Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1844-04-27
SPEECH OF Mr.. WHITE,
OF KENTUCKY,

OF KENTUCKY,
On the charge, recently rsvioed, of Bargain and
Corruption between Mr.. Adams and Wr. CIav.
delivered in the House of Representatives. on
Tuesday, April %, 1874.
Mr. WHITE having obtained the floor asked the indulgence
of the committee il he should vary in this from what
had heretofore been his uniform practice upon this floor
combining himself strictly to the merits of the bill under
Notwithstanding, apology therefor the
Of debate upon bills which political speeches
had been made by gentlemen upon the other side of the
House, aud he having twice obtained the floor
der reply them but having often yielded and de-
ered his privilege Of reply from time time. He felt
Che said) obliged engage in this debate matter Of self
defence He not OF those who believed that
part Of the business of public man, Of member Of
Congress- look into the public character of great
men. He believed there higher duty of mem
Der of Congress than at the proper time to examine the
public character and conduct Of men who looking the
highest stations in this great Republic Further he was
not those who either here elsewhere, would any
time assa the private reputation Of any public for any
political purpose He cherished the sentiment Of the noble
Spanard g Write the private faults Of in the sand
their public virtues brass On the present occasion it
was not his purpose assa the feelings of any individual
this nation say any thing personal 10 any this
floor part Of his nature to attack any human be-
ing in his personal relations to attack his political oppo
nents but, if there time when he called on
to do it, not that time Without any spirit OF idle
boasng he told his political opponents that he considered
them doomed party. Feeling feeling that you, sir said
Mr. w. addressing the Chairman that the party advocating
the principles you advocate doomed, it in vindcve
spirit that make the remarks about to address the
House The adage F" He whom God intends to destroy he
first makes mad" forcp illustrated than by
you and your party.
Go back CONTINUED Mr. W. to the opening Of this Con-
gress look your journal what have done! Go
trace the Dissertation of that instrument which the Constp
ton of country requires be kept sacred there follow
out the destructive spirit of notification in that act Go and
read your you have written in the restoration Of
pII Cnlrt
demned sub Treasury Go and read it your conduct
the repeal and the of the repeal Of that bene
fetal act for the distribution of the proceeds of the public
lands and then and read your fate that you
calmly and cooy call upon substitute for that tariff Of
ls42 whose influences in the confirmed credit revi
we'd trade and restored prosperity Of the country All these
your winding You have prepared them for your
selves the American people ready by overwhelming
voice. pronounce your doom. After these preliminary
marks became his most unpleasant and painful duty
notice letter of his colleague Never since he had been
this foor had it fallen his lot have engaged poll
teal argument and collision with any Of his colleagues.
But he now asked the attention his colleague (M BorD
he asked the attention of the chairman Of the committee
mr. HoPKiss and of his colleague, Mr. CoLEs,) whilst
be felt called most reluctantly to read document to
which each of their names appended
find (said Mr. w. ina letter by my colleague, (Mr
THoMAssoN,) addressed to the chairman, (Mr. HopKINs
his colleague, Mr CoLEs) and my colleague, (Mr BorD
various charges OF and serious character made
against a distinguished elow-czen of my State by
him for the highest Office within the gift of this people, but
would consgn him to nfamy; charges which, if true,
should consgn him to of the viest prisons-od he
waso be doomed to the hardest labor consistent with the
physical energies of He wished The calm attention of
these gentlemen and the committee these charges let
had been written by his colleague addressed to the chair
of this committee, published the Richmond Enquirer,
in bis State He would with proper free
dom the subject of that letter II had been written when
known that the distinguished to whom alluded
the borders of the adjoining State, and to pass
into the Old Dominion within few days; that,
Thursday next important election pending in that
81 Old Dominion that all these charges would reach not
only the people Of that State but the people Of this whole
Union and just at time when it would naturally be sup
posed that all and biy of party feeling should he
laid aside and that all the inequalities and codiaies Of the
Old Dominion, his native State, would be extended
him without regard party-just at that particular
this ebrand had thrown there, this old and
supposed doomed and exploded charge of baspn and
SALE, had been repeated, and repeated with degree Of
lightly Of TACT of effort begule aud deceive and deraud
public opinion whether il had been intended not he
did not say
Mr.. w. would undertake establish what difficult to
do Of justice only that every allegation and in
situation OF guilt connected with this charge of bargain
and SALE utterly unfounded and false, but he would
prove negavehe would prove the innocence Of that
who had been assaed with this odous charge for the last
fourteen sixteen years. from end Of this Union TO the
other and he would prove it, not simply from his de-
caraton and the declaration Of those connected with him
this transaction but out of the mouths OF bis enemies he
would reule and confront this base libel and SANDER that
had been laid any distinguished He asked his
colleagues attention to single paragraph IN this letter.
Mr. W. knew very well that in his reply and the reply Of
The gentlemen who connected with him, while they in
oduced all the charges against this distinguished individual
they said they not bound TO commit themselves
their belief but that they would submit the facts and leave
the world Judge of the innocence Of this distinguished
His colleague went further Here il
During succeeding month confidently in
privae conversations, that if Mr. Adams elected, Mr. Clay
Secretary State, placing him position which Mr.
Clay Afterwards called the line Of safe precedens and
ground letters be written
members Of Congress advising them disregard the resu
tons Of the Legislature Ia the development Of 1927 and 1928
his traced directly letter letters, written
early in January by Mr. Clay himseH Of his friends
Kcntucky not perhaps using the rery oOrds but cerainy
conveying the idea"
Mr.. BOYD (Mr w. yielding for the purpose) mode
explanation but owing his position much Of what he said
lost the Reporter He said be had understood the
time that there such letter in existence; that that let
had been placed in the hands Of committee Of Mr.
Clays friends and might be read by any body who
rous but that his friends had liberty whatever
publish it. He believed il had been published Its
had been published from memory those who had
it, with the declaration attached that the Of
substantially true, If in word He presumed
that letter in this city, (t a presumption how
ever and If the true he proposed that his
colleague institute inquiry, fnd the letter. and have
published From the history of the transaction, his col
league would satisfy him that there aluson in that
letter to Mr. Clay, to any body else concerned, that
fully sustained from the facts there stated, be would be
ready bis colleague correct it. But he believed the
facts there stated were true.
Mr. WHITE said his colleague had made the charge
Now he (Mr. W. had never made charge here or else
where when he had not the testimony refer for its sub
sanitation.
Mr.. BOYD asked his colleague whether the facts