Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1840-09-10
From the Nashville Union.

OF GEN. JACKSON, accompanied by
MAJ. DONALDSON, came to Nashville on
Thursday, and remained with his friend
GIN. ARMSTRONG until Saturday, when
he returned to theHermitage. Wehave nev-
er seen the wise and brave old veteran in
such fine health and spirits. While here,
we had the honor to receive from him The
following communication:
To the Editor Of the NashriHe Union.
SIR have just read in the Banner of
this day an article addressed by Henry
Clay, of Kentucky, to the public; the OBJ
jectof which is evidently to exculpate
himself for the calumn;ous assault he
made upon my character and that of Ed
ward Livingston, deceased, in his speech
TO the multitude on Monday last.
In the Nashville Wing of last Thurs
days date, the paper selected for the
publication of Mr.. Clay's speech on that
occasion, he is reported to have used the
following language" He referred to the
appointment of Edward Livingston Secro-
tary of State at time when he was de-
faulter, but said he presumed the Presi-
dent did not reflect sufficiently upon the
tendency such an appointment would
have" On the same day several gentle
men ofthe Federal Wing Party informed
me that Mr.. Clay had charged me with
appointing defaulters 10 Office; and since
my arrival at Nashville great number of
my friends have stated that they heard
Mr.. Clay's speech on the occasion allu-
ded to, and that he did declare that had
appointed Mr.. Livingston Secretary of
State when he was defaulter.
With this evidence before me cannot
entertain doubt that the information on
which | acted when addressed
you on Tuesday is correct, nor is it at all
impaired Iy the inculpation which Mr..
Clay has offered TO the public. Know
the man as | do, knew that he would
resort to some such arti6ce to cover his
retreat from the position into whchhe had
been thrown by his vain desire to qualify
those who had followed him in the sac
coon and hard.clder pageantry of the day.
Convicted Of making an assertion which
the records of the Senate, and other IA
milIiar history proved to be false, he now
attempts TO qualify it by the following Ian
guage: /" In arguing from cause TO
effect | contended that the appoint
ment of MIR. Livingston was pernicious
precedent-that it was virtual proclama-
tion to all who were or might be defaul-
tiers, that their infdeity in public turst
constituted no insuperable barrier to a
promotion TO one of the highest Offices in
the Government. did not attribute 10
Gen. Jackson a knowledge of the default.
| went even so far as TO say that he might
not have reflected upon the consequent
ces of the appointment ofan individual so
situated. must now say that until Gen.
jackson otherwise asserts, | am constrain-
ed to believe that he could not have been
ignorant of a fact so conspicuous in the
annals Of our country as that Of the de-
fault of Edward Livingston, Esq, as at
torney of the United States in the dis
trict Of New York, during the administers
ton of Mr.. Jefferson, to the amount Of
100000" And all this moral sin is
now made to result, not from the fact
that Nj. Livingston was defaulter when
he was appointed TO the Office of Secre
tary of State, but that he had been some
thirty years before. 1t would be easy tC
show from the life of Mr.. Livingston tina
the default here alluded to was one which
did not prejudice bis moral character
or lessen the high standing which he Ell
loved at the time, and has since invara
blv sustained wherever he has been known
But it is not my purpose here TO vindicatt
the memory Of thai eminent patriot ant
statesman. Every one can see that, ex
planned as Mr., Clay now places his refer
euce to that appointment he fails to con
ceal his real design of leaving an impres
sion on the public mind unIavorabIe t.
my character, and by resort TO fact
which when examined are insufficient o
imaginary.
He cannot say in an article which
bears his signature that | ever appointed
adefaultsr or retained one in office kno
ing him TO be one. Yet this was the i'm
preston which he sought to make or tn
multitude that were assembled here viii
him on Monday last. That he did the
predicate tbs charge on the aPpointmeI
ofMr. Livingston is proved.by the test
mony which ! have adduced, but my e.
posure ofthe calumny will never reac
probably, those who heard its utteranc,
Ghis was (my comPlaint--not that M
Clay had n right TO argue (as he 9
presses it) from cause to effect in the e