Independent Democrat., 1844-07-06

as know his respect for your opinion,
request, if you concur in our views, thai
you will write TO him by return mail, 10
strengthen him in his inclinations. Show
this 10 Criitenden alone.
This statement, as 10 the contents oi
that letter, went the rounds of the Jack
son papers through the whole Union in
1923, and lis accuracy was never denied
am informed that the passages marked
as quoted are nearly, if not precisely, lit
eral extracts from the letter, having been
obtained through several persons who sue.
cessiyely called and read the letter, with
the concerted design of getting accurate
extracts through their concurrent recoliec-
lions. This letter established the fact
beyond controversy, that The "kind wish
es" of Mr.. Clay's friends towards him, in
duced them to bestow their votes on Mr..
Adams; and that he himself well under
standing their intention and its object,
was directly instrumental in a secret
movement to influence The vote of hesi-
iaiing colleague, through apparently spon-
taneous letters from his constituents
After that disclosure, few ventured TO deny
in 1928, that the advancement of Mr..
Clay was the controlling motive with him
and his friends, in giving the Presidency
to Mr.. Adams.
My colleague, (Mr. White,) the other
day denied the charge of bargain, or un-
dersianding, in the Presidential election oil
1925, and went on to say;
"This was too grave charge to bo
made on such vague and uncertain grounds.
Until that letter was produced, there was
not, in his judgment, any evidence before
the country that that letter had been writ
ten; and he now challenged his colleague,
and he would be responsible for it, that il
Mr.. Clay was called on, he would take off
every shackle from the correspondence.
And unless his colleague produced the
letter, he said his allegation stood con-
demned before the American people, and
the civilized world"
He further said:
"That he had never heard Of the letter
until he saw the letter of his colleague
He had never seen il in his lie. And he
had only TO say, in relation to it, that if
there was any such letter, and his col
league would address line 10 Mr.. Clay,
he would throw off all the shackles, and
disclose all the correspondence"
Both Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Blair are now
in the city, and no doubt the letter is stlll
preserved. | propose to my colleague TO
join me in a call on Mr. Clay for its pub
lication. 1t is due to the country, and 10
Mr.. Clay himself, that all mystery shall
he removed from this transaction. If he
can show that such letter does not, and
never did exist, will lake all The pains in
my power to retrieve His character from
any imputations which lis alleged contents
have brought upon it,
Mr.. B. asked the clerk TO read The form
Of joint letter to Mr.. Clay, which he in
yited his colleague to sign with him, and il
was read, as follows, viz:
House Of Representatives,, }
April 2S, lS44.
"Sir--Tne pablo notice having been
called 10 letter, said to have been written
by you at Washington city the 9th Jan
uary, 1925, addressed to Mr.. Francis P
Blair, then resident of Frankfort, Ky.
touching the then pending Presidential
election, in which it is charged you sail
10 Mr.. Blair, among other things, in sub
stance as follows:
"A friend of Mr.. Adams comes to m
with tears in his eyes, and says, Sir, M,
Adams has always had the greatest respec
for you, and the highest admiration 70
your talents. There is no station t
which you are not equal. You were un
doubtedIy the second choice of New Eng
land; and pray you to consider whethe
the public good and your own future il
terests do not distinctly point you to tn
course which you ought to pursue
"My friends entertain the belief, tha
: their kind wishes towards me will, in tn
end, be more likely to be accomplishe
by so bestowing their votes. Your Re
preventative is inclined to concur with u
, in these sentiments; and as | know hi
respect for your opinions, request, if yo
concur in our views, that you will write {
, him by return mail, to strengthen him i
, his inclinations. Show this to Crittende
alone
/ "To avoid all misapprehension, there
fore, and to the end that eyen-handed ius
/ uce may be done to all, we Respectfully
ask to be informed whether such leue
=, ever existed, and il go, that you will fur
. nish for publication (if within your reach
the original or copy of said letter; Of
! if not within your reach, that you wi
, give full authority to Mr.. Blair to publis
said letter, or a certified copy of 1t.
"Respeclfully
r "your obd't sery'ts,
| GHon III CTAv"