Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-01-23
From the National Journal.
Prom
NEW TESTIMONY IN FAVOR OF MIR. CLAY.


NEW TESTIMONY IN FAVOR OF MR. CLAY.
As some Of the Opposition Editors insinuate
that the testimony which is appended TO the
late address Of Mr. Clay, is not worthy OF cre-
din bee il is the evidence OF individuals
implicated in the charge, and consr queniy,
interested in his exculpa,ion, we subJoln Iesll-
mony Of different character he new GROUND
lax n. very partially, il Is true, by the enemies
of Mr.. CLAW. IS al admission that IT the testl-
mpny had come from individuals NOT iinPilca-
Gated. il would have been sufficient for his VIM
dication
The charge in Carter Beverly's letter is thus
expressed: "He Gen Jlckssn ,old me, pc
fore all his Company, sc. that Mr.. Iiay
friends made proposition to his trends, that
if ,Ley would promise for him not tn PIT Mr..
Adam, into the seat ofSecrstary of State, Clay
and his friends would in one hour make him
(Jackson) the President"
GIN. Jackson himself says-"E Early in Janu-
airy, 1925, a member Of Congress OF high res
pectabilt, Vi lied me one morning, and "bser-
we'd that he had communication h" was desl
rous To make TO m; thai he was informed a
great intrigue was going on" sc. vi o which
IN subsistence, ! replied, sc. and requested him
TO say 10 Mr. Cay and his friends, (tor did
suppose I've h I'd come from Nr. Clay, although
he used the terms, Mr.. Ciay's frienos,) that
before ! would reach the Pres initial Chair by
means of bargain and corruption, would see
thc earth open and swallow both MIR. Clay and
his Fl lends, aud mysrlf with them" 9Th" Sc
cond day alter this communication and reply,
IL was announced in the newspapers, that Mr.
Clay had come out in ia, or Of Mr.. Adams"
The inference intended 10 be presented 10
the public by the conc uding paragraph, is,
IL ,f T,rtS had
,n,s answer, IN January, did MIR. Clay come
Out in favor If Mr.. Adams
On this point, all the numerous witnesses
which have been cited by Mr. Clay have deci-
dedly spoken. Bit as they. are impugned IS
interested Witnesses, we now offer to our read
ers letter from Col Brn,on, which fully COZ.
roborates the ether testimony which has been
laid bsforc the people. We presume the Jack
son Editors viii MT say that The interest OF
Col. b. mt n pc nts the acquit,al Of Mr.. Clay:
WASHINGTON CRY, Dec. 7lh, 1927
Sir: Your letter Of the 1871 ult. covering the
Lexington Virginia In,eiligencer of that dale,
has been dulyrreceived, and in answer 10 the
inquiries you put to me, have TO Stale that the
article TO Which yu invite my attention, is
subs ahtially, not verbally, correct, SO far as
represents me as saying that was informed BY
MIR Clay, ii me iorepa't Of December, 1874,
that he intended TO vote for Mr.. Adams There
Is no mist AXE n the cale, as visit which
made to your part OF Virginia about that time
enables me 10 fix it with certainty. left " ash
ingron. on that ,lsit, about The 18th Of Deem
Der. and had received the information Of Mr..
Clay before sat out, and told ii, while absent,
IN the family of my father in law Colonel NJ
Do"eil, Of your county. b.: the inference so
much Insisted upon, thai must have told the
same thi'g ~ Mr.. Eaton AID other Of his poIi.
iCal friends, is wholly erroneous; for having no
authority from Mr.. Clay to promulgase his in
tenrions, ! OILY spoke Of them n-lhe bosom Of
private family al two hundred miles distance
from Washington. Since tina, period, and
especially during The present summer, l have,
on several occasions, and sometimes in the
presence OF poilIcal opponents, when the
course Of convrrs 4tion led me t. it, mentioned
VIVA, knew Of Mr.. Clay's Early inen ion to
vo e for Mr.. Adams; and in this wsy | came 20
speak oil II again, some two or three weeks
since, in the house OF my iather>in-Iaw, where
| had first spoke of il near three years ago,
aud whence, with some editions and varia-
lions, withou tue pri,ity of any one present at
the conversation. it has crep into the paper
wulch you have sent ne. No orr ever asked
my leave TO publish W al said; if any one had,
the authors OF the publication in The licking
ton paper mrgt have been spared Office
winch must have been infxpre ,siby painful
to their honorable feelings, as ! should not
have REUSED 10 the Administration any trs-
timony in my favor to 81 e, notwithstanding
the character Of the war which the great
body Of ter forces are carrying on against
me. Yours respectfully,
THOMAS II. BENTON.
MRCLAY