The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-06-28
VOLUME L. NUMBER 1S.

could be found base enough to lay the axe at the
very root of the tree ofliberty! Yet strange asst
is, It is not less true To give you full history OF
this transaction, would far exceed the limits OIL
letter. shall, therefore, at once proceed to give
you brief account of such bargain as can only De
euualed by tine famous Burr conspiracy OF l50l.--
For some time pastthe friends OF Clay have binted
that they, like the SWISS would hght LOT tnose VINO
would pay best. Overtures were said to have been
made by the friends of Adams to The friends OF
Clay, offering him the appointment OF Secretary OF
State for his aid to elect Adams. And the friends
of Clay gave this information to the friends Oh jack
son. and hinted that if the friends OF Jackson would
offer the same price, they would close with them.
But MOLE of the friends Of Jackson would descend
to such mean barter and SALE 1t was not believed
by any of the friends of Jackson that this contract
would be ratified by the members from the States
who have voted for Mr.. Clay. | was OF oPinions
when first heard of this transaction, that men pro-
Tossing any honorable principle coud not, nor
would not be transferred like the planter does his
negroes, or the farmer his team and horses No
alarm was excited-we believed the republic was
safe The nation having delivered Jackson into
the hands of Congress, backed by large majority
| of their votes, there was, on my mind, no doubt
that Congress would respond to the viii OF the ma
tion by eecting the individual they had declared to
be their choice. COatr@y 10 this erpeefdfton, rs
no,c ascertained TO certainty thu! Henry Cldyhds
transferred his interest to j. I'm Quincy adams:
ifs a consideration f this Abandonment of dufyto
lbs constituents ii is said and believed, sao'ifd tbs
an,cholg coalition prerd,i Clay M be dppof'led
Secretary of State. / have no fears on my mind
am clearly of opinion shall defeat every COM
bnation. The force Of public opinion must pre-
vail or there is an end to LIBERTY"
MIR. CLaY'S CARD.
It was impossible for Mr.. Clay to remain silent
under public accusation like this. The notice
which he chose to take of it was every way charac-
teristc ofthe man. On Monday, Jan. 81, 1926.
he sent to the National Intelligencer the foowi'~
card: .b.,
GA CARp:-I have seen, witbc-s any ny ,hus.
emotion than that of ineffaba -oh'ehP'' .,-r;lr
which has been poured out upon me py r.:sa.ah
ssYed in this city, and oy oiner.a:i na--.:-i
eection The editor Of one of those prints, usher
ed forth in Philadelphia, called the Columbian Oo-
server, for which do not subscribe, and which l.
have not ordered, has had the impudence to Trans
nit to me his vile paper of the 2Sth instant. In
that number is inserted letter purportlng to nave
been written from this city, on the 2oth Instantly
member of the House Of Representatives, belong-
| ing to the Pennsylvania delegation.
IL believe it to be forgery; but it be genuine
| pronounce the member, WHO EVER HE MAY BE
aBASE and INFAMOUS CALUMNiATOR,-
A BASTARD AND A LIAR, dndy he dare un-
peiI himselfa, dpoio hts name, WILL HOLD
HIM RESPONSIBLE, as here admit n'yselffo
be, TO ALL THE LAWS WHICH GOVERN AND
REGULATE THE CONDUCT OF MEN OF HONOR.
'' "H. CLAY.
3lst January 1926"
MIR: KREyNER'S CARD.
In response to Mr. Clay's card, the Hon. George
KIemer, Of the Pennsylvania delegation, avowed
himself as the author of the letter to the Columbian
Observer. His card was published in the National
Intelligencer, on the 3rd of February, as follows:
uANorHER CARD George Kremer, of the
House of Representatives, tenders his respects to
the Honorable s'H. Clay" and informs him that
by a reference to the editor of the Columbian OBJ
server, he may ascertain the name Of the writer OF
letter of the 25th ut, which, it seems, has afford
ed so much concern 10 ssh. Clay" In the mean
time. George Krer,er holds himself ready to prove;
to the satisfaction of unprejudiced minds, enough
to satisfy them of the statements which are contain
ed in that letter. to the extent that they concern
the course and conduct of "H. Clay" Being
Representative of the people, he will not fear to
sscry aloud and spare not" when their rights and
privileges are tstake."
MIR CLaY'S APPEAL TO THE HOUSE.
Did Mr.. Clay abide by his own cardl Did he
attempt to call Mr. Kremer to that account which
he had said he would' Did he continue to think
that his duelling pistols were the best means BY
which he could establish his innocencei No. A
House of Representatives was then in session, of
which Mr.. Clay was speaker--a House which was
prepared to make Mr.. Adams President--a House
which did make Mr.. Adams President on the ensu-
ing 9th of February, and which, on the 2lst Of
February by vote of more than two to one ap-
pointed Gales and Seaton, the editors ofhe Nation
al Intelligencer, and the friends of Mr. Clay, to be
their printers This was the tribunal to which Mr..
Clay chose now to carry the affair
After the morning business was transacted, on
the third ofFebruary, Mr.. Clay rose from his place
in the speakers chair, and called the attention Of
the House to the note of Mr.. Kremer, in the
mornings Intelligencer, and after some grave OBJ
servations about the serious character of the charges
which had been made against him, he deman ded
with the earnest air of offended innocence that the
House should appoint committee to investigate
the truth of those charges. That is, he asked the
House to whitewash him through the report Of a
partisan committee.
Mr.. CLAY'S FRIENDS EVADE AN IN
VESTIGATION.
A committee was moved for, to which should be
referred Mr.. Clay's appeal, and Mr.. Krerners let.
ter.
A minority OF the House resisted the appoint.
ment of such committee, on the ground that the
House would thereby erect ltselfinto tribunal TN.
known to the constitution, and dangerous to the
freedom of the press; that the affair between Mr.
Kremer and Mr.. Clay was purely personal mat
ter; that Mr. Clay himself had contemplated it as a
personal matter, and he had declared in his card
tha. he would hold the writer of the letter, "who-
ever he might be-" responsible, not to the House
over which he presided, but to the laws of HoNoR;
that there had been no breach the privileges Of
the House, or, if there had been, as was said by
Mr.. McDu6ie, of South Carolina, il was not by
Mr.. Kremer's letter, but by the card Of Mr.. Clay,