Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-09-24
SPECTATOR.

/ ~ ' Ny . 'aiu' we uSIee WIN the
Enquirer that it is "exactly in character
and hope Mr.. Clay will not condescend te
notice it. An angry controversy between
these two individuals would no doubt be We.
ry desirable to the Administration, in it's pre-
sent desperate fortunes, as means of raj.
lying the old Jackson feeling to its support
butwe trust it may be disappointed.
GENERAL IACKSON'S LETTER.
TO the Editor ofMe Nashville Union;
SIR have just read, in the Banner of This
day, an article addressed by Henry Clay, OF
Kentucky, to the public, the object of which
Is evidently to exculpate himself for the ca
luminous assault he made upon my character,
and that of Edward Livingston, deceased, in
his speech to the multitude on Friday last.
In the Nashville Wing, oflast Tuesday
date, the paper selected for the publication of
MIR. Clay's speech on that occasion, he is re-
ported to have used the following language
"He referred to the appointment of Edward
Livingston as Secretary of State at a time
when he was a defaulter, but said he pre-
sumcd the President did not reflect sufficient
ly upon the tendency such an appointment
would have" On the same day several gen-
tlemen of the Federal Wing party informed
me that Mr.. Clay had charged me with APP
pointing defaulters to office-and since NV
arrival at Nashville great many of nv
friends have stated that they heard Mr.. CLAWS
speech on the occasion alluded to, and that
he did declare that had appointed Mr.. Liv-
mgston Secretary of State when he was u de-
faulter.
With this evidence before me, ! cannot en-
terrain doubt that the information on which
acted when addressed you on Tuesday, is
correct-nor is at al impaired by the incul-
patton which MIR. Clay has offered to the pub
lie. knowing the man as do, know that
he would resort to some such artifce to cover
his retreat from the position into which he
had been thrown by his vain desire to CRAFTY
those who had followed him in the raccoon
and hard cider pageantry of the day. Con-
victed of making an assertion which the re-
cords of the Senate and other familiar history
proved to be false, he now attempts equality
1t by the following language: SIN arguing
''irom cause to effect, ] contended that the
appointment Of Mr.. Livingston was perni-
'cious precedent; that it was virtual procla-
'mation to all who were or might be defaul-
"ters, that their iniidelity TO public trust
constituted no insuperable barrier to pro-
''motion to one of the highest Offices in the
Government. l did not attribute to General
jackson a knowledge of the default. Invent
seven so far as to say that he might not have
REFLECTED upon the consequences of the APP
''pointment of an individual so situated. |
unjust now say that until General Jackson
"otherwise asserts, ! am constrained to be-
SLEEVE that he could not have been ignorant
"of fact so conspicuous in the annals of our
"country as that Of the default of Edward
Livingston, Esq. as Attorney of the United
estates in the District of New York, during
''the administration of Mr.. Jefferson, to the
"amount of 100000" And all this moral
sin is now made to result, not from the fact
that Mr.. Livingston was a defaulter when he
was appointed to the Office of Secretary of
State, but that he had been guilty some thirty
years before. 1twould be easy to show from
the life OF Mr.. Livingston, that the default
here alluded to was one which did not preju-
dice his moral character, or lessen the high
standing which he enjoyed at the time, and
has since invariably sustained wherever he
has been known. But it is not my purpose
here to vindicate the memory of that eminent
patriot and statesman. Every one can see
that, explained as Mr.. Clay now places his
reference to that appointment, he fails to con-
ceal his real design of leaving an impression
on the public mind unfavorabe to my charac-
ter, and by a resort to facts which, when ex-
amined are insufficient and imaginary.
He cannot say in an article which bears
his signature that ever appointed dcfaulter
or retained one in office knowing him to be
one. Yet this was the impression which he
sought to make on the multitude that were
assembled here with him on Monday last
That he did then predicate this charge on the
appointment of Mr.. Livingston, is proved by
the testimony which have adduced, but my
exposure of the calumny will never reach,
probably, those who heard its utterance.-
| This was my complant-not that Mr.. Clay
had not a right to argue (as he expresses it,
! from cause TO effect in the examination of my
official conduct, but that he had no right &c
pervert facts for the purpose of giving effect to
ISLANDERS Of Mr.. Livingston and myself.
Taking the same latitude that Mr.. Clay did
| in his speech, and in his answer to my card
or by tracing effects to their causes with al
lInparliality and justice which will slande
neither the living nor the dead, it would no
be difficult to refer the public to far NOR,
appropriate source FOR the evils of which Mr.
| Clay complains, than Mr.. Livingston's ap
pointment. This would be the extravagan
extent of the Bank paper system; upheld a:
it has been by the Federal party in their eff
forts TO make the Federal Government sub
servient to the schemes of the ck-iobber'
and money brokers of this country and Eu
rope. But do not feel called upon here t
vindicate the measures Of the administration
on this subject which have been so long re
sisted by the party of which Mr.. Clay is tn
head.
Mr.. Clay, when successful in the intrigue
which made him Secretary Of State, declared
'giue us patronage, and IRE ,ciH male ourseire
p0pular.' He has grasped twice at the Pres
idcncy. The people repudiated the principle
Of the administration of which he was
prominent member. He has made an inces