Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-03
AN ADDRESS.

nv AbDhESc,
V HENRY CLAY to the Public; containing
eeTtdnn testimonials in reputation Of The ct0rg-
Is against ham, made 6y Gen. .4ndreto Jackson
t0"cf''"g the last Presidential Election.
MEMO II was my intention have published the TESTING.
ny now laid before the Public an earlier period; but una
'o'isbe deay IN the collection Of it, retarded the exc
cutiSn of that intention The letter Of Gen Lay.. and
other important documents have been but lately received;
ana o'her' which bad as' expect We,
eeho"'a'hed' H..
nope no apology TO the public Is necessary Cor
presenting to it these pages. am deceived il an
alpe Justification OF the act will rot be found in
me breast OF every just and honorable man. If an
officer OF Government should not be too sensitive
neither should he be too Gallons, to assaults upon
ms character. When they relate TO the wisdom
or expectancy OF measures which ne may have o.
rSnated or supported he should silently rcpose in
Inc candor and good sense of the community, and
patiently await the developements OF time and ex-
perience But II his integrity be vitality aSssailed:
II the basest and most dishonorable motives for
s dublic conduct be aScribed TO him; he owes to
the country, his friends his family and himself TO
VIndicate his illuminated reputation. Few men
are so elevated that the shafts of calumny cannot
reach men, These may securely trust to the in
vulnerable position which they have attained: The
United States have perhaps hitherto produced but
one man who could look down from his lofty height
without emotion, upon the missiles and the malice
oil his enemies; Tor even he had his enemies. If
the malignant character of charges, the acriinony
with which they have been asserted and repeated
or the perseverance which has marked their pro-
PaSauon could ever authorize an appeal to the
pubic, think may truly say, that L have this
authority FOR three years have been the OBJ
Ject OF jncessant abuse; every art every suecies
OF misrepresentation has been employed against
me- he most innocent acts-acts of ordinary So
elai intercourse, and OF common cvilty-olTices of
hospitality, even passing salutation, have been
misreprescnted and perverted, to nv prejudice
with an uniairness unprecedented Circumstances
nave Deen assumed, which had no existence, and
differences have been drawn from them which, had
they been real they would not have warranted
Besides, my enemies have themselves appealed 10
the public, exhibited their charges, and summoned
their witnesses to its Bar. Ready now and anxious
as am, and always have been, to submit any
act of nay public life TO full examination before
any impartial and respectable tribunal whatever.
surely may expect at least, that l shall be pa
tlehtly heard by that which my accusers have
themselves selected. l assure them that will
present no plea TO the jurisdiction.
But DESTROYS as | naturally am to repel the ca
iumnles which have been directed against me- the
pubic would have been spared the trouble of
perusing this address, if Gen. Jackson had not in
the course OF the last Spring and Summer given
10 them the open sanction of his name. In his let
ter 10 Mr. Beverley of the 9th of June last he adj
mts that, III inierrng my privity to the proposition
which he describes as borne by Mr.. Buchanan he
may have done me injustice; and in his address TO
inc pubhc oil the 18th July last, giving up the
OF this gentleman, as his only witness he repeats
that he possibly may have done me Injustice in as
Stunning my authority for that proposition He even
deigns TO honor me with declaration of the plea
sure which he will expePiennes if should he able
10 acqut myself! Mr.. Buchanan has been heard
by the public; and feel justified in asserting that
the flrst impression of the whole natl On was as il
- yet that OF every intelligent mind unbiased by
party prejudice, that his testimony fully cxonerated
me, and demonstrated that Gen Jackson, TO say TO
more, had greatly miscOnceiycd the purport OF the
interview between them. And further; that, so
lar as any thing improper was disclosed by'AIr. b.
touching the late Presidential election it affected
General Jackson and his friends exclusively He
having manifestiy injured me- speculation was bu-
sy, when MIR. Buchanans statement appeared, as
to the course which the general would pursue
ms Sratultous expression of sympathy with me
There were not wanting Inany persons, who be-
heved that his magnanlmity, would immediately
prompt him publicly 10 retract his charge and to
repair the wrong which he had done me. | did
not participate III that Just expectation, and there
lore ielt no disappointment that il not realized
Whatever other merits he may possess, have not
found among them, in the course of my relations
with him, that OF torbearing To indulge vndictiye
passions. His silent contemplation Of if not his
positive acquiescence in. the most extraordinary
Interpretation ot Mir. Buchanan's statement that
ever was given TO human language has not surpris-
cd me- II it had been possible for him TO render
me an act OF Spontaneous justice, by frank and
manly ayowai OF his error, the testimony now
submitted to the public might have been unne-
ccsrary.
Although feel fully persuaded that the commu-
my, under my peculiar circumstances, will see
without dissatisfaction if not with cordial approD,-
tioIi, this further effort TO rescue my character
from unmerited imputa ions, should nevertheless
nave remained silent, and chcerfully al,ded its de-
cision, on the disclosures and explanations hereto
tore made if had additional facts TO offer 10 lis
consideration. But a body Of highly important G.
whence has been collected establishing some ma
terai circumstances not before generally known *
confirming others of which the public is already
IN possession; and have thought it due 70 the Oc-
casion not to withhold i.
General Jackson bayng entirely failed to estab-
lsD by any Affirmative evidence, either positive or
presumptive, the charge which he thought propcr
TO promulgate against me, il occurred TO me that
It might be possible, difficult as the task generally
IS to subsniiato negative, TO adduce proof of that
character, which would establish Che eroundess
nature Of MS accusation Prior to the appearance
IN the public prints OF the letter from Mr. C. Bcver-
~ to his friend In Fayetteville, dated the Sth of
March last, had never believed that Gen ! had
countendnced the truth, or lent himself to the cir
cdiauOn, OF the charge. I had indeed. long before
seen IN one OF the Nashville papers assertions in
furious 70 me, which created some suspicious that
thcy had cmanated from him; bat dismissed these
suspicious as being altogether incompatible with the
loiiy character which wished TO believe that he
possessed. When, however, l saw that letter and
The uncontrolled corroboration of its contents
by the Editor OF the Washington Telegraph was
reluctantly compelled TO believe that he had given
currency 10 the charge against me. In that letter
Mr.. Beverly says q" I have lust returned from
Ten J's-t found cr0jcd Of company with him
seven Nirginians were Of the number. Tic rave
me most friendly reception, and urged me to STAY
some days longer with him. lie told me thistnorn-
ing before oHhis company in reply 70 question
put N him concerning the election Of j. o. Adams
10 the Presidency, that Mr.. Clay's friends made
proposition 10 biz friends that ifthcy would promise
Tor him not "a put Mr.. Adams into the scat Of Sc