The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-01-10

| OfHEHRy Clay 10 The PtbHe containing eer
tan fedim9nia's an refuiriion Of The chugcg
against hin. mate b. Gen Anareic ,Jaelso,
touching he last Presidential Election.
MEMO. Il vas my intention ~ have pub
hshed the testimony, now laid before the Pnb.
lie. Al an earlier period but unavoidable de.
lav. in the collection OF IT, has retarded the ex
ecuton Of that intention. The letter Of Gen
Lafayette aud ather important documents
have been but lately received and others
which had lust reason to expect, have not vet
been obtained II
hope no apology TO the public is necessary
for presenting 10 it these pages lam deceived
/ Il an ample Justification Of the act will not be
found in the breast OF every just aud honorable
man I'm officer of Government should moi
De too sensitive, neither should hr be too caIlnus.
to assaults upon his character When they
/ relate 20 the wisdom expediencv Of measures
which he NAV have originated Or supported he
| should silently repOSe IN the candor and good
! sanse of the community, and patiently await ihc
+ Developments Of time and experience But
il his integrity be vitality assaulted ifthe hnsest
and most dishonorahle motives for his public
conduct he a,crlbed 10 him he owes il 10 his
country, his friends. his family AID himsclf to
! yindcate his illuminated reputation Few
men so elevated that the shafts Of canmnv
cannot reach them. These may securely trust
30 the inv'Ilnerable position which they have at
tanned The United States have perhaps NTH.
: erto produced hut man who could look
down from his lofty height without emotion
upon the missiles and the malice of his enemies
! FOR even he had his enemies. II the malignant
+ character Of cnnrges the acrimooy with which
/ they have cen asserted and repeated, or the
per -eycrance which has MA lled their propaga-
! ton. could ever authorize an appeal to the pub.
/ liz l tbinl I m AZ truI, hi I baU ~,
lthoriiv. For three wears have been the object
| ofmcrSsant abuse; every art. every species
! Of misrepresentation, has been emnloNcd a
gainst me. The most innocent actS--aCts Of or
/ dinaly social intercourse, a. of common clyilifv,
Offices Of hospitality. even passing saIutation.
/ have been misrepreSentcd and perverted 10 NV
/ prejudice, with anuutairness unprecedented Cir.
cumstanCes have hpenassumed which, had no ex-
/ stencc aud differences have been drawn from
! them which had they been reel, they would
not have warranted. Besides my enemies have
themselves appealed to the public, exhibited their
/ charees, and summoned their witnesses 10 its
( Ear. Ready now, md anxious as | am. and al
ways have bcen,to submit any act ofmv pub
lie life to n full examination before any impair
tial and respectable tribunal whatever surel,
may Expect, at lrSst that shall be patiently
hr4r1 by that which my aCcusars have them
scves selected. assure them that VIII present
ne plea Ia the jurisdiction.
| But drsrrouS as naturally am 10 rcpel the
calumnies winch have b. " q. ectrd against me.
the public would have brru pared the trouble
Of y rIsng his address. if ecu. Jackson had
not m the course Of the last spring and sum
me-, given 10 them the open sanction of his
name. In hs letter to Nh Beverly Of the 9Th OF
Jun last, he ldmits that, in nfcfrinc nv phi.
sity to the proposition which he Describes as
{
injustice AMI. in his address 10 the publieoftbe
lsfh Of July last giying up the name of this gen
tlemen, As hi, only witness h" repeat, that he
possibly NAV have done me injustice in assam.
Ing my authority fol that proposition lie -
ven deigns 10 honor me with declaration Of the
pleasure which ne will experience. III should
be able TO acquit mSSelf Mr. Buchanan has
been heard b. the public; aud | feel justified
m asse' thug that the first impression Of the
whole nation was, rs it IS vet thai "a every intel
iisent mind unbiased by party prejudice. that
lis testimony fully exoncrafed me, and de-
nonstrated that General Jackson, to say no
more, had greatly misconCrived the purport oil
the interview between them And further
that, so far as any thing improper was dscIos-
ed by Vi 4. touching the lafe Presidential r-
lection il affected Cen. Jackson and bis friends
exclusively He having manife'fly injured me
speculation was busy, when Vi Buchanan ',
statement appeared. as TO the course which the
General would pursue, after his grntutous eX'
precision OF sympathy with me There were
not wanting mauv persons, who bcllrved that
his mcgnau initg would immediately prompt hiul
publicly 10 retract his argc, aud 10 repair the
wrong which hr had done me did not par
ticpatc IN that JHst expectation, and therefore
felt no III appointment fhatii was not realized
Whatever 9th merits he may possess | have
a.,
lat.oas With him thai of torbcarng 70 indulge
vindict>e ssous His Si'en, interpolation
Of. il not his positive acquiescrncc in, the mos
eNtraordnalv lntcrpr ta,ou OF Mr.. Buchanan =
| ateu,naf, that ever MS given n human lmt-
Euagr, has no Surp Is me- II II had been
possible for INN o. reniet me an act of spontan-
eous Justice. by \ frank and manly ayowal of a.,
error. the testimony now submitted to the pub
lie might have been unna ccsi,ary.
Although feel iully persuaded mat the com
munitv. under nv peculiar circumstances, Will
see, without dissatisfaction If mol v th cordial
appropriations THO further effort 10 rescue nv
ch tractcr from uumelit.d mputafiuus should
nevertheless hive remained sflcnt. x cheeriu.i2
abided its drcision, on tn dscin.ucs ard ex-
danatons heretofore made. i'll bad no addition
nj facfc 20 olIrr to lis consideration. But Il bu-
dt al highly impnrtam evidence has been col
lecscd establishing somc uIftrrial c'rcumstan-
ces not before generally known and confirm
inc others gi which the public Is already in pos
session; and have thought 1t due to the occa-
sion not to withhold it.
Gen. Jackson having autrelN failed 10 estab-
list hv any affirmative evidcar,. either, posi-
tive o, pre .1nDtive, tr Charge w.t,cb he thought
proper 10 promulgate a"aiusi M. It occurred
10 mr. thar II might be pos lble, difficult rs the
taS1 generally IS 10 substandte negative. 10