Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-01-02
PRINTED AED PUBLISHED,
DANg
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY ., 1928.
an ADDRESS of HENRY CLaYto the P0BLIc'

Containing certain Testimonials in Retaliation OF the
Charges against him, made by Gen. Andrew Jack
son. touching the last Presidential Election.
I hope no apology 10 the public is necessary
for presenting 10 it these pages. am deceiv-
ed If an ample lusIihc alton OF the act Will not
be found in the breast of every just and hon
orable man. If an officer Of Government
s1ouId not be too sensitive neither should he
De TOO callous, 10 assaults upon his character.
When they relate 10 The wisdom or expectancy
of measures which he may have originated or
supported; he should silently rep1se IN the cam
dor and good sense Of the community, and
patiently await the developments OF time add
experience. BIT il his integrity be vitality as
sailed; if the basest and most dlshnnorahie
motives for his public conduct be a,cribed 70
him; he owes it 20 the country, his friends, his
family and himself 10 vindica'c his ca)umua>
tee, reputation Few men are so elevated that
the shafts Of calumny cannot reach them.
These NAV securely trust 10 the in'ulnerahle
position which they have attained The Unit
ed States have perhaps hitherto produced hui
one man who could Inok down from his l'itv
height, without emotion, upoa The missiles
the malice of his enemies, FOR even he had has
enemies. If the malignant character of char
eres, the acrmony with which they have been
asserted and repeated, or the perseverance
which has marked their propagation, could
ever authorize an appcaiIo the pubic, thl"S
| may truly say, that have this authority
For three years have been The ohJfci oil lnc's
SAINT abuse; every art, every species OF miSrtp-
resentation, has been employed against me.
The most Innocent act'-acis OF ordinary SO.
ciaI intercourse, and OF common civility-"hi
ces of hosp;tali,y, even a passing saluta,ion;
have been misrepresentCd and perverted, to my
preiudice, with an unihirness unprecedented
circumstances have been assumed, which, had
no existence, and differences have ben Lawn
from them which, had they been real, they
would not have warranted. Besides, my enc
mics have themselves appealed TO the public,
exhibited charges, and summoned their wltnts
ses TO its Bar. Ready now ana anxious as
am, and aLhys have been, to submit any act
OF nv public life 10 full examination before
any impartial aud respectable tribunal whate-
ever, surely may expect, al least, that shsh
be patiently heard BY ,haI which my accnS'rs
have themselves selected. | assure them sha'
Twill preseat the plea to the jurisdiction
But DESTROYS as | naturally am TO r'pel the
cslrmnies which have been directed against
me, the public would have been spared the
trouble Of pcrsning this address, if Gen. Jack
son had not in The course OF the last Spring
Summer, given TO them the open SANCTION oil
his name. In lis letter TO Mr.. Beverly oil the
9th of June last he admits that, in inierring my
nriyi,y TO the proposition which he describes
as borne hv Mr.. Buchanan, he may have done
me Injustice; and, in his address to the pubie
Of the Sln of July last, giving up the name oil
this gentleman, as his only witness, he repeats
that ne possibly may have done me inJnslice
in assuming my authority for that proposition.
He even deigns to honor me with decIara-
ton Of the pleasure which he viii experience
if / should be able to acqutt myself! M bu.
cbanan has been heard by the pubic; and ieel
justified in asserting that the first impression
Of the whole nation was, as it is yet that al
every intelligent mind unbiased by party pre-
iudice, that his testimony fully exanera'ed me.
and demonstrated that Gen Jackson, 10 say no
more, had greatly mis- onceived the pnrport oil
the interview between them. And Further; that
so far as arv thing improper was disclosed by
MI b. tou, hing the late Decentralization.
il affected Gen. Jat kson and his frehds e1clu>
sieeiv. He bavtug manfestly injured me, c
culation was busy, when Mr.. Buchanan's s'ate-
ment sppe Ired, as to the course which tue "eN-
eral would pursue, after his gra,uitons express
sion of sympaIhy with me. There were not
wanting many persons, who believed that his
magnanimity would Immediately prompt him
sublicly 20 retract bis charge, and 10 repair the
wrong which he had done me. | did not par
,icipate IN that just expe1'ai'"' anu ''',."
felt no disappointment that II was not reai,zeo'
Whatever other merits be may posses, have
not found among them, in the course Of my
relations with him, that Of iorbeaiinS to IN
dulge vindicti,e passions. His silent con'em-
piation Of, if not his positive. acqu'escenee IN,
the most extraordinary Interpretation OF MIR.
Ruchan,n's statement that ever was given TO
hnman language, has not surprise me. lit
had been possible for him TO render me an AT
of spontaneous justice, by frank and manly
= ayowal Of his error, the testimony now submit
ted to the public might have been unnecessary
Although ! feel fully persuaded that the
community, under my peculiar circumstances,
will see, without dissatisfaction, if no, with
cordial appreciation, this further effort 10
rescue INV character from unmerited imputa,
tations, 1 should nevertheless have remained
silent and cheerfully abided its decision, on 'he
disclosures and explanations heretofore made,
fI had no additional facts TO offer to its con-
.;J-rat;on. But a body Of highly important