Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-01-05
7. Watkins, Esq.
Mason Co. Ky. l2'h June, 1927.

Dear Sir: Ycar letter Of he 2nd Of May last,
addressed 10 me at Carlisle, in this State, hav>
ing been duly received BY my family, and hand
ed 10 me on my return home a few days ago
from the State of Mississippi, hastendo give
YOU the information rtqulr &. As 10 the let
Ter which is sait u have been written by F" a
highly respectable Virginisn " dated at Nash
vile, on the 9th day Of las, March, which first
appeared in TIE Fayetteville Observer, stating
that NJ. the writer, lad been told that morning
by the General, before all his company, that a
proposition had been made by the friends OF
MIR. CLAW TO the friends Of Jackson, that ii they
8uld promise for him nci 10 put Mr.. Adams
in The Seat Of Secre' airy of State, Clay and his
friends would in one hour make him, Jackson,
President, SC" have to state, that ne' err
heard OF thought Of such proposition, untli
the etter the "highly respectable Nirginian
appeared in toe Public Prints. Some time be-
fore the Presidential vote was given in the
House of Repre- ] well remember to
have heard il stated by some one, that IN The
event of,he election Of General Jackson, Mr..
Adams would most probably be Withdrawn
from the National Cabinet and made Governor
Of Massachusetts; tha, it was not likely that he
icouM accept an appointment under the General
if offered TO him Neither before nor since that
cleo lion, have in exchanged word with Mr..
ADAMS respecting i, BIZ, my opinion at that
time was that If not elected, he would retire
from the Cabinet, as matter ofcho'cc, and moi
Of necessity. As one fine friends # Mr.. Clay,
enter into the most sole mn protest against the
General. through his organ, the "higbly re-
spectacle Virg,nian," or otherwise, 10 say that
l would have assisted in making bir, President
No, ha r,,.,tr rr
could have been made Ia believe that General
Jackson would not have offered 10 Mr.. Adams,
the place which he had filed with so much
ability under Mr.. Monroe, that bshsfwould have
constituted in nv mind strong additional obs
ction 10 the Geherai's success. SHOULD
then have taken il for granted, hat 1t was the
in,enlion of tne General to surround himself
with ina, class or rar,y Of poliic ians with whom
h. had in great degree become Identified, and
between whom and myself there existed such
radical difference of opinion in relation TO The
great leading question OF national policy.
allude TO the ARMY, the ANTI TARIFF AND ANTI
INTERVAL IMPROVEMENT PARTIES. lfuis intend
ed TO impnse the belief TIA, Mr. Clny's friends
were de,irous OF obtaining that appointment
for kim, to the exclusion Of Mr.. Adams or 9th
erwise, under Gen Jackson, as one Of his friends,
| pronounce il base aud an infamous assault
upon the motives and honor, so Far as / am con-
ctrnrd or believe. of those VIII" lid not choose
to support him for the Presidency.
In reply to your sec nd inquiry, have 10 say
that, If conditions Of any sort were ever made
by the friends of MIR Cay to any person, on
compliance with which their vote was made 10
depend, knew nothing Of it. Brlie'ing tina,
M. Clay would not have accepted an appoints
ment under the General, am al loss to con-
lecture where, or from whom the authority for
making such Propositions could have been de-
rived. But if any individual, calling himsrlf the
friend Of Mr. Clay, did make proposals OF such
a character, Why not name The man, and let him
state to the public BY what authority he made
them.
With great respect, am, dear Sir, your ODE
dent servant, THOMA AS MErCALEE.
+. Watkins, Esq. 4th Aud. Urea. Depmt.
LANCASTER, KY. 26th June, 1927.
Dear Sir: Yours Of The I'd May, did not reach
me until day or two ago. You inquire whe-
Their know any thing % relation to The follow.