The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-08-22


His reply was complimentary to myself, ant
accompanied with a request that would pro
! ceed i then stated 70 him there was a report
in circulation that he had determined he woult
appoint Mr.. Adams Secretary of State, in cas-,
he were elected President, and that wished t.
ascertain from him whether he had ever init
mated such an intention. That he must al
once perceive how injurious to his election
such report might be. That no doubt there
were several able and ambitious men in the
country, among whom l thought Mr. Clay
might be included, who were aspiring to that
office, and if it were believed he had already
determined to appoint his chief competitor, il
might have most unhappy effect upon their
exertions, and those of their friends That
unlsss he had SO determined, | thought this re-
port should be promptly contradicted under his
( own authority
/ | mentioned, it had already probably done
him some injury, and proceeded to relate to
him the substance of the conversation which
held with Mr.. Markley. | do not remember
whether | mentioned his name, or merely de-
scribed him as friend of Mr.. Clay.
After had finished, the General declared
he had not the least objection to answer the
question. That he thought we'll of Mr.. Adams,
bat had never said or minated that he would
or that he would not appoint him Secretary of
State That these were secrets he would keep
to himself-he would conceal them from the
very hairs of his head That if he believed bis
right hand then knew what his left would do,
upon the subject of appointments to office, he
would cut it off and cast it into the fire. That
if he should ever be elected President it would
be without solicitation and without intrigue
upon his part. That he would then 60 into
office perfectly free and untrammelled, and
would be left at perfect liberty to fill the offices
of the government with the men whom at the
mr. halip fO ba ba 81 int ,a
country.
told him that this answer to my question
was such a one as | expected to receive if he
answered it at all, and that had not sought to
obtain it for my own satisfaction. | then ask
ed him, if | were at liberty to repeat his ans
wer. He SAID | was perfectly at liberty to do
80 to any person | thought proper. | need
scarcely remark that | afterwards availed my
self of the privilege. The conversation upon
this topic here ended, and in all our intercourse
upon this topic here ended, and in all our in
tercourse since, whether personally, or in the
course of our correspondence, Gen. Jackson
has never once adverted to the subject, prior
to the date of his letter to Mr.. Beverley.
do not recollect that Gen. Jackson told
me, might repeat his answer to Mr.. Clay and
his friends though | should be sorry to say
he did not. The whole conversation being up
on the public street it might have escaped by
A few remarks and trust shall have done
with this disagreeable business for ever.
! called upon General Jackson on the &C.
casion which have mentioned, solely as his
friend, upon, my individual responsibility, and
not as the agent of Mr.. Clay, or any other
person. never have been the political friend
OF MT. clay since he became candidate for
the office OF President, as you very well know
Until L saw General Jackson's letter to Mr..
Beverly of the 9Th ult. and at the same time
was informed by letter from the Editor OF
the United States Telegraph, that | was the
person to whom he alluded, the conception
never once entered my mind, that he believed
me to have been the agent of Mr.. Clay or OF
his friends, or that had intended to propose to
him terms of any kind from them, or that he
could have supposed me to be capable Of ex-
pressing the opinion that it was right to fight
such intriguers with their own weapons"
Such supposition had | entertained it would
have rendered me exceedingly unhappy, as
there is no man upon earth, whose good opn-
ion more valued than that of General Jack
son. He could not | think, have received this
impression until after Mr.. Clay and his friends
had actually elected Mr. Adams President, and
Mr.. Adams had appointed Mr., Clay Secretary
| of State. After these events had transpired,
! it may be readily coniectured in what manner
my communication might have led him into
the mistake. l deeply deplore that such has
| been the effect.
l owe it to my own character tomake anoth-
er observation. Had | even Known, sus-
pected, that Gen. Jackson believed had been
sent to him by Mr.. Clay or his friends, should
have Immediately corrected his erroneous i'm
preston, and thus prevented the necessity fol-
this most unpleasant explanation When the
editor of the United States Telegraph, on the
| 18th Oct last, asked me by letter for informa
ton upon this subject, promptly informed him
by the returning mail, on the 10th OF thai
month, that had no authority from Mr.. Clay Of
his friends to propose any terms to Gen. Jack
son in relation to their votes, nor did l ever
make any such proposition and that trusted
would be as incapable of becoming mes
senger upon such an occasion as it was known
Gen. jackson would be to receive such ;
message. | have deemed il necessary to make
this statement, in order to remove any mscon
ception which may have been occasioned by
the publication in the Telegraph, of my lettel
to the editor, dated the 18th ult
With another remark shall close this com
munication. Before l held the conversation
with Gen. Jackson, which have detailed,
called upon Maj. Eaton, and requested him t
ask Gen. Jackson whether he had ever declar
ed or intimated, that he would appoint Mr.
Adams Secretary of State, and expressed de
sire that the General should say, if consisten
with the truth, that he did not intend to ap
point him to that office. | believed that sucl
, a declaration would have happy inhuenc
upon the election, and | endeavored to con
vince him that such would be its effect. Tn
conversation was not so full as that with Gen
Jackson The Major politely declined to com
ply with my request, and advised me to pro
pound my question to the General himself, as
possessed full share of his confidence.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Lancaster, Sth Aug 1922.
- CD u
TN A. n Al,