Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-01
From the National Journal.
TO GEN ANDREW JACKSON.


that would write you again, aud that the OBJ
iect Of this letter would be 10 point out such a
path of conduct as would naturally present IT.
self to the footsteps of plain, blunt honest man,
placed in circumstances such as those in which
you have found yourself in relation 10 Mr.. Clay
and the charge of corruption in the late Presi-
Dental elections ] also said thai would take
the liberty Of saying, where, in my opinion,you
have left the beaten course Of such path
You believed, Sir, Mr. Clay offered you his
influence in the Presidential canvass, on condi-
ton that you would promise him that Mr..
| Adams should not be continued as Secretary OF
State There was then, Sir, as YOU believed,
an offer of the highest Office known &c, 2ur gov
| eminent, made 10 you by MIR. Clay, distin'
guished Representative OF the people, and the
price s,ated!-As Senator, as gentleman, as
plain, blunt, honest man, your duty to Mr.
Clay and your country clearly demanded Of you,
TO inquire inio the fact Of The offer having come
from Mr.. Clay, and IL such proved to be the case,
| to impeach him; if no such proof could have
ject,
An honest man, placed as you were; would
have reasoned thus: The institutions o! my
country are invaded by corruption and intrigue.
The votes Of the people are openly barlered and
sold. alone am informed OF that corruption,
which is worming its way through the timbers
Of the vessel of state. AS g conscript father OF
the republic, am, by my Office, peculiarly the
guardian of her interests. However painful,
however at war with my own feelings, | must
drag the criminal before the people; besides, 1
am fellow servant Of the people with the accus-
l.ed. owe it to him, to give him an opporluni-
" to meet, and rebut, il false, charge 10 him
so disgractfui, if true, to our country so ruin
Gus. / ,vN not 5elieUs him gully, tcH not pre-
Judge him. He shall front his accuser, and II
the accusation BIZ groundless, its slanderous az
thor shall be branded with the ignominy OF TIE
upprinciplcd ca!umniator. Besides, reasons CT
public dutv and public necessity, and private
zones in relation to my situation, IL regard 20
IMr. Clay, demands of me to bring this accuse
Etion publicly and boiay Mr. Clay has often OPP
posed me, but he has done II manf1lly and o.
penl, He thinks mt a dangerous man. man
who has rccklessly lr.mplsd upon the const-
tuition of my country, but ne mas said /! before
The bar of the Huuse- before The tribunals OF
our country, whose laws he honestly believes
vet fresh updu NY the xlalpF M5es.h was
huzzaIng in MY train! Wills, all was 10y and
rrstivi,v and graduation for the victory | had
jus, gained! ne bra,ed all! public joy and pub
lie feeling, and like aparioi said, because he
believed, that was an enemy TO my country!
have been acquitted; honorably acquitted. AS
met then in him, so shall he meet III me,
determined, but mGgaanimous opponent If
I act otherwise, the people will say, that the
remembrance OF former Injuries has led me 10
| take an Unfair advantage OF the accused shall
| then say nothing upon the subject; no opinion
Of mine shall go before the people. Bat |
viii inpeach him! if innocent, he can defenG
1 L oIc r. I,o,, IL. k..
! ins'itutions Of my country are rescued for once
! from the rottenness Of corruption. Thus will
act, anc thus will discharge the duty owe
my country as the official guardian Of her IN
terest! Thus will discharge every obligation
which owe TO Mr.. Clay as an open aud mag
unanimous, if withal strenuous, opponent
Thus, Sir, would PLAIN, blunt, honest man
have reasoned--and thus would he have acted
Placed in situation exactly similar, how
would he have acted who cared only for his
own political ovation. He would not inquire
into the truth narrowly. He would not enter
upon an accusation in the prosecution OF which
the truth, and the truth only, could a>a ali him.
He would not bring The aocnser before the
proper tribunals, and in such manner as 10
give him every means fair defaHce. No, Sir
He uould ,Dhisper The accusation about. He would
saw such and such are the facts, and bet,ece
tina, man guilty. If called up@n TO sn5stanu-
ate the charge, he would say, lam no pubic ac-
cuSer! but such and such are facTs, and from
these facts conclude that the accased IS guilty
He would not impeach this epe,ny of his coun-
try, who could introduce corruption into the.
very hear, Of the Government. No, Sir No
love Of country would move HIM, but when he
thought, by sinister slow, 10 level an oppo-
nebt to the eartA--when II would conduce to
the advanceJnrn, Of, his own plans, then, and
not till then, would his voice be heard. He
would carry this fearful story Of guilt locked
securely ia his own Bosom If the corrupt en-,
envy Of his country were Candidate for his
vote in his election 10 office, no interference Of
his would remove from his grasp the corrupt
object Of his ambition, And when, Sir, cor
I'll ption and intrigue had paved their way to
Office, ne would b. the FIRST 10 congratulate the
slecfed-aye, Sir, the corrupity elected! And, Sir,
it the genius of the prostrate laws and iustitu-
lions Of his country could be personifed, stand
ing in all its majesty, and pointing the Singer
Of scorn at him, Drawing, where he should be