Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-26
Richmond, Saturday, March 20.
MR.. STEVENSON.


MR.. STEVENSON
Mr.. Clay's Report from the Committee Foreign
Relations, deserves a cursory notice. Why il pub
lisled at all Why take il out of the ordinary pro-
in the National nrilyenccrs BY whurn was the publ
cation prompted aud why the exceponablc caption,
which uumpes il into notice. Why is il stated that
'the Senate, which remained in We'd
nesday until rery late hour confirmed tie nomination of
MI. Stevenson as Minister to Engandi" Does the In
ellgencer mean to say, that the nomination occupied
the Senate til late hour, when the lntellgencer must
have known that it was made by o'clock Did it mean
to insinuatc that the Opposition had been arduous and
protracted, when all the Senate will acknowledge that
argument wasame and mpotent, almost bcy xanples
The Caption also States that there three
majors, (Alcssrs. Webster Kent and Leigh) who
Gall opposed TO the nomination. For what purpose
this gratuitous assertion made, and how did Mcssrs
Gales a. Seaon get at the fact Had they seen tho
Senators or was ii on the authority Of others and from
whom?
Was MIR. Clay not, concerned in the caption and
in the publication OF The Repori' We know that aner
MIR. Stevenson rejected in 1884, there was u long
article in the lnteigenccr, supposed to have writ
ten by Mr. Clay 1t attributed TO him by the Globe
The charge was repeated in this paper We freely crit-
cised the arcle--charged it upon him the tine-and
il never denied Is Mr. Clay PLAYING the sa,ne
game at iis time Is his resentment against Andrew
Stevenson never to be appeased? We do hesitate TO
say that the present Reports garbled statement of the
iacts The Mr. Clay has copied such parts
letters seemed 10 suit his purpose and has used
them entirely for effect Would not have more Just
to have given the whole Extracts they published
in 1884 The author of the Intelgencer article com
planned, in 1884, that all our letters laid before
she has only to commission of honor the Let
tiers, which in possession, and he shall be
fully gatifed. The truth is, there is nothing in them,
tor which we need TO blush would wish TO conceal
II speaks our opinions freely public matters and with
the exception of one passage which relates dis,n-
gushed man, in his grave there is noting which
zoe would TO keep back from the public eycT'-And
now MIR Clay himself throws into his Report Only gar
bed extracts from these extracts!
We also uen met the charges against Mr. Stevenson
which were drawn from Mr. Livingston note our own
Letters to Messrs Stevenson and Lewis, and the dis
lCpln ra1U Of Mr. 49,
the Enquirer in these words:
" II Is not true that we wrote TO Major Lewis at the
instance Of the Speaker. He showed Mr. Iivingsons
letter, that is uennd in the of very free
full conversation with him, we told him that had al.
ready seen hints In the newspapers about this
raj other appointments being be made, which we
thought ought not to be filled during the recess but in
an extraordinary emergency-ihat had already
thought OF writing 10 Washington about them andthat
much wished him TO 30 TO London. we thought he
and they ought not TO be appointed under present cir
that we should so rite TO Wosbing,n
Mr. Stevenson not only acquesced in this course but Sc
conded with the greatest zeal He said ought not
TO hesitate upon but wife in the fullest and irces
manner that he did not wish go, under such circum
stances-tiat he did wish any great principle TO be
sacrificed on his account that great Glamour created
which many appointments would raise against the Ad
ministraon. Where, in all this, any disposition to
intrigue with us, with the people at Washington,
Where, any selfish desire of looking TO his interest,"
when the whole movement went thwart him i'm an OBJ
Ject when, according to his own enemies, and
dear TO his hear?'
