Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-10-24

MIR. CLAWS LETTERS TO f. p. BLAIR.
These Letters were published at Lexington
(ky.) abon, the same time as at Richmond. Al
Extra from the office of the Observer and Reporter
contains them, preceded by the following inter.
Iesting Calculation Of subject:
Fronsne Observer and Reporter Extra, Oct. =
We present to our readers to-day copies or the
two celebrated letters of Mr.. CLAY, addressed hv
him now near twenty years ago to F. p. BI..,R.
relating to the Presidential election of Thai rs
Rod. These copies are taken from copies cerii.
hed by Blair himself, now in the hands Of Col.
EDMUND IA. TAYLOR, OF Frankfort, Kentucky.
where they have been for about seventeen wears. =
accessible to oil persons, without discrimination
OF party, who might choose to peruse them.-
Hundreds have accordingly awaited themselves
OF tho opportunity. Other comics of them. for
some time past, have been in possession of Ben
Jam'n Watkins Leigh, Esq. of Richmond, Viz.
gina, where they have been alike open to public
inspection.
Mr.. Clay's disinclination to the publication Of
"eeo 'et'ers arose out OF the fact that they were
written In all the carelessness and confidence of
private core spondence; that parts of them were
piayiui ana sport'veS and that they spoke of in
div'duals and classes in manner which. sf adj.
mssible In private correspondence, was moi pro.
per for the public eye. He was perfectly aware
nf
the ialsehood of the atrocious calumnv NV xvb;ch
he had been assailed, and of the purity and dis.
ihierestedness oil his conduct the memorable
occasion to which they refer. But on that SUBJ
Ject the public needed no further proof; and, at
all events, he did not choose TO avail bimseIf of
that which they furnish by giving his sanction
10 The violation of private coTrespondence
lie has been finally induced, by the earnest en-.
"eates OF numerous persons, to consent 10 theft
puonca'ion from two considerations. The first
ls' That that arch belier, Amos Kendall, has sur
reptitlously obtained and published paraorapbs of<
one OF the letters, which, by suppression of other
paragraphs, and by bringing into iuxtaposition
paris oil the letter which were separated from
each other by intervening clauses, has given 4
,a'se coioIing to the letter. The way in which
ne himself states that no obtained the parauranbo
is characteristic of his infamous conduct. 'fhe
letters were deposited at Frankfort as aIreadv
stated win PERMISSION 10 any body to read them.
out under prohibition against any copv beino
taken. hendall says that ne went freouentlS
and perused the letters, unit! he impressed on bis
memory The paragraphs which he wished to recol.
ect' and having thus purloined them no after.
wards published them. Will not every honest
man say mat thls was jus, as fraudulent viola.
ZION OF the restriction under which he was per
iiiued 10 inspect The letters as if he had taken
written copy!
The other consideration which has led to the
present publication of The letters is that MANY or
!he friends oi Mr.. Clay have urged that he owes
IL TO The public, if 10 himself since the cor
iesPondence has been already violated, TO present
W 'ne Wor.u 'he conclusive refu:ation which it
contains OF the dislnterred charge which calum-
niators have revived against him. 1t is proner
10 add that neither Blair nor Kendall nor Ritchie
nor Doyd' ever made any application to Mr.. CLAY,
as we are credibly assured, for his consent to Tho
publication of the letters.
Before we close this article we invita- nnbI;c
attention TO the remarkable coincidence between
passages In the letter OF tho 9Th of January, and
In hir. Clay's address to his constituents of
March 1925. In that address he SAYS.
during the month of December and the great
er part OF January, strong professions Of biqb
consideration and oil unbounded admiration Of
me were made TO my friends in the greatest pro-
fusion, by some OF the active friends of all tho
returned candidates. Every body professcd Id
regret, alter was excluded from the House. that
mad not been returned TO it. / seemed To he the
iavo,lte OF every body. Describing nv situation
10 distant friend, said TO him: il am enioyino
whilst alive the poshumous honors which are
usually awarded to the venerated dead A ner.
son not acquainted with human nature would
nave oeen surprised, IN listening TO these praises
that the object Of them had not been elected bv
general reclamation. None made more or warm
er manifestations of these sentiments of esteem
ana admiration than soue of the friends of Gen.
JackSon.''
MIR: Clay owes duty to history which we
hope he will yet perform. 1t is to BRING for.
possession or at his command, to establish that,
y mere 'cere any improper attempt 10 tanlper ,oiM
ms /rtends IN Mc Winter of 1924 and 1925, to tn
Guence Their cote On the Presidential election in the
House of Representatives, ii ,oas ON tile part of the
friends Of Gen. .4ndreav Jickson
we also invite attention to a careful consider.
ation OF paragraph towards the close of the
letter OF the SIh of January, 1925:
MY friends entertain the belief, that their kind
wishes towards me, will, in the end, be more like.
y TO be accomplished by so bestowing their votes.
"aoe' hoUeper' most earnestly entreaied them to
hro'o out Of their consideration, in bringing
TIER judgments 10 a final conclusion, and 10 Look
ana oe gu'ded solely 6ytte public good-LfI kno,D
mySeD, that atone has determined me''
Never let US, hereafter, hear any more of this
vile and detestabie calumny. The publication of
these letters will drive its ghost back to the deep
hole Which had been dug for it by James Bucha-
nan, Carter Beverly, and a whole host of the
most creditabe witnesses.
REDUCTION OF TOLLS