The Arkansas banner., 1844-04-17
CLAY CLUB CORRUPTION!

We have long believed that these Clay Clubs witt which the whig leaders are seeking to overrun the country, fit instruments and pregnant means o corruption. We do not, however, include in this belief, the larger number of the individuals who compose these clubs for we believe that they are patriotic in their purposes, although mistaken, and honest in the means they suppose themselves to be using. But the plotted and practced corruption is with the leaders, and "wire workers" who plan in secret with few of the initiated the foul means to be used for their own advancement The recent elections, at New Orleans, have served to bring to light some of those corrupons in the Clay Club oi that city, and it is fair to presume that the kindred associations wherever formed, have common ob- ect and will resort to similar practices whenever cason and opportunity offer. Indeed these practices are nothing less than continuation of the intamous pipe laying frauds which disgraced the country in ls4o. To prove all this it is only neces- sary to refer to the columns of IVhig newspapers In the Tropic, from which we have already quoted so freely in another column, we find this notice, boldly put forth in the editorial columns:
 "Iar Receipts.-We beg to remind such of our friends as have not obtained their TAX RECEIPTS, to go straight to the CLAY CLUB ROOM, this morn- Ing ana get tnem-A COmInlttee VIII De in SeSSlon during the whole day. Don't neglect it."
 What does this mean, It means that the Clay Club had provided Tax receipts for all who would agree to vote the whig ticket. But no great ohjec- tion could be urged against this, if it ended here But such is not the case. See its connexion with the frauds which they have been loudly denounc- ing against Judge Elliot. We quoted, again From Me New Orleans Tropic:
 L. U. CANINE AND THE CLAY CLUB.
 MT. L. U. Gainnie appeared before the Court of Impeachment on Saturday, as wit ness, in favor of B. c. Elliott. His evidence IS thus recorded by the Herald,
 ''Mr. SoULE called MT. L. U. Gainnie as a witness. Then it was that important dis member of the Clay Club, and belonged to the Committee of Naturalization, and had caused large number of foreigners to be naturalized before JUDGE ELLIOTT under in- structions from the Clay Club. At the re- quest of Mir. Soule the written instructions of the Club to MT. Gainnie were produced.-.- Mir. CANINE also stated that 1t was under stood and agreed, that the expenses of pro- curing their naturalization certificates, were to be paid by the Clay Club, and that he, (the witness) was still responsible to Judge Elliott's clerk for the cost of issuing many certificates, which he would be obliged to pay, unless the payment was made by the Clay Club"
 "We copy the foregoing simply for the purpose of stating, in halfa dozen words, the entire truth, so far as Mir. Gainnie is concern ed. Successful contradiction is defied."
 Here, then, we find that the Clay Club provided the money, employed an agent, and bribed WHIG JUDGE, give fraudulent certificates of naturaliza- ton. If this be not bribery. and corruption, and fraud-if this be not second and improved edition of pipe laying, then we cannot conceive what would be. But why, then. do they cry out against Judge Eiliott--a Whig Judge-one of their own kidney The answer is perfectly obvious, and consists in