Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-05

or oi,rs of any kind were made by Mr. Clay or his
friends 70 MIR. Adams or his iiiends vote for him
or support him if he would make mir. Clay Secre-
tary o state; TO Gen. jackson or his friends 10
vote Tor him or support him. ii he could obtain the
Office OF Secretary of State under him nor do |
believe Mr.. Clay would have taken the office I'M
der him Inc had been elected.
cannot believe the statement made 20 General
jackson, nor DO believe that Mr.. Clay made or
authorized any Of his friends TO make oycrtures TO
him, directly or indirectly, because know shat Mr.
Clay Intended 70 vote against him. know Mr.
Clay had determined 60 vote for bir. Adams as
early as October 1924, if the election should de-
volve upon the House of Representatives in Con-
gress, with his own name excluded from thc list
In this cannot be mistaken, because he told me
50 expressly. He may have forgotten what he
said 10 me, but the substance Of the conversation
Is fresh IN memory with myself, and will endca-
Vor TO detail such portions OF il, viii eyince his
preposSesions III favor OF N.Y. Adams as well his
hXed intent 70 vote for him.
Mr.. Adams we all know, was elected on the 9th
OF February, 1925. The prevailing opinion YOU
VIII FccoNect, as early as January 1924, ii not
earlier was that none oftte candidates would OBJ
tain majority Of the whole number of electoral
votes, (26l), and it was expected as a matter OF
course, that the eventual election would deyol,-e
upon the House Of Representatives.. The friends
OF MIR. Clay believed that he worid ro before the
House one OF the three highest on The list of
candidates; but this was not certain, and on the
contrary il was reasonable TO suppose that he mich;
tul. In looking forward 70 a failure on his part 6,
10 the possible events and consequences which
inight follow, was frequently brought 20 consi-
der which of the other three candidates OUGHT 10
be preferred as Chief Magistrate of the nation
Ii Is enough 20 say, without dwelling upon mat
ters concerning myself, that concluded as early
as February 1921, 10 vote for Mr.. Adams az q Sc
cond choice in the event of Mr.. Claws exclusion
from the House; subject Of all times tua change of
opinion Tor such reasons ought 20 influence the
Judgment OF public agent, DESTROYS Of discharg-
ing his public trusts faithfully and honestly; and
intending at the proper season 10 consult f,v and
freely with the rest of my colleagues; holding my
self az liberty all along TO consider the claims of
MIR Crawford, if his health should be restored.
which, however, thoughtiinprobable, if not i'm
Po'Sinlc. IL so happened, that the honorable Ro-
bert Trimh,e, then Judge of the Federal Court
Tor Inc District of Kentucky, and now one of the
Justices Ct the Supreme court of tho u. S, came
TO the City OF Washington, in the month Of Febru-
airy 1924, and well remember that | conyersed
WIN nm freely upon the subject Of the election
L informed him of my preference for Mr. Adams
as asecond choice, and explained TO him the nrin
cipes and views OF policy which would govern me
IN making the selection. i gave him my opinion
oil Mr.. Adams as statesman, and probably went
SO iar as 10 mention some OF my objections 10 Gen
erai Jackson. The recollections OF Judge Trimble
on the subject have been asked fo. and if received
in time shall be enclosed
My preference TO Mr.. Adams was strengthened
by the occurrences of the session ending in MAY
Il
ne ard, that the bitterness of opposition 10 measures
In iaVor OF agriculture, internal improvements and
domestic manufactures had increased and was in
creasing in the South, and was satisfied that the
american System policy, including our Western
interests in il, could not be sustained in Conoress
without the cooperation ofmembers in favor of the
; ystem from the Eastern States, as.yell as from
the Middle and the Western States | concluded
ana rightly too think, time will show that the
best II not the only way to ensure the success of
lhe american System, and sustain our Wester,
interests in it, would be 10 elect Mr. Adams if Mr.
Clay should be defeated
IN this state of mind met with Mr.. Clay, IF
frankfort in Kentucky, about the first of October
lozi. 1t was my impression at the time, from the
news OF the day, and other sources of int,rn,.t;o
that Mr. Crawford would get some sixty ny seye
" electoral votes and that Mr.. Clay would be lef,
out OF the House. We conversed for some fine
aooutthe election; and in the course OF CONVERGE
ton, alter speaking freely to him about his own
chances and prospects, asked him which of the
other candidates he would vote for in tho e,ent NJ
iaiure on his part: He sail that The ereylt suDDo
sed would place him in delicate attitude baf6r,
the House and nation that Il choice snnono HE
conpe'orS under any aspect oft, would be painful
ana embarrassing hat from recent iniorIna,io,
the restoration OF Mr.. Crawford's health was en-
urely hopeless, and that he could not consistently
WIN ms principles vote for General Jackson rnder
any possible circumstances. / gave il as NV oDi
MON, that General Jackson was not o,,aI;fod =.
and
complicated duties, foreign and domestic: To ths
ne agreed, & added that the impartial world would
probably consider Mr.. Adams better qualified than
either jackson, Crawford, or himself: That at all
events crawford asldeD the difference in point Of
qualification was so clear and obvious in favor Of
Adams that his motives might be questioned bv
impartial men, If he should vote for jackson. and
that he would be unable to defend the vote he
cause IN his own judgment it would afford lust
ground OF cenSure.
He made several cfiao{i,rs to o.
IN the course Of his remarks expressed himself de-
cidcdly hostile TO the selection of military r,er ~
administer the civil government of free nations. No
nation, he Sadh had ever done with IMMUNITY: The
warnings OF history were against it He considered
II bad example, & a dangerous experiment s. de-
cldred that he would not give It the sanction of 2
precedent IN our government by any act of his
lie turned the conversation to the Seminole war
ana 10 the occurrences connected with it-referred
10 the constitutional princinlae which
were brought forward and supported nv hjroseIc
and Mr. Lowndes and others in the course Of tbe
deD1te upon that subject, and declared that he
could not consent 70 place Gen. jackson at the
mead Oh tile nation, after seeing him tra1nple upoo
the Constitution, and violate the rights OF hurnani
~ as he had done at the head Of the arIny in The
progress of that war.
made some reference TO the supposed diG.r
ence Of opinion between himself aud MIR Adamq
about the Treaty o.! Ghent- lie said in reply. that
It had been greatly magnifed by the friends &C he
competitors for electioneerinr purnos,s. MT Il
ought to have no influence in the vote which he
might be called upon TO give; that, if be was weak
enough 70 allow his personal feelings 10 influence
ms Puonc conduct, there would be 10 chongc in
bis mind on that account. because he y,s fb 5,,,c
much worse terms with Gen. Jackson aiout fbe
Seminole war, than he could ever be wilh Mr..
Adams about che treaty Of Ghcni but that in the s
lection Of Chief Magistrate for the Union he
would endeavor TO disregard all private feelings,
and look entirely 20 the interests of the Count y
and the safety Of its institutions