Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-01-17
APPENDIX TO Mr.. CLAYS ADDRESS,
CoufiD,lSd
Pans, Ken. J .4gg. Is, lS2

DEAR SIR: LII consequence of my
absence from home, | did not receive
your letter Of the 9th of July, until at
Ger my return from the Court at Co
lnmbus, Ohio, on Monday evening,
the 9th inst.
You request me to state the substance
OF conversation which took place
betweenus at the City Of Washington,
in February or March, 1924, after
having visited Mr.. Crawford together,
in relation to the then next Presiden.
tial election.
The occasion has passed over in
which statement of that conversation
wonld have been OF any direct service
toyou to know what my recollection is
of the conversation alluded to, / will
state it.
While in the City, in February and
March, 1924, | visited Mr.. Craw-
ford several times 1 recollect, per
fectly, that, on one occasion, you and
went together to pay him wish of
respect, as we both entertained for
him very highregard In going to,
and returning from Mr. Crawford's
we conveEsed freely about his health,
aud on the subject Of the approaching
Presidential election; aaFkl have a
distinct recollection OF wnan passed,
after leaving him, on our way to our
lodgings. at Brown sg2u asked
me what shought OF Mr.. CrAwford's
health, and of the probability OF lis
restoration, so as TO enable MIN h.
discharge the duties OF President.
answered, that my opinion was decis
lively against the probability of his re
covery, so as to be able 10 undergo the
labors, and discharge the duties Of the
Office; and that / thought his restora
ton so as to Justify his election, nigh
be considered hopeless. | added my
conviction that he coEid not recover.
and that his life would be endangered
until he quit his present Office and leli
the city with all bis cares and troubles
behind him. You expressed your en-
tire concurrence; and remarked, that
you had wished to know whether ny
deliberate views of bis condition cor
responded with those you had previous
ly formed The conversation turned
upon the probability OF the election OF
President coming ultimately before the
House of Representatives We con
Cured in opinion, that, from the mum
Der of candidates, il was improbable
any one would have majority of the
Electoral votes; and that if Mr.
Crawford's friends continued to enter
tain hopes of bis recovery, and to press
his claims 10 The Presidency, it was
doubtful whether he or Mr Clay
would be left out Of the House You
expressed the opinion that, (CIay
side, Mr.. Adams was the safest and
best choice, and that the friends of
domestic manufactures, ought to unite
upon him in the event of Mr.. CIay's
exclusion from the House You re
marked, that you had once entertained
some prejulices against Mr.. Adams
as a statesman. but that the more you
had seen of him as statesman the
more you bad been convinced, these
prepossessions were not well founded.
You alluded 10 the tariff bill Of 1924
then under discussion in Congress; ex-
pressed your determination to support it
as system OF protection TO domestic
manufactures; aud said, if you should
have to vote, as "a member of the
House of Representatives in the cleo
ton of President, you weuld vote for
the man who, and whose friends, you
should think most favorable to wha,
you called the American System
You said that Mr.. Clay had been the
great champion of that system; that if
we lost him, you thought Mr. Adams
and his friends, next most favorable
to it; that you could not, and would
not vote for any man who. and whose
friends, you believed to be united 10
opposition to il; that some of Mr..
Adams friends were opposed to it.
but many Of them in favor Of it, and
that you believed his opinions were
favorable to The system i remarked,
that it was, perhaps, TOO early to make
up decisive opinion, in the even, of
the election coming into the House of