Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-10

why deliberate upon those which had been before
disclosed, II he had made up his mind positively.
IN 'ne early part oil November preceding, 10 vote
ior hir Adams III preference 20 General Jackson:
DIR crawford was out of the question in the esti-
nation OF Mr.. Clay, for he had stated to his friend
charics tianmoni, such ol,jec IONS TO Mr.. Craw-
tofd az To him appeared almost nsupcrabe and TO
ms friend, Mr.. Senator Johnston, one that was
poSficeiy iaSupera6e 10 wit the small number of
votes by which he carried into the House
unless, indeed, Fir. Clay had become enarnoured
Oh Mr.. Crawford upon the sudden emergency Of
uat bcwildering occasion, rs TO be willing to do
more Tor MIR. Crawford than he would allow his
friends 10 do for himself, when he declared Sena-
'oF Johnston, " that he would not permit his name
70 constitute, for one moment, an obstacle 10 an
election in the House of Repre- sentstives''-why,
not, Mr. Clay" because of the small number OF
votes which would carry il there Yet, out OF
pure love and courtesy 10 Mr.. Crawford, against
,ne pure and patriotic principle heroically and
uiSintcrestedly applied 10 his own case, he was
perpieXed how TO dispose OF his vote after his arr-
val AT W aShington-aye, and even MIR. Crawford
participated with the other aspirants in the honor
Oh TINS pcrpicNity, under precisely :he same con-
dltion upon which he had resolved 10 cx cude him
self, hal il supervene' in his own case For Mr.
Crawiords name had been carried into the House
OF Representatives with hut few votes nav ONLY
three over Mr.. Clayi Under these circumstances
every rational man must conclude that Mr. CLAW
anove all others, according to his own showing
was guarded at all points against that state of per
pieNhy which he alleges, without the bare SEM
oiancc OF candor, TO gull public crcdulity wthal
anu must have been perfectly prepared TO rive his
'oe the very FIRST nome after he reach the CITY
rs ne has testified by legal evidence of his settled
resolve, rs Tar back the early part of November
proceeding. But il was not So in fact with the
arch Mr.. Clay, The moment of his arrival NJ
silington, was the moment of his greatest doubts
ana perpieAiies, according 10 universal testimony
oil the mute but ineligible language of circum-
stances, mysterious silence, SC. &c together with
me confirmation OF his own unguaIded confess
~ nj fhA E--t y
reaching the scat of government in his distressed
and perplexing dilemma, was 10 call on Mr. Crayv-
lord TO ascertain the state of his health He still
ionnd Mr. Crawford out of the question But why
anu Mr. Clay enquire into the fact, ii Mr.. Crawford
was already precludcd from Mr.. Clay's vote, in
consequence of the small number of votes given
hun by the electoral colleges, 10 saw nothing of
the other considerations of public nature which
would have deserved cXamination:'' The cXclu-
sion OF MIR. Crawford from his favor on patriotic
principles, being settled, what the difficulty in
relation 70 MS course between Adams and jackson?
MT. Clay had made up his mind early in Novem-
Der: no new facts in relation TO the prctensons of
these TWO candidates, were expected TO be disclos-
cd nor were any attempted TO be ierreted out
ne nad informed his friends early in November
That ne " ould vote for Adams. Where then was
me necessity for conceament and mystery at
W ashlngton! Why not have acted there, towards
the public, with the same frankness and candor as
he says he had done in November 10 his Kentucky,
friends: But this would not comport with the men
ASSS III me drCn lntrlguer. Henry Cfay
hat IS not his straightforward way of donr busi
ness lie, nevertheless, yet had 10 deliberate upon
the duties OF the new attitude most cruelty imposed
upon hm-he still had his duty elect01- fol. The
rhoPLE conScienfi0ttSty to perTOrB,t-he must
make doubly sure of his work from his pure and
dlslnterested love of the dear PeOple-nothing for
the pitliul, diminutive atom of self-magnaniInitv
patriotism and popular duty reigned supreme in
ms oreaSt' therefore 1t was meet and proper still
10 deliberate and ponder this weighty concern
OF the nation, TO the last of
SO ne dld and so he boasts to the world that HE
DID but strange to tell, Mr. CLAW, in his late
address, ms last and only hope of proving the in
nocence of his peypleritieS presses the proof of
matter, that should and assuredly ,co,,ld with in
genuous, honorable men, clear off the dark 81
nuosltes OF mental reservation have sI,ncrce
ded the further possibility of doubts, perplexities,
and mysterious silence after arriving at Washin.
ION; To "it-NIhat he had made up his mind as
early as October preceding, to vote for Mr. Adams
III preference 70 Gen. Jackson ltylder ann cjrc,,n
stances and that il would have been disreputable
III him 90 vote for Gen Jackson that no considora
qon whatever could have induced him TO vote for
Jackson Nay, he goes farther nc attempts 10
prove that, after arriving at Washington he gave
J"H P"0fcny to his original intention to vote for
Adams : and here, at least his evidence totally
fails him He produces a certificate from General
Lafayette, that "Mr. Clay told him in the latter
part oil December, he would vote for Mr. Adams
bl.t lnark the trait OF tuH PublicityD Gen Lafa-
ye''e expressly states that he considered the in
r.
senator Johnston the same thng-that he uould
vote ior hr. Adams. True, Mr. Johnston does not
state whether his information was confidential but
ne most certainly did act upon it as a confidential
matter lor, although public curiosity was a tin
Toe Tor tins very information il does not appear that
MI Johnston communicated it to any BODY else.
put Kept II snugly concealed in his own bosom ar
maze use OF II SU6 rosa, 10 further the secret pur
poses OF Mr.. Clay's ''mySteriOus silence Hero
then, Mr.. Clay's evidence proves the ver,, onno'
site fact, TO that for which it vas introducei-tha+
nc niade confidential communication TO those
gentlemen, and not 4 public one. Nav. il is Mt
terly futile in Mr.. Clay, in one place TO contend
-lor what he denies with his own words in another
passage, the publicity fhiS intention, when nnb
lie curiosity absolutely at fault i'm its ef5rt ~
penetrate his righteousness. Bl1t WIN did bo
not IN good earnest, make it public He has
great ldcIhtles OF coming before the public when
ne Is moved to DO so, & in manner too that does
not lall TO receive nOtoriGty He does mt evan
ciam IoF eXtenuation Of his failure 10 come 5road
Out the puerility OF practising a 0tti- ,,pon tbe
public for the amusement of himself md f;a,'.Is
however iic may have ventured TO INDULGE this 4, :
Vorite and highly gifted vein towards DISTINGUISHED
individuals and propagate The exGuiite art for tle
PIdcuce ana edihcation of his devoted adherents.-
out perhaps we may not yet despair of this being
iOuhd among his future recruits TO sustain the C,F
loIn hope of defending the citadel of his in,ocenrc
III ,hcn we shall feel ourselves at liberty in the
",iAee styIc, TO guess what might have been the
rear motive OF this avowed mystcrv Our ouess
nome'tT' shal be under the guidance of the best
Iights OF our small share of the reasoning flcultv
UT clay, then, must have had some ycrv po,vcr-
lul mOtlve-a motive of Infinitely greater nnndero
sity ana more serious bearing than a mere purie
ainuscment--when he td'& the precaution 10 pro-
Vue himself with the semblancc of nivipc pubIici
- " MS intention, while, in fact, he was studi-
OuS'y careful to envelope them in mystery. The
essential character Of mystery is renro,cH 70 nh
hclty and candor. Yet TO suit his defence IN tLe