The facts are that Mr. Stevenson was not ambitious
OF being sent TO London at the expense of Consu
on-and that even after receiving Mr. Livingston eos-
tingent note he did know chen he would he sen.
or ,oheher he would be ultimately at all He had
no need TO shape his conduct in the Chair the House
OF Representatives as TO obtain subsequent nominal
ton. Ills attachment TO the Administration was too
well KNOWN to require any such concession, and he did
make no due concession in order to obtain it, So clear
wasa this, that after the Senate had rejected hi M and
upon the false grounds too, which they had taken he
received the thanks of the House, for the manner i'm
which he had conducted himself in the Chair-a com
Pliment, which he begged his friends not ask for
while his nomination before the Senate lest it might
have The appearance OF bearing down upon them.-1he
note of Mr. Livingston little else than the cover for
MIR. Clays opposition in 1894 For had not TINT gen
eman declared in the Senate long before the nonina-
ton made LIS letter heard Of that he would re.
Ject the nomination of any member of Congress Mr.
Clay best knows, whether this declaration was thrown
threat to influence the conduct of the neaker
Did not four FIVE of his political friends vote for
the confirmation in 1884 and regard his opposition az
fecous and unounded? We are compelled by crcuni-
stances believe, that his opposition 10th fancy and
Stevenson marked by odous spirit of 6erse-
cuton; and thousands of his friends have dsopproved Of
IT, But he has kept up this feeling, and the Report be.
fore u.s. seems now TO be made and be usheIed FORTH
TO crafty and "ced fat his grudge against Mr. Steven
son: IL is the last poisoned arrow he has directed
against him.-Why, once more, cannot MIR Clay rise
above the msts of party and show forth that generous
and magnanimous spirit which distinguished his earlier
years9
Of all men living, ought not MIR. Clay TO be the last
man now to talk about the power and influence of the
Speakers Chair We speak without the slightest per-
sona rancour, but in all the soberness OF truth that per-
haps no man has perverted its privileges party
purposes and ambitious aspirations as Mr. Clay. When
come him Did he himself not 90 from that
Chair TO fCo Of tile highest Offices in the Government
os Minister to Client, and as Secretary of States
Did he not in 1924 the Chair for the purpose Of
electng President Of the w. States did be not then
accept the first Executive appointment the stepping
stone to the Presidency, by the cline Of safe precedens?
Was there not strong in the Senate against his
confirmation, on the ground of his improper conduct
BY reference TO files, find that Ia Senators voted
against him---and the following charge was made bv
one OF the Senators (Gov Banch) the Lirne--'I am
not prepared TO assert positively that corruption mingled
with this transacton but this much feel authorised TO
say and believe, that the circumstances connected with
the Presidential election and this nomination are su
cent TO fix the public mind the strongest suspicion
that they hare Leen eheated Of their rights by coTup-
ton and intrigue land yet this is the mode of Flee
ton which the Wings wish 10 carry out and among
them, doubt, Governor Branch hImsefD-Amon9
these IA Senators, are tie of Andrew Jackson,
Nathaniel Macon, Llttlcton Waller Tazewell, J. McP.
Berrien, Robert Hayne, Cobb, Branch, &c.
This charge repeated both in and out of Con.
gress, by high and honorable What did George
McDufe say Of him and his cofduct the session of
1896 p" Let (said Mr.. McDuffe) what part
the present Secretary of State (l Clay in this
eecton and how ii consisted with his position his duty
and his avowed political principles. In the first place
then, say in round terms, that Mr. Clay made the Pre-
sidenI in opposition TO decided majority Of the people
he represented and of the whole Union 1t is too obvi.
that Mr. Clay sacrificed his political animoses and
his political princpeshis duty to himself and his duty
TO his country, the unhailoed shrine Of ambition
es, SIR, ambition, corrupt ambition, that sin by which
the angels fell. Am asked for proof answer il is
full and satisfactory II the common case of sale
IN market, and none bat Of the mcs coDsnm
mate boldness and effontery could hold up his head
~ society, alter such transaction. Sir have but lit
Tie claim 10 set myself up standard Of political mo-
fayj but soemny declare, that there extreme OF