Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-10-11
From HE National Journal
MR. SENATOR EArON'S ADDkEoo ~
1890 .rrIr- pIJDI Ic-NO. 5.


Mr.. SENATOR EATQN'S ADDRESS ~
THE PUBLIC.-No. 5.
Ths o,,em,, made by Gen. Jackson and his
r,,r,;z,ns 70 show that he made no accusation
-, Nv t,lav and now repeated by Mr.. Ea-
,on ;s amonr The most conspicuous aDol'iohs
~ which The times have given birth. 1 ne ue-
neral, after repeating in his publication oil 'ny
Io,b = nar, Of his statement IN the letter 10 De-
ve,lv saws. "S,ill have not said, nor do now
s,r thar The PROPOSAL made TO me was VII"
tho ,r;y;,v and consent OF Mr.. Clay, nor e'lhtr
ha,e said that his friends III Congress Waue
nronos,tions % me These are Mr. Claws IN
,rrnretitions of my letter 10 Mr.. beverly, ana
not what nv letter itself contains. I'D, |
have STATED are the facts OF conversation "s
tween myself and a member OF congress Vi
high responsibility. The conclusion ana t"iet
eoces from that conyersal!on-'he une-."I
manuer-and all the circumstances, sausn'I
nv mind that it was not unaWHo''zea %
have thought. and So still 'hiaa, AMI yet a
pain reDeat, may have possibly done Mr., lay
Injustice" Here he denies that he had sa'u
that the "proposai' Q't that word be no'lceuj
was with the privity and consent OF Mr H'a''
| and vet, according 10 his letter 10 be'e'H' w
had distinctly told Mr. Buchanan 10 convey
| 10 Mr.. CLAY, his answer 10 l'al 'Prop"sa''
To"say to Mr. CLAY, and his friends, &c &c
He sends an answer to persons rom "ho'' he
.did no, say that he had received any mes
sarem General Jackson, with an evasiventss
,rh;ch would not discredit the best trained in
,r,puer. peneralizes the particular statement I'D
hi, Letter 10 Beverly, tina, he had supposed the
envoy had "come from Mr. Clay" and teiis
The neople merely that he felt satisfied MI.
Buchanan was not " Unauthorized" and that he
did no, resis, the impre ssion that Mr. bncha-
nan had approac he'd me him IN the cautious
" submitted proposition of soms authorized per-
sob ;" "sud therefore," SAYS Gen Jackson, I'm
giving him my answer, did request hrm 10 say
20 Mr. Claw aud his friends, what that answer
had been" This Is an elaborate, out ieeo'e
efTor, TO explain awav his direct statement 10
Beverly, and ends in substantial rrpe'i'io"
Of it. c
Blu, conceding the assumption of Mr.. Eaton
which accolds with that made by Ge"'rai 'aeN
'"N-~,,. matter of impres,io " | next ask
= what possible Justification can it afford TO him.
or how does il TEND 10 reconcile his statement
with Buchanin'<? General Jackson admits
gha! this opinion could, If erront Gus, have been
corrected by Mr. Buchanan. Yet for tie period
which followed, of Two years aud half, during
which their personal friendship renamed un-
interrupud he never once inquired Of Mr. B.
whether this opinion was correct On the con-
,rarv, he preferred 10 act on it as if il were a
gospel ruth. lie procdi'ns lat his own
hons, aud 6rrsdc" 10 "a crowd Of company :"
! After ,uc appearance Oh The FayUucvi.!e letter,
his par isans from Maine to Forida. triumph
anIlv. ref + 10 this "tpuion'' as testimony prov
ing the guilt of Mr.. Clay. Take MIR. Earon's
own ground thea, an what will BE- seen?
answer, the 'n"rcnsabte, tC'l FIJI injustice # Ge
] I,rb ~ 81, scl.,
pressed an "opini0n" which he did not know TO
be correct; an''npiuion" which; on apple ton
10 source !ndi; aied by himself, he would have
found 10 be utterly ground!ess; an "opinion"
! therefore in regard to the truth Of which ne
remained, hy no, applying to Mr.. Buchanan,
| is guilty, because voluntary ignorance; and IN
|" opluion, afl. cIing viIaiiy the reputation Of
| frllow citizen and an adversary! This "oDi>
Mon, th'.s urexamned, he off rs in answer 10
a question deliberately put for information in
the presence or'a crowd Of company" That
| General Jackson expected this "oplnion" to be
Ttceived by the company as authority for he
charge Of corruption against Mr.. Clay, there
can be no rational doubt 1t i, equally clear.
that as this "opinion" was given under no sill.
p"latinn for secresy, he must have expected
that II would be used in he pending contest for
| The Presidency; though he never dreamed of be-
ing announced in newspaper as the author
of il.
But unfortunately, fatally for Gen. Jackson
he was nus announced; and in the train of con.
| sequences, he has been driven to the exgcncv
of pleading before the bar o. mora! an W.
'"ous nation, that he only gave ian opinion!'
SANDER is sought to be excused, because IL |
was uttered before crowd Of prtisans, at his |
"own house and reside" in The shape Of an |
"opn'on!" suppose a publication were made,
stating that A had charged with having com
mlt.ed felony; and that A, on being sued for
tn SANDER, were 10 say--"I die not assert POI
sitively that did commit felony; / only
told crowd of company that il was my OPT
MON h' did " Would such drfrnce avail
A IN either law or coust i-noe? Surely not
Between the utlrrance If a SANDER IL the form
"t an ""pini"n," and as direc, assertion, there
Is indeed, only a''verbai" Il ference.
Mr.. Eaton is we'come, tn n, to any advan
tase which Can arise from his criticism, TO
Gen Jackson Bu tbs is pure concession;
4 4 IL has been shown that a ! ART of (.pD Iack