Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-08-16

800 - 10 I y " VII gLNCllT OI
the 5th OF June lsst. The 6uty which | owe TO
the public, and to myself, now compsls me to
publish 10 the world, the only conversation
which | ever held with Gen. Jackson, upon the
subject OF the last Presidential election, prior
to It's termination.
In the month of December, 1924. a short time
after the commencement of the session of Con-.
gress, | heard, among other rumors then in
circulation, that Gen. Jackson had determined,
should he be elected President, to continue
Mr.. Adams in the office Of Secretary Of State.
Although felt certain he had never intirnated
such an intention, yet | was sensible that no.
thing could be better calculated, both to cool
the ardor ofhis friends and inspire his enemies
with confidence, than the belief that he had
already selected his chief competitor for the
highest office within his gift. l thought Gen.
Jackson wed il 10 himself and to the cause in
which his political friends were engaged, to
contradict this report and to declare that be
would not appoint TO that Office the man, how
ever worthy he might be, who stood at the
head of the most formidable party Of his politi.
cal enemies. These being my impressions, !
addressed a letter TO a confidential friend in
Pennsylvania, then and still high in Office, and
exalted in character, and one who had ever
been the decided advocate ofGeneral Jackson's
election, requesting his opinion and advice up.
on the subject. | received his answer, dated
the 9th December, 1924, upon the 29tb. which
IS now before me. and which strengthened and
confirmed my previous opinion. then finally
determined, either that | would ask General
Jackson myself, or get another ofhis friends to
ask him-whether he had ever declared he
would appoint Mr.. Adams his Secretary of
State. In this manner | hoped a contradiction
of the report might be obtained from himself,
and that he might probably declare it was not
his intention to appoint Mr.. Adams
A short time previous to the receipt of the let.
ter 10 which | have referred, my friend Mr..
MarAiey and myself got into conversation, as
we very often did, both before and after, upon
the subject of the Presidential election, and con.
corning the person who would probably be Sc.
lected by General Jackson to fill the office OF
Secretary of State. | feel sincerely sorry, that
| am compelled thus to introduce his name;
but / do SO, with the less reluctance. because
ii has already, without any agency of mine found
ITS way into the newspapers, in Connection
with this transaction.
Mr. Narkley adYerted TO the rumor which |
have mentioned, and said it was calculated to
inJure the General. He observed that Mr.
Gays friends were warmly attached to him, and
tnat he thought they would endesvor to act in
concert at the election. That if they did so,
they could either elect Mr.. Adams or General
Jackson at their pleasure: but that many of
them would never agree to vote for the latter,
if he had pre-. determined to prefer another to
Mr. Clay, for the first Office in his gift: And
that some ofthe friends of Mr.. Adams had al.
ready Been holding out the idea, that in case
he were elected. MFR Clay might probably be
offered the situation OF Secretary of State.
told Mr.. Markley, that felt confident Gen.
nrlr1n- Anl 80 - ~ AZ
Adams Secretary Of Estate. be ause he was not
IN the habit Of conversing upon the subject of
the election, and if he were, whatever might
be his secretinsenton, he had more prudence
than to make such a declaration, | mentioned
to him that ] had been thinking, either that l
would call upon the General myself, or get one
OF his other friends to do so, and thus endea.
vor to obtain from him a contradiction of the
report; altho' l doubted whether he would
hold any conversation upon the subject.
Mr.. Markley urge me TO do so; and obser-
we'd Il General Jackson had not determined
whom he would appoint Secretary of State, and
should say that it would not be Mr.. Adams. il
might be ofgreat advantage to our cause for
us so to declare, upon his own authority: we
should then be placed upon the same footing
with the Adams men, and might fight them
With their own weapons-Fhat the western
members would naturally prefer voting for ives.
tern man, if there were a probability, that the
claims of Mr.. Clay 10 the second Office in the
Government should be fairly estimated; and
that if they thought proper to vote for General
Jackson, they could soon decide the contest in
mis- favor.
A short time after this Conversation, on the
30th December. 1924. Il am enabled to fix the
time not only from my own recollection but
from letters which | wrote on that day. on The
day following, and on the ID January, 1857 |
called upon General Jackson. After the COM
pany bad lefthim, By which I found him sur.
rounded, he asked me to take a walk with him,
and whilst we were walking together on the
street, | introduced the subject. Itoid him, I
wished to ask him a question in relation to the
Presidential election; that | knew he was un.
willing to converse upon the subiect;-that.
therefore, If he deemed the question improper
he might refuse TO give it an answer. That
my only motive in asking il was friendship for
him, and | trusted he would excuse me for
thus Introducing a subject, about which l knew
he wished to be silent.
His reply was complimentary to myself, and
accompanied with a request that I should pro.
coed. then stated to him, there was a rep1rt
in circulation that he had determined he would
appoint Mr.. Adams Secretary of State. in case
he were elected President, aud that wished
to ascertain from him whether he had ever in.
timated such an intention. That he must at
once perceive bow injurious to his election.
such areport 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 10 that
office; and if it were believed, he had already
determined to appoint his chef c0nlbettto or. II