Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-11-29
ALEX. COOPER.
JAMES p. EdSKiNE,
JAMES BROWN,
CONR sD HOGMIRE.

RIsoN, ofOhio, 20 friend in Chiillcothe, has
been called forh by the publication, by Mr..
Senator BRAscH. Of the substance Of some re.
marks made By him at the time OF the conir
nation OF Mr. Claws nomination to the Office
OF Secretary OF State. Il isa very frank clear,
and plan statement Of the circumstance which
attended Mr.. Branchs suggesnons on that sub
Ject. The anecdote concerning Mr.. MAcoN's
g.ound of objection 10 MIR. CLAY is character
istlc OF the veteran opponent OF the exercise of
general powers, and must be sccep table to all
the friends of MIR. CLAY, as well as Mr.. Ma
| CoN.--.Nat hf.
PaoM THE scioTo GAzETrR.
"NoRTH BsNp, Nov. q. 1877 A day or
| two before the nomination OF Mr.. CLAx TO the
Office of Secretary of State was acted on by the
| Senate, was requested by tina, gentleman 10
move for committee of Inquiry into his con
| duct, TO the then recent eiestIon of President
1t any thing should occur in my opinion to make
it necessary. Mr.. CLAY repeated the sppIoa-
| ton on the day that the nomination was taken
up by the Senate, with great earuestness. and
obtained my promise tn at would comply with
hsrequest. From the position which occupi-
| ed in the Senate Chamber, being somewha, in
| the rear OF that of Mr.. BRANCH, / did not es
| unctly hear the greater part OF hrs speech in
| opposition to the appointment. Fearing THAI
| might have misunderstood hun, and not wish.
ing to rely entirely on my own Judgment, IN
matter in which another was SO materially con.
| cerned, applied to Mr.. LLOYD, OF Massachu.
sets, who sat near to, and directly IL front Of
| Mr.. BRANCH, 20 know whether, in his opinion,
any thing had been said by Mr.. b. which would
render il proper to move for an Inquiry Mr.
LLoYD answered, that nothing had fallen from
| MIR. b. which would make motion 4 that md
| necessary; and the same opinion was expressed
4 H.. Iaas n -.
fore gave up the idea uf moving for an ,nvesti
| CATION. The speech OF Mr.. BRANcH, which
was published by himself some tins age, is,
have no doubt, as correct a statement as he
could make of what he deIivs red TO the Senate.
| But must confess that, even at this time, Can
| see nothing IN II which would have induced me
| to have adopted different course. II appears
| TO me, that Should neither have consulted the
public interest, nor the honor OF MIR. Clay in
calling for an inquiry, when the accuser-if &C.
cuser he Can be called declared that he had
no proof TO offer, but what each member Of the
Senate, and every one else, possessed.
"pn the day that the nomination was acted
on by the Senate, or on the succeeding one, |
| informed Mr.. Clay that nothing had passed IN
the Senate which made it necessary to move
fos the investigation which he had solicited.
The assertion of the fact by Mr.. Branch IS suf
ficient evidence to me, that several Of the Sc
majors who voted with him against Mr.. Clay s
appointment, were governed by the same mo
tives aud feelings towards that gentleman which
actuated him. Such was not the case, however,
in relation to his colleague: tor, soon after the
vote had been taken, MIR. Macon approached
me, and observed that he had not been intiu-
enced ia opposing Mr.. Gays appointment, by
any diminution of his confidence IN his integrity.
but solely on the ground Of the latitude OF con.
sruclion which he had given to the Consitu.
ton. Believing that il was the in,enti0n OF Mr..
Macon, thatl should communicate this obser.
walton to MIR, Clay, and knowing the pleasure
that il would give to ,he latter, TO find that be
still possessed the esteem of his old friend and
associate, did not fail 10 mention this also 10
Mr.. Clay. W. II. HARRISON"
KEsrUcKr.-sir Cagsoia,, the administration