Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-08-02
POLITICAL.

From me W 0SliNgIOn ItRgTNYH, -iUQ, 1901
REPLY
By Tie .Iqck0n CoTTcg,0Rding Committee 0f The
District Of Cotnmbi0, 10 Jh. Ci0y's last .iddrc@.
coNTiNrED.
As early as October, 1924, AIR. Clay began 10
prepare the minds Of his friends for Interior ope-
rations in Congress. In that month he met with
the Honorable G. a. Wicklfc and the Honora-
bic Thomas z. Moore in Frankfort, and person
ally expressed 10 them an apprehension, which
all his movements and those Of his leading par
tisans had Indicated. that he should not be one
Of the three returned to the House Of Repre-
sentatves; and iniimated, that, in that event, he
would hold himself uncomm!,,ed, which he re
presented to be the true policy of his friends
[See .7ppcndir, Mas. and 4
The Legislature of kentucky met on the first
day Of November, and Mr.. Clay was still in
Frankfort. The people Of Kentucky had AREA
dy begun 10 SPEAK loudly of Gen. Jackson as
their second choice, in the event that MIR. Clay
should be excluded from The House oiRepresen-
tatlves. and the Legislature partnos of the &C.
neral feeling. The rumor soon began 10 clrcu
late, that il the apprehension Of Mr.. Clay's cx-
clusion should he we'll founded The Legislature
would as soon rs l4e fasitd fs,9est their Repre-.
seatat.ves TO vote for General Jackson. Al tina;
time. there v, re two parties III that body. both
pTOlcSSilS CQHd' iHsHUSuIp WI. way,
both, with lew individual exceptions, uniting
upon General Jackson as their second choice.
Ii did not compor, with Mr.. Cla,'s policy or de-
signs TO be ,rammclled by any expression Of pub
lie opinion. 1t was not the people of Kentucky;
or Of the United States, who were 'to control
the event" but Mr.. Clay and his friends in Con-
gress As The sures, mode of avoiding the en-
barr,ssment into which he would be thrown BY
an expression of legislative opinion, as well as
the responsibility OF disregardiny it, he applied
in person TO several members OF that body. for
the purpose OF dissuading them from taking any
such step He has himself disclosed one part
Of this intrigue. and another has come 10 light
in the late investigation by the Senate Of Ken
lucky.
In his Address, page 81, is letter from Colo
mel james Davidson, Treasurer of Kentucky,
who. in 1924, was a member of tho Senate
Ho states, that he was Induced TO oppose the re-
solutions Of instructions, when they were before
the Senate by information previously received
from Mr. Clay himself, that he would not vote
for General Jackson He says, he told the Sc
nate, that cali he resolutions we could pass du-
ring the whole session would not induce you
mir. Clay) 10 abandon what you conceived to
be your duty, and that | knew you could not con-
cur with the majority of the Legislature, on that
subject He says he informed several persons
of the conversation with Mr. Clay, and named
"George Robertson Esq, late Speaker of The
House of Representatives, as one. By rccur.
renee to the proceedings Of that House, we per-
ceive, that Mr. Robertson moved TO lay the reso.
lutions on the table until day beyond the close
Of the session, and gave as his reasons, "that
their adoption would be unjust 10 our members
of Congress, who know the will of the people
better than we do; that it would be indicate TO
Mr. Clay: that it would lessen the weight of
Kentucky in the next administration; that it was
better 10 leave our members Of Congress 10 act
according to contingencies; that the weight and
Importance Of the State, and the Western coun-
try. could, in that manner be best secured; that
our members on the spot would be ihe best Juds-
es Of what was just and expedcni; that the reso-
lutions would not only degrade our respected
fellow citizen, but throw Kentucky on the clcc-
Pioneering arena in Congress completely hand
culTed." It was impossible TO misunderstood this
language. and Mr. Shepherd, q member Of the
House, said, on the same occasion, that "some
of The friends OF Mr.. Clay, he had no doubt,
wished to defeat the resolutions, and leave that
gentleman to make The best bargain he could
But he did not wish the vote Of Kentucky to be
bartcred away, or that Mr.. Clay should be Sc.
cretary Of State 10 the exclusion of Jackson rs
President. "-lSee Appendix, No. q This
shows that The movements and objects of Mr..
Claws particular friends were, even then, on the
3lst December, 1924 well understood. But
what would have been Inc language of The lndc-
pendent members Of the Kentucky Legislature,
had they known that almost the only opposition
to the resolutions came from Mr. Clay himself :
Had Colonel Davidson or Mr.. Robertson told
that body and The country, that Mr.. Clay had
himself said, that lie MAS already determined 10
vote for Mr.. Adams, and against Ge. Jackson,
what would have been the language OF the Le-
gislature and the freemen Of Kentucky? Ma
nagement had not then effected its object and
he would have been denounced throughout the
State, in curses as loud and deep as betrayed
people could utter.
To other members Of the Lcgsia 'ure, how
ever, Mr.. Clay held very different language,
but it was with view TO the same object. To
Major Carneal who had determined to introduce
the resolutions Of instruction into the Ssnate. he
stated that she was arholiy uRcomained, and
"wished TO be left entirely free" in giving his
VOTE See Appendix, No |, Mr. Carne.fs evi
dence.1 He succeeded in dssuading that gen.
fleman from Offering the resolutions, but could
not prevail upon him TO oppose them, or refuse
them his support. To other persons he held 81
milar language, and conveyed to them the i'm
preston. that his mind was not made up, or that
he would vote for General Jackson. This course
he pursued With those who, he had reason 10 be,
lieye, were not willing, for the purpose Of cna-
bling him to secure place in the Cabinet, 10
give up their desire for Western President
and their preference for General Jackson. But
10 all this double dealing, Mr.. Clay's object vas
single it was 10 prevent the adoption OF any re-
solutions Of instruction by the Kentucky Legs
lature.
Having. as he thought, taken cffeetual mea