The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-04-06
BARGAIN AND CORRUPTION.

BARGAIN AND CORRUPTION.
We had supposed that every man of common
sense, and common honesty, had not only become
convinced of the baseness and falsity of that
most foul and malicious libel, the charge of
"bargain and corruption brought against Mr..
Clay in 1925, but heartily ashamed of it. We
did not believe there was single respectable
editor in the Locofoco party who would hazard
his reputation for honesty and yeracity, by re-
publishing or reasserting that charge; but it
seems we were mistaken. Neal, the editor Of
the Pennsylvania, who, as a man, is both re-
spected and worthy of respect, has, to our sur
prise, reasserted the charge, and in manner
which exhibits more acrimony of feeling than
we could have believed found harbor in the
bosom of the amible and humorous author of
Charcoal Sketches" We hope the "charcoal'
he has been using to sketch stree, rowdies, has
not blackened his heart as well as his fingers
We would be sorry to learn that he had resorted
TO the free use of "charcoal," in order to shade
the characters of the distinguished statesmen of
the country TO whom he happens to be political
ly opposed. But we are almost compelled to
this conclusion by the following extracts from
the Pennsylvania. He says:
eve believed at the time, and we still be-
heve, that there was corrupt understanding,
express or implied, it is not material which, be-
tween John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay,
whereby the one was to be made President on
the consideration that the other should be made
Secretary of State.'
"The thing admits not Of argument or of df-
ference of opinion. Beverly Carriers retractons,
or any other body's retractions, are not worth
rush. Can they affect the fact, the historical
fact, the undened and undeniable fact There
was the seller, with the price in his hand, and
here was the buyer, with the merchandise un-
der his arm. You, |, and every one saw them"
The reiteration of this calumnly, at this time,
can be with no other view than to prejudice the
minds of the people against Mr. Clay, or to re-
vive the old prejudices against him; but W.
greatly mistake the American people, and are
grossly ignorant of the workings of the hnman
heart, if it does not produce a contrary effect
The people are liable to be deceived, for time,
by those who are reckless enough to resort to
falsehood to accomplish their purposes; but let
them once discover the fraud which has been
practced upon them, and all their generous and
houie leeilnSs are al once aroused against the
authors of the trick, and take sides with the in.
cured. Say what we will of mans depravity,
he has noble and generous feelings, and strong
love OF justice, and never does he enjoy greater
pleasure, or rise higher in his own estimation,
than when doing justice to one whom he has
falsely accused and wrongfully condemned.
For number of years this false and malicious
libel of bargain and corruption /" was rung
in the ears Of the people by those in whose path
10 the Presidency Mr.. Clay was supposed TO
stand, and, though proved again and again TO be
unfounded still it was reiterated upon the prin-
ciple, probably, that lie well stuck to, is as
as good, for party purposes, as the truth The
charge was, that Mr.. Clay's friends made pro-
position to Gen. Jackson, in the winter of 1924
'25, that if he, Gen. Jackson, would promise not
to make Mr.. Adams Secretary of State, in case
he were elected President, (by the House, that
Mr.Clay and his friends would at once unite and
elect him. it being understood that, in that case,
Gen. Jackson would make Mr.. Clay Secretary of
State
1t was first brought before the world, in tam
gible shape, by Mr.. Carter Beverly, in letter
dated Nashville, 9th March, 1927, and published
in Fayetteville, N. C, paper. Mr.. Clay imme-