The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-05-23
Clay's DueIIing PrOpensiIