The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1827-08-16


served if General Jackson had not deiermln
ed whom he would appoin, Secretary of
State, and should say that it would not be mr.
Adams. it might be Of great advantage to our
cause, for Us so TO declare, upon his own an- |
thority: we should then be placed upon the
sa ne footing with the Adams men, and might |
fight them with their own weapons--Thai
the western members would naturally prefer
voting for western man, If there were pro-
bablltv that the claims of mr. Cl. TO the sec
ond office in the government should be fairly
estimated. and that IL they thought proper To
vote for General Jackson, they could soon de-
eide the contest in his favor
short time after this conve rsation on the
Both Of December. lo24, (l am enabled 90 fix
the time not only from nv own recollection,
but from letters which | wrote on that day, on
the day following, aud on The I'd January,
Is21) called spon Gen. jackson. After the
company mad left him, by which found him
surrounded, he asked me to take a walk with
him, AVID whilst we were walking together
upnn the street, | introduced the subject.
told hun wished 10 ask him question in
relation to the Presidential election; that
knew he was unwilling TO converse upon the
subject; that therefore il he deemed the ques
ton improper, he might refuse To give II an
answer. That my only motive in asking 1T was
friendship for him, and trusted he would ex
ouse me for thus introducing subject, upon
which | knew he wished 10 be silent.
His reply was complimentary 10 myself, and
accompanied with request that would pro-
coed. | then stated to him there was report
in circulation that he had determined he would
appoint mr. Adams secretary of state, IN case
he were elected President, and that wished
TO ascertain from him whether he had ever
intimated such an intention.-That he must
at once perceive how injurious to his election,
such a report might be That no doubt there
were several able and ambitious men in the
country, among whom | thought mr Clay
might be included, who were aspiring TO that
office, and if it we're believed, he had already
determined to appoint his chief competition. il
might have a most unhappy effect upon their
exertions, and those of their friends That un'
less he had so determined, ! thought this re
port should be promptly contradlcted under
Mis- own authority.
mentioned it had already probably done
him some injury, and proceeded to relate to
him the substance ofthe conversation which
held with mr. Markiey do not remember
whether mentioned his name, or merely de
scribed him as a friend to mr.. Clay.
After I had finished, the General declared
he had not the least objection to answer the
question. That he thought well Of mr. ADAMS
but had never said or intimated that he would
or that he would not appoint hlm secre tary ol
state. That these were secrets he wCu'd keep
10 hmself-he would conceal them from the
very hairs Of bis head. That if he believed
his right hand thcn knew what his left would
do, upon the subject OF appointments To Office
he would,cnt il of aud cast IL into the FIRE
That Tho should ever be elected President, II
would be without solicitation and wi hout in
tTigue upon his part-Thot he would then &c
into Office perfectly free and untrammelled,anc
would be left at perfect liberty to till the off
ces of the government with the men whom n
the time he believed to be the ablcst and tho
best IN the country.
| ,ad him that this answer TO my question
was such a one as expected To receive # N
answered il at all, and that had not sough
10 obtain It for my own satisfaction. thel
asked hir i'll were at liberty TO repeat his all
swer. He said | was perfectly at liberty Z
do SO to any person thought proper. nee
scarcely remark that afterwa rds svailed my
self of the privilege. The conversation upo
this topic here ended and in all our ntercours
since, whe.h personally ar in the course {
our correspondence General jackson mas ne
yer once adverted to the subiect, prior to tn
date of his letter to mr. Beverley
do not recOlect that General Jackson tol
me, i might repeat his answer to mr.. Cla
and his friends though should he sorry I
say he did not. The whole conversation bo
inr upon the public street it might have et
capped nv observation.
a few remarks and trust shall have don
with this disagreeable business for ever.
Ic,lled upon Gen Jackson on the occasi
which have men toned. solely as his frien,
upon my individual responsibility, and not q
the agent of mr. Clay, or any other person.
never have been the political friend of m
Clay since he became a candidate for the o
hce of President as you very well know. unit
laul on lotto 10 mr.
ley OF the 5ih ut and at the same time wa
informed bv letter from the editor Of the L
nited States Telegraph that was the pcrso
to whom he alluded, the conception neve
once entered my mind that he believed me
have been tho agent of mr.. Clay or OF hi
friends, or that had intended to propose I
him. terms of any kind from them, or that h
Sould have supposed me IN be capable OF e'
pressing the "opinon that il was right to f;gi
such intriguers with thew own weapons
Such a supposition h. entertained II wouI
have rendered me exceedingly unhappy,
there is no man upon earth, whose good opii
ION more valued ihan that of Gen. Jackson
lie could not, ! think, have received this in
preston until after mr. Clay . ID his friend
had actually elected mr. Adam Z dsdent, an
mr ADAMS had appointed mr.. Clay secretar
Of state. After these events had transpire'
it may be readily coniectured in what manne
my communication might have led him lni
the mistake deeply deplore that such III
been its effect.
owe it 10 nv own character 90 make anotl
or observation Had ! ever known, or eve
suspected that General Jackson believed ] h7
been sent 10 him by mr. Clay or his friends,
should have Immediately corrected his err
reous Impressions and thus prevented the n
eessity of This most unpleasant explaBatio