The Arkansas advocate., 1830-08-11

and the idea never crossed my mind that he could be rival of mine or that had any interest in detracting from his mer- it's. Col. Sevier was himself, believe, sensible that he had taken wrong view of the subject, and the matter would long since have been forgotten but for the officious intermeddling of other persons. regret that any explanation of this af- fair should have been called for from fife. have evinced for CoI. Sevier my confidence and personal regard, uninfu- enced by any selfish motive; but, much as value his friendship, do not solicit him or his friends to identify themselves with me. ] feel entirely competent to vindicate my conduct against any assail- ment.
 claim no merit with the people here, for being a .Iackson-man or the contrary. For Gen. Jackson I have had a high respect and great personal regard. l contributed, l believe, as much to his elevation to the Presiden- cy as any one man in the United States, and if every thing which has occurred since he came into office does not ac- cord with my feelings or judgment, have never used towards the President the language of ill-nature or disrespect. In the exercise of the power of ap- pointment, l have not, nor shall make mere matter of opinion test. One of the first and most cherished princi- pies of this Government Is the freedom of opinion, and a mans mere opinion ol any public character Is very slight eg- idence of his worth. But, standing in the relationI do to the Government, should be unwilling to appoint to office a reyiIer of the President.
 With regard to thestatements of con versations gentlemen may have had with me, I will neither admit nor deny them. Iassure the editor of the Advo- cate, &c., without any intention of en- tering into any controversy on tic sub- jeet, that l have not the slightest recol- lection of the remarks imputed to me. A part of them ] understand, are deri- ved from the friends of Mir. Clay, in Kentucky, and it seems strange that the Glay-men there should, through Mr. Bertrand, assail me for the efIuson oi nagnanimous feelings in t conyiyal mo ment. If the expression of "a liberal sen timent about Mir. Clay, is offensive to 1 him or his friends, and to be ascribed to selfish motives, ! will try and sin no more. I am not in the habit of puf- ting a man to-day and abusing him to- morrow, according to circumstances, in- terest, and policy. When ) speak ot men, l endeavor to treat them with fair ness and candor, and my friendship and respect for them is more regulated by my opinion of their merit than theiI party opinions.
 now take leave to tell the editor oI the Advocate, and every anonymous writer, thatI will respond to no state ments of conversations, unless the gen tleman who held it with me will publish 1t, and put his real name. With regard to what occurred at Louisville, the day before l left there, in company with Gen. Hynds, Judge Underwood, and il is said, Mir. Penn, have only to say that if any thing passed which merits a place in the public prints or a special communication to Gen. Jackson, Gen Hynds or Mir. Penn, his warm friends or Judge Underwood, friend of MT, Clay, are at liberty to make 1t known, They will be deemed by me competent and credible witnesses. But l protest against the tales of spies, informers, or retailers of the casual conversations oi gentlemen, and especially on conViyial occasions. Of Mir. Clay ! have uni formily spoken in terms of respect, as both his and my friends we'll know. Du. ring the most violent contests we ever had, little or no personal animosity en- tered into them. MT. Clay disclaimed personal hostility on his part, and cer- tainly felt none. We contended, as we said, for principle, and possibly for polit- ical pre-eminence in the state, and were both violently assailed by the friend: of each other. In the hottest of the battle, about the year 1916, a warn supporter of MT. Clay, and a violent enemy of mine, observed to me, on 3 convivial occasion, that Clay, from the 1 grog-shop up to the palace, was one O the smartest fellows God had ever made In which l concurred. He is distin guished man, and, when right, eminent 1 ly qualified to be an efficient, usefu