Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-10-10


themselves of the accusation, by sim
liar oath to the one l have taken-J
they dare:
My character has been asSailed be-
cause / have dared to tell the truth a
gainst the great leader of the whig
party. If they We're to eonfine them
selves to the truth, should not COM
plain; nor do complain as it is. | re-
fer to biographical sketch of me by
the editor of the Yazoo whig, which is
annexed. 81 Its amusing variety en-
titles It's author to place beside the
editor of the Journal, both as a poeti-
cal and prose writer.
To exhibit to those who do not know
me, the estimation in which I am held
at home, l subjoin copy of resolu-
ton of large meeting of the democrat
ic association on the 9th instant, in
this city. A. Also, letter address
ed by number of my neighbors to the
Hon. c. Johnson, of Tennessee, in
answer to letter from him on the sub
ject, ~ and to the resolution of the
democratic central committee Of Ken.
lucky in Frankfort. (6) Many of the
signers of those kind testimonials have
known me from boyhood; have seen
my course in society, and know that
the only great sin which attaches it
self to my character, is my obstinate
refusal to worship at the shrine of Mr..
Clay's ambition. They know, and SO
do my political opponents, that | could
have reached any honor within the gift
of the whig party, could I have sacri-
feed my principles for office. That
party has had the complete ascenden
dency here from the time Mr.. Clay "a
bandoned his principles for an Office,
and would at any time have welcomed
me into their ranks. Such were their
kind feelings toward me, that | recei-
we'd at the polls last year, in this coun-
ty, 1896 votes, as a candidate for the
Legislature, against very respectable
candidate of their own party; which
must have included one or two hundred
whig votes. Among them were some
ofthose with whom had stood shout
der TO shoulder in battle, had borne
hunger, thirst, and cold, and finally
the hardships of captivity, in the midst
of a severe Canadian winter. They
would not have thus expressed their
confidence in me, against their party
attachments, had they believed me to
be either a coward, liar, or dishonest.
l will confess that, although l can
meet a public enemy in fair combat,
my courage has never been sufficient
to carry me to the field of the duelist !;
| have never challenged and shot an
amiable man in period Of peace, who
at the same time was declaring over
and over again, that he had for me
"the highest respect respect and the
kindest feelings" have never driven
his miserable widow to distraction, nor
made orphans of his children; and from
such courage may | be forever deliver
edl
Having concluded, as 1 hope, to the
satisfaction of the public, the defence
Of my own character, turn reluctantly
to the duty of making good the char
ges which | have made against Mr..
Clay. This duty has been forced up
me by his friends, and has been the
means Of placing me in conflict with
reverend compugators, very much a.
gainst my will.
| have stated on former occasions
that Mr.. Clay has been in the habit OF
playing cards for money, for many years
back, at watering places, on steam
boats, and at private houses. His
conduct at burgoo feast, near Lex
ington, on the 4th of July, 1843, and
in July, 1874, at the Blue Licks, was
particularly specified. l have annex
| ed the statement of Robert Wickliffe,
SEM, esq.,, ~ to support the first
charge, and add to it reference to
Capt. Henry Johnson, of Lexington,
and Capt. Thomas Van Swearingen,
of Gallatin, Mo-, both of whom will
state that they were present, saw him
play, and that money was played for.
/ have not been able to procure the
positive statement of any person who
saw the games at the Blue Licks, and
must rely on the witnesses who were
produced by Mr.. Clay's friends to ac-
quit him of a charge that | did not
make, viz: that he played there on the
Sabbath. A gentleman of this city
authorizes me to say that Mr.. Vertner,
one of Mr.. Clay's certihers, told him
that he (Mr. Vertner) himself played a
part of the time with Mr.. Clay; and
Maj. Moore, who resides near the