Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-10-17
MIR. CLAY's LETTERS 70 MIR. BLAIR.
TO THE PUBLIC.

ten in January 1895, and authorized me 10 sbe,v |
them to any one who might wish to see them.--l
Finding that the charge OF bargain and Corrup-
ticn," which was made at the tiine and refu,ed |
was revived, and was now serionslv urocd a.
gainst MI Clay, that was alleged to be sIscep.
iible oil proof under his own hand, and that these
letters were referred to as containing the proof.
caused notice to DE inserted in THE WRie, that
copies OF Inc letters We're in my hands. and that
Ihey were open 10 the inspection of any uen,ls.
man OF either party. l thought it impossibIe. |
thas any man could read tho letters, without see. !
ing and admitting, that they contain no evidence
20 Mr.. Clay-no evidence of any inn |
propriety in thought, word or deed-no evidence
oil any selfish or personal feeling-no evidences
OF aught but patriotism and that his b,terest
toes would be compelled to acknowledges This
upon perusal of them. Many OF the friends Of
Mr.. Clay bavo called upon me, and read ,h.sa
famous letters. Not one of his enemies has ask
ed TO see them, and have shewn them ~ Inn,
one, who did not ask to see them: ,hev bova o;.
ther been unwilling to have any communicative
Wioi ME on the subject, or, perhaps, they wish to
remain In ignorance. '"
IL am rightly informed, no application has
ever been made directly 10 MIR. CLAW. bv Mr.
Blair, or by MIR. Linn Boyd, or by any other nj
that party, to consen, 10 the publication of these
letters. Mr.. Clay would doubtless have CON.
seh'eo, II ms consent had been asked by any of
the leaders oil the party hostile TO him. yb.v
have Imputed whatever sentiments IL sui,.a ,i,.;,
purpose 10 impu,e to Mr.. Clay, under the i,npres
sion that he could not refute the impu,a,ions thew
made, without violating the sanciity of priya,e
correspondence under the seal of which the letters
WeIe W,.'en. overcome by the earnest en,rea-
ties ct his friends in Virginia Mr.. CLAW has re.
iuctantly consented to the publication r;r ,bev
think II propcr] of these letters private and con-
'huenua as they are, and even playful and spor
i've In their character. That he is RIGHT in doing
ms cannot be doubted, since the seal of private
correspondence has in fact been broken; the let
'ers nave been seen by hundreds-by all indeed
who wished 10 see them, and the only question
rs, whether Mr. Clay ought TO suffer ali the evils
oil mIsconstruction, which a longer supnress;on
OF them might apparently warrant, and which a
publication OF theus will refu,e. Blu, the publi-
ca!lon Is now made by me--not without Mr. Clay
being appraised of the purpose, nor without HE
acquiescence-but still, lake the responsbii,v
OF the publication. knowing, as he must have
khoWh, mat the publication could only be bene
hciai to him, he has yet patiently endured all tho
caiumnies which have been founded on the letters
I! now Pno'ish them, in order i6put down, eflcc-
tually and forever, vile CHARGE. which has hon
revived after having been COMPLETELY refined
and which has been revived here in Virgini, in
the nope that the letters, after SO long a DELAY
would not be published
One word as to the authenticity of the comics
Mn,ch are now published. In 1927, Mr.. Clay
sent copies, certified by Mr.. Blair to the la,e CI
John fiarvie of Frankfort, Kentucky, and he nut
Them In the hands Of Col. Richard II. Tavior
also OF Frankfort, for public inspection. 'Ibev
were examined by hundreds of persons of bo,b
Parues' ana were perfectly accessible to any per
som "h1 Wished 10 see them. 1t is confidently
peileved, that no one who has examined ibe,n
ever ventured 10 assert that thew contained anv
thing prejudicia to Mr.. Clay. There is. in ,rutb
nothing in them, which is not substantially stated
IN AR. CIay's letter to his constituents. of tho
Eoln March, 1925, which was printed in Niles
Megister at The time, and which is reprinted in
Maliory's life of Clay, Volume |, d. 4s6. Ths
copies now sent for publication are COMES or tho
copies certified by MIR. Blair, now in Col. rav-
iof hanus. III is not doubted that the COMICS ar,
correct. But MY. Blair is challenged to produce
lhe originals, and, after showing Them to any per
SUI ac'I ua.h'ed win hr: Clay's handwriting (fo1
example, the Hon. Willis Green, or Mr. Gales
or mr.. Fendall,) to publish them
IL may be proper to say, that the expression in
me hrst letter-"Next, friend of Mr. Adams
comes, 'c!M tears an his eyes''-is an aliusion 70
a physical lnfrmlty, to which Mr.. Adams is. or
was lhen, subject: his tears flow Involuntary.
Such an allusion could only have been made IN
The most confidential letter.
IL may De proper TO remark further, that the
extract which Mr.. Kendall is said TO have nub
iisneo, as L have recently seen il republisbed is
10 De found IN fact. in The first letter of MIR. Clav
put IL is garb'ed whether by design or accident
let others Judge) so TO give sense The reverse
letter reads: A"' genuine
- nree OF the four States favorable 10 Mr..
CraWtoru' are believed to prefer Mr. Adams to
the General Jackson -Vifginia is one Of them
am inclined TO think thai nearly ,hree-fourths
OF our delegation have welded To The ioe,.,oa' ~
these views, and will vote for Mr.. Adams. Nv
friends entertain the belief that their kind wishes
towards me, VIII, In the end, be more likely to he
accomplished by so bestowing their voss. 7
M n' no~toer' most earnestly entreaied them 10
mToW me out Of their consideration, in bringing
tneT j"ag",snfs 10 final conclusion, and To loo6
an" os guidea S0Iely TIE public good-I kno,o
myself, that alone has determined me. Yomr r..
preventative is inclined 10 concur with us in these
sentiments and views. and if they should meet
your appreciation, as know he has great fesnect
Iof your opinions, would be glad ii you would,
ny NE return mail, address letter 10 him to
strengthen him III his inclination Be pleased IN
shew ihiS letter 10 Crlilenden alone"
In the extract attributed to Mr. Kendall. which
nave seen, the sentences i'm iiaLics are omitted
and the words given thus
my trends entertain the belief, that their kind
, "ishes towards me, will, in the end, be more
10y " oe accomplished by 5eslowing their
woes on Mr. Adams. Your Representative is in
cilned 10 concur with us in these sentiments and
VIEWS and II They should meet your appreciation.
as know he has great respect for your opinions
would be glad if you would, by the return mail
ADDRESS letter to him to strengthen him in his
~ ;''". DC PicaSed TO shew this letter TO
Criitenden alone.''
Now' according to this garbled extract, srhe
sentiments and views," in which Mr.. Blair's Re-. /
preventative was ''incined to concur" and as 10
which Mr.. Clay desired Mr.. Blair to write let.
Ter TO INN ''so strengthen him in his inclination"
were me kind wishes Of MIR. Clay's friends TO- |
wards him." which, they supposed ,svnuld he /
more likely to be accomplished by the election
OF Mr.. Adams. But read the whole, as Mr., Ciav
wrote it, and it will be apparent, that the "sept-
menis and views" in which MIR. CLAY supposed
Mr.. Blair's Representative was inclined to con-