The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-09-06

navigation of British subjects, thus giving them
the most direct access to those numerous and war.
like tribes of Indians which border on our northern
and western frontier. That any American states.
man should for moment have entertained so fatal
project, is as strange as the fact is alarming To
the presence Of an able western man, may we
attribute the defeat and Abandonment Of that attro-
cious proposal. But for the exertions of Henry
Clay, the seeds of war might now have been SOW.
ing, along our northern and western borders,
which at no distant day, would have produced an
abundunt harvest of tears and blood. He found
that majority had resolved to make the fatal
proposition. With hrmness which should endear
him TO the people of the west, he protested that
he would sign no treaty which contained stipu.
laiion so repugnant to his countrys honor, and SO
dangerous to her peace. This frmness had the
desired effect. The illustrious and lamented Bay.
ard changed his mind, and then the west was
saved. The danger we thus escaped, should sink
deep into our hearts, and teach US lesson as last.
ing as our lives"
That these numbers went through the hands of
Mr. Clay before they were published, is proved by
his own letter to the author, which appears among
the Developments of 1928, dated Lexington, 23d
June, 1922. In that letter he says
"Dear Sir: received your obliging favor of
the Goth instant, and thank you most sincerely for
the friendly sentiments toward me which it con-
tains. Mr.. T. Critenden has retained the produc.
ton which accompanied it, and which he has,
undertaken to divide and to dispose of in his place
of residence ICincinnati] according to wishes
1t was, therefore, Mr.. Clay himself, more than
any other man, caused these heavy charges against
Mr. Adams to brought before the public. He,
more than any other man, knew whether they were
just or not, having been the cable western man"
who at Client was alleged to have saved the west
from these dire calamities. Did he not believe
the charges' will not stop to inquire whether
he did or did not Others were induced to be-
lieve them through his agency, and this was what
Mr.. Adams called Subsidiary SANDER" which
chad performed its part of pointing all the guilt
and fastening all the responsibility upon" him.
"Wayne" was published sometime befo.e Mr..
Clays letter appeared in the national Intelgencer,
in which he expressed so much regret at the
controversy which had arisen between two of bis
colleagues about this affair at Gbent, and declared
he would not "be even provoked" at that time TO
"enter the field ofdisputaton" with either OF fIen.
But he did not, after those publications cease pri-
vately to encourage and extend the attacks on Mr.
Adams, growing out of that negotiation, and by
Mr.. RusselPs letter brought before the public. In
consequence of information received from Mr..
Clay as stated by the author of "Wayne," he
wrote series of letters addressed to Mr.. Adams,
reviewing his publications in reference to MIR.
Russell and Mr.. Clay, which were published in the
Frankfort Argus in 1928 The spirit of these
letters will be shown by a few extracts. In the I'd
letter are the following passages, viz:
''Either you have never taken the trouble to
inform yourself relative the great national western
interests, which have been committed to- your
charge, or you have misrepresented and concealed
facts as they exist. 1t willb admitted by all that
your acknowledged habits of industry and research
leave little room for you to cover your errors on
this point with the mantle of ignorance"
''lt was natural for Mr.. Clay to think differently
and feel differently from what you pretended to
think, and actually fe in relation to admitting the
British to the navigation of the Mississippi He
could not conceal from himself the fact, that the ex-
istence and use of this right had been one of the
causes which led to the disasters Of our arms on
the northwestern frontiers, and the exposure Of all
onur ack settlements to the relentless ravages OF
savage foe He could not forget the consequent
murders in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio,
catalogue of enormities at which the heart sick
ems. Remembering all this, he could not but wish;
nay, with his ardent and generous nature he could
not but urge, with much earnestness-the policy
and justice ofexcuding the instigstors of crimes so
horrible from every avenue of access to their will
ling instruments. Nor could he but feel different.
ly irony In consequence of the unlimited ac-
cess of British emlssaries to our Indians through
the Mississippi and other channels, more of Kentuc
ky's precious blood was split, than could be pur-
chased with every fish that swims in British waters
Many dear friends, and one near connexon Of Mr..
Clay, had fallen victims to the Indian tomahawk,
made on British anvils. When he departed for
Europe, he left social circle, and even family,
clothed in mourning for these victims Of British in
fuence over savage minds Passing from the
midst of the mourners and the MANNED how could
he feel you did, who, far distant from your bleed
ing country, engrossed with the events of another
hemisphere, and admiring "the Titus of his age,"
scarcely heard the thunder of war rolling over the
heads of your countrymen, below the western hor-
izon. II was surely natural that he dyou should
feel differently You ought, therefore, to have ex-
cused Mr.. Claws zeal, against once more admit
ting the British traders among our Indians, and
hazarding renewal Of the bloody scenes Of the
Pigeon roost, the River Raisin, and fort Meigs.--
He could not calculate so coofy as you. II, inthe
caused by recent Anglo Indian murders
he preferred the lives Of his fellow citizens to an
The fish which might, perchance, be caught within
hree miles Of the British coast, you ought to have
considered, that his mind was not in . condition
,oollY to weigh dollars against blood. and sureIv