The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-09-20


MADE AND DENOUNCED BY THE
CINCINNATI GAZETTE, PROVEN BY
INCONTESTIBLE EVIDENUE-BY ONE
WHO "ESPOUSED THE CAUSE" WITH
CLAY!
On the goth of July last we charged
Henry Clay with having espoused tne
cau.e of that arbitrator TO his country.
AARON BURR! TO make such. a
charge--a hehious crime against the
Union and its sConstitution---against the
peace and property and rights Of mil
lions---upon such Il man as CIay,---the
.aspirant for the highest honor that
country, which he sought to betray, can
bestow upon its sons,-is very grave
matter, and one Of such responsibility
that it should not be made without sub
stantlal evidence. The evidence, when
the charge was first made, was the let
ter Of Aaron Bur- himself, to Henry
Clay, which we then published, in
which Burr said to Clay he "hal not eS-
poused Tie cause Of a man, in any ,Oay
unfriendly TO The .la,cs," sc.
This YVES pounced upon by the Gin
cinnat Gazette and other whig papers,
and the, e,choicest epithets from the vo.
cabulary exhausted in repelling it as
false and infamous--the Gazette charg-
ing us with gross distortion of truth,
and asserting that Clay only as a aw-
yer ssespoused the cause of Burr"
Since this matter has occasioned SO
much flutlering among the whig parti-
zan organs, we commend the following
TO further notoriety. Those presses
that have outraged all the Obligations
of religion, morals, truth AMI public o.
pinion by their fragrant assaults upon
the ancestry of Col. Polk, denouncing
them as Tories in the Revolution, and
when convicted Of foul libel by the
living evidence, still reiterating the
damnable lie, can here see the eff
feet of their course ;--they find their
own chief charged with being identi-
fled with the most dangerous traitor,
in the most dangerous act Of treason,
that the American Union ever harbor-
ed or was threatened with, and not on
ly "espoused the cause" of this traitor,
but was the instrument 10 prevail upon
others to do tho same.
Affidavit Of JOhn Dooaing, Of Leriag-
ton, KenMcky.
At the time of Aaron Burr's first Wis
it the town Of Lexington, was sent
for by Joha Jordon to come to bis
house. Upon going there, found Burr,
John and Major Boyd, sitting in room
together. Jordon introduced me to
Col. Burr, who invited me to accompa-
ny him up stairs. | followed on until
he led me into the garret. When there
alone with him, he developed what he
represented to be his plan, and solic-
ted me to join him in the character of
a SPY, for which duties he stated had
been recommended by Jordon. His
designs, as unfolded by himself to me,
were upon Mexico, and he presented
the prospects ofimmease wealth. He
likewise declared to me that many IN
diyiduals Of the highest responsibility,
in the place and elsewhere, had associ-
ated themselves with him. heard no
inlimation of any unfriendly designs
upon the Union. ..'
After leaving Burr consulted some
ofmy friends as to the propriety of
ioininghim. Among the rest, Mr.. Hen
ry Cl1y, who was at that time respec-
table young lawyer of the town, and
my particular friend. He advised me
by all means to engage in the project,
urging variety Of res ons why it was
better for me than to continue !a.5oring /
at my trPde Of a carpenter, As a fur
thcr inducement, he stated that he
himself was engaged with Burr and
intended to 60 with him. After this
interview with Clay, and one with Jor-
don, and the idea that they were going,
l made up my mind to engage with
Burr in his schemes, regarding them as
| did as perfectly legitimate and prop
er. After had become one of Burr's
men, had repeated interviews with
him in Jordon's garret. to which no
one was admitted but ourselves. When
] had concluded and departed from the
room, some one else would be admit
ted singIy and alone; in returning
from the interviews, ] have repeatedly
met Henry Clay ascending to the gar
ret, into which he was admitted by
Burr to a private interview. ! have
often, in going up to the garret, met
Clay descending, and particularly re-
collect that on one occasion he left the
garret room in which Burr YVES, just as
| entered. When Mr.. Clay was in
this placehe sent young aan to me
to complain that ! had charged him
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