Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-05-30
POLITICAL.
REPLY


Bythe Jackson Corresponding Committee efthe
District Of Columbia, to Mr.. C1ay's last i'd
dress.
[coNTINUED.Y
AS early as October, 1924, Mr. Clay began TO
prepare the minds of his friends for Interior opera
tons IN Congress. In that month he met with the
Honorable Z. A. Wickffe and the Honorable Tho
mas p. Moore in Frankfort, and personally ex-
pressed to them an apprehension, which all his
movements and those of his leading partisans had
indicated, that he should not be one of the three
returned TO the House of Representatives; and in
tmated, that, In that event, r. would hold him
self uncommtted, which he represented to be the
true policy OF his friends See Appcndir NO. 2.
and 4.
The Legislature of Kentucky met on the first
day OF Nov, and Mr.. Clay was still in Frankfort.
The people Of Kentucky had already begun to
speak loudly of General Jackson as their second
choice, i'll the event that Mr. Clay should be ex-
cluded from the House of Representatives and the
Legislature par;ook OF the general feeling. The
Tunor soon began to circulate, that if the appre-
hension OF MIR. Clay's exclusion should be well
founded, the Legislature would, soon as the fact
was known, express the voice of the State and re-
quest their Representatives 10 vote for General
jackson. at that time, there were two parties in
that body, both protesting equal friendship for Mr..
Clay, and both, with few individual exceptions
uniting upon General Jackson as their second
choice. 1t did not comport with Mr.. Clay's policy
or designs TO be trarnmelled by any expression OF
ky, or OF the u. States, who were to control
the event. but MIR. c. and his friends in Congress-
AS the surest mode Of avoiding the embarrassment
ntowhich he would be thrownby an expression OF
legislative opinion, well the responsibility OF
disTegardIng it, he applied in person 10 several
members OF that body for the purpose of dissuading
them from taking any such step He has himself
disclosed part of this intrigue and another has
come TO light in the late investigation by the SEN
ate of Kentucky.
In IL Lot (1,.to
James Davidson, Treasurer of Kentucky, who in
1924, was member Of the Senate. He states
that he was induced to oppose the resolutions of
instructions, when they were before the Senate
by information previously received from Mr. CLAW
himself that he would not vote for General Jack
son, He says, he told the Senate. that &" all the
resolutions We could pass during the whole session
would not induce yon (Nlr. Clay to abandon whz,
sou conceived 10 be your duty, and that knc W
you could not concur with the majority Of the Lee
gslature on that subject" He says he nforrne ed
several persons Of the conversation with Mr. c.,
and names % George Robertson, Esq. late Speaker
OF the House Of Representatives" one. By re-
currence TO the proceedings in that House, we
perceive, that MIR. Robertson moved TO lay the
resolutions the table until day beyond the
close Of the session, and gave his reasons chat
their adoption would he unjust 10 our members of
Congress- who know the will of the people better
than we do; that it would be indejicate 10 MIR.
Clay that ii would lesssn the weight Of entuc-
Ky in the next administration that it vas better
TO leave our members Of Congress TO act accord
ing TO contingencies that the weight and impor-
lance Of the State, and the Western Country could
IN that manner, be best secured that our mem
Ders on the spot would be tho best judges of what
was just and expedient; that the resolutions would
not only degrade respected fellow citizen but
throw Kentucky on the electioneeriDg arena in
Congress completely handcuffcd" Ii was impos
sible to rnisunderstand this language, and M
,yicpherf a member Of the House, said on the
same occasion; that some of the friends Of Mr.
Clay, he had no doubt, wished to defeat the reso-
utions, and leave that gentleman TO make the best
bargain he could. But he did not wish the vote OF
kentucky 10 be battered away, or that Mr.. Clay
should be Secretary of State 70 the exclusion OF
jackson President"-[ See aPpendir, No. 2. ]
This shows that the movements and objects of Mr..
Cldy's particular friends were, even then, on the
3Ist December, 1924, well understood. But what
would have been the language Of the independent
members Of the Kentucky Legislature, bad the y
known that almost the only opposition 10 the reso-
buttons came from Mr.. Clay himself Had CO..
Davidson or Mr.. Robertson told that BODY and the
country, that Mr. Clay had himself said, that he
Y7as already determined 10 vote for Mr.. Adams and
against Gen Jackson, what would have been the
language Of the Legislature and the frecmen Of
kentucky Management had not then effected its
object, and be would have been denounced
throughout the State, in curses loud aud deep as
betrayed people could utter
20 other members OF the Legislature, however,
Mr, Clay held very different language; but II