Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-10-19

too, an answer 10 the N(lutSlioh~ WY "N /
of q silence so long and so r,gidiy pre-
servcd?" Had Mr.. Eaton, instead oil ProPouha'
ing a question based entirely on his own extra
ordinary AssrRr1os, have inquired why Mr..
Claw commune ted, in the fall OF 1924, TO sew
eral gentlemen, his intention to vote Tor Ar.
Adams in preference 10 Gen. Jackson, but did
no, also then volunteer public annuneia',on
of this intention, he might receive TINS nris'
and conc lusive answer, viz: Mr.. Clay acted IN
these respects as became 4 man OF prudence q
honour Foresreing, in the contingency OIL MS
exclusion from The House Of Representatives,
the delicate relation in which he would stand
both TO his country and to his recent colnpe'i'
tors, and that whatever might be his course,
would excite acrimonious commentary among
the disappointed parties, he must have wished
TO prevent any misconstructlon oil his motives
which an entire conccalmrn, OF his intention
might give colour 10. The natural means OF
accom- piishing this end were, to communicate
this intention, occasionally, 10 his personal
friends. This was the part OF common pru-
depce. Blu, 10 have done more-to have osten-
,atiously promulged his determination 10 vote
for Mr. Adams in preference to Gen. Jackson,
while his friends in Congress, who also were
to vote on the same question, had no, annouhc-
ed their own prcferenses-mighl have been con-
! u
influence rheir votes. Every consideration oil
/ dtlicacy prompted reserve in this particular,
as every consideration Of prudence had prompt
cd f:ankncss in the other.
II has already been shown that MIR. Eaton's
calculations Of dates are no, particularly accu>
rate. specimen Of his political arithmetic
next comes under examination:
Pre,io uslv TO the annunciation OF Tins meet
ing on Saturday, l had nor distrustcd the result
of the election. AS regarded the course Ken.
lucky would take, even conccding the force oil
Mr.. Claws influence. felt there as security
in these considerations: That, so FAR from there
! being any thing of good, there had been an un-
friendly understanding very lately su5slsting
between Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Clay: That Mr..
Adams was not the choice Of Kentucky-had
not been thought Of or voted for there; and OF
all the persons presented TO the public, would
proba bly have received the rnosi incDnsdfrahle
suffrage in that State That Mr.. (rittcnden,
who stood at the head Of the cleo toral list for
MIR. Clay, and whose opinions Of the preference
and choice of Kentucky, hence inferred, might
have weight, had written TO friend oil mine
a, Washington, that Kentucky preferred Jack
son, and wished him 10 succeed against al
ans. But, beside all this, the Legislature OF
the State had sent forth their instructions Tor
!
! be considered the sense Of The people; and J.,
we'll remembering the warm and ancient con-
test between MIR. Clay and MIR. Pope, on the
subject If disregard of instructions, had not
supposed that the former would venture TO
place at naught his previous open avowals on
this important political point. These were the
grounds Of my opinions, and ofmy conclusions,
| and they were removed only when understood
that this meeting had been held and the vote
CT Kentucky determined upon"
The first cause here assigned for Mr.. Eaton's
! confidence in the vote ..f K~-."-t. go. " a"
snfricndly understanding very lately subsistins
between Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Clay" Mr.. Ea-
ton very properly declines to repeat The often
refuted assertion, tina, bitter personal hosli-
lity had, previously to the election, existed be-
tween these gentlemen, and that denuncialons
had passed between them on subjects connect
ed with the Client treaty. These common
places Of the party had become too stale for
use; and so Mr. Eaton is di,creetly indefinite in
his reference TO the enmity alleged to have once
existed between MIR. Adams and MIR. Clay
his is just as il should be. could wish that
the Senator had hit upon any other than an
unfriendy understanding" We have heard
much in Certain quarters of a corrupt "under-
| standing" between Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Adams,
in regard 20 the last Presidential election, but
now, for the first time, we learn, and on the
high authority of Mr.. Eaton, that this was no,
the earliest Of their intrigues, but that another
" understanding" had before existed between
them, viz: that they should be 'unfrirndy'' 10
each other; that they had formed an agree
nlent TO disagree.
MIR Eaton mentions as part of his grand
and final reason for me hope. .rha, Kentucky
would vAs for General Jackson, sr1-as
rpa hv Mr. Ia, Il a. IJ.l
the authority given oy :GeSeral to>Sfr. By.
chanan TO make "declarSion'' for him AealcSA
lated to have happy influence upon The cleo.
ton, that the Kentucky Legislature chad sen,
forth their Instructions Cor request on ,hi,"sub-
ect, declaring what was to be considered the |
"sense OF the people" The alusion here made
10 the "r"quest' ofthe Legislature is ore among
the thousand instances.in the history OF the
Combination, in which they renew an often re.
iuted charge>with as much gravity as II it were
just launched 'on the tide ofcxperment The
kentucky Legislature "scnt forth" no "instruc