested TO be informed, if in
any thing he had mis-quotcd or mis-conoeied
my meaning.
Under such circumstances, concealment and
silence might have seemed mere aiiectatIon,
or indeed something of different and even
worse character. Publicity having been given
to the conversation, and an appeal made to me
for its accuracy, felt it 10 be due TO MIR.
Beverly that no hing Of fabrication should be
mpu ed to him. and to myself, that what bad
stated should be correctly understood. Ac-
cordingly, on the 9Th of June, and in reply to
his Of the 25th of May, addressed him let
ter of which the public are already possessed.
How, and by what means It found its way INTO
the columns of II newspaper, MIR. Beverly has
explained: he states 10 me, that he gave It IN
to the hands Of Mr.. Noah Zane, Of Wheeling,
Virginia, at his own earnest request, for per-
usal, under pledge of honour, that it should
be returned; and with no expectation that any
copy of it was 10 be retained. That on his ap-
plying for, and demanding the letter, it was re-
fused TO be restored, until two copies should
be made. He pro eeds to say,
"Mr ne, an Old and most respectable
gentleman, asked the loan ofyour letter as
favour; and contrary TO all custom and propri-
ETY. in such matters, he, in conjunction with
Mr.. Clay and his friends, took copies of it,
without my knowledge or privity in any way,
and without asking my leave to do So Soon
as understood that such was the use they were
making of it, demanded of Mr.. Zano the let
ter, land demonstrated against the unpreccdent-
ed course they were taking. He refused to re-
store it to me, most peremptoriy, until they
had satisfied themselves by furnishing to Mr..
Clay one copy, and reserving another for their
own use."
The original converse on referred 10, and
the above extract of letter from MIR. Beverly
at Wheeling, dated 26th June, 1927, are pre-
sented to show that have not, as is charged,
spla ed myself in the attitude of public ac-
cuser,' and that whatever publicity has been
given to this transa ctlon, has arisen from no
agency or procurement of mine; and that Mr..
Clay, in fact, has himself held the matter up
to public gaze. In doing this, he should have
quoted what had written accurately and fair
ly; for then, the text and his commentary
would have suited together: at present his
contradiction is something suggested by him.
SELF and is not contained in my letter.
The statement contained in my letter to Mr..
Beverly, is this: That, in January 1925, n
member of Congress of high respe ectability,
visited me one morning, and Observed" he
had been informed by tho friends of Mr.. Clay,
that the friends of Mr.. Adams had made over
lures 10 them, saying, If MIR. Clay and his
friends would unite in aid Of the election of
Mr.. Adams, Mr.. Clay should be Secretary of
State; that the friends Of Mr.. Adams were urg-
ing as n reason to induce the friends Of Mr.
Clay to accede to the proposition, that if was
elected President, Mr.. Adams would be con-
tinued Secretary of State (inuendo there would
be no room for Kcntucky)-that the friends Of
Mr.. Clay stated the West did not want to sep
arate from the West, and ifI would say, or
permit any ofmy confidential friends to say,
that in case | was elected President Mr.. Ad-
ans should not be continued Secretary of
State, b. complete union of Mr.. Clay and his
friends, they would put an end to the Prcsi-
dental contest in one hour; and he was of
opinion II was right TO fight such intriguers with
their own weapons"
THIS disclosure was made TO me by Mr.. James
Buchanan, a member of Congress from Penn
sylvania, gentleman ofthe frs, respc CT ability
and intelligence. The evening before, he had
C ,mmuncated, substantially, the same pry-
position TO Major Eaton, my colleague in the
Senate, with desire warmly manifested that
he should communicate with me, and ascertain
my views on the subject. This ho declined
doing, suggesting to Mr.. Buchanan that he,
as well as himself, could converse with me, and
ascertain my opinion on the matter; though,
from his knowledge Of me, he thought he could
conjecture my answer-that would enter into
no engagements whatever. II was tho morn
ing succeeding this interview, after MAJOR Ea-
ton had objected to converse with me on the
subject, and before | had set out from my odg-
ings for the CAPITOL, that Mr.. Buchanan came
to visit me, and when the conversation have
stated took place. The answer returned, has
already been published, and need not be here
repeated.
To be thus approached by gentleman of
Mr.. Buchanan's high character and standing,
with an apology proflcrcd at the time for what
he was about to remark to mc-onc who, as |
understood, had always, TO that moment, been
on familiar and friendly terms with Mr.. Clay,
assuring me that on certain terms and condlt-
ions being assenisd TO on my part then, "by
union Of Mr.. Clay and his friends. they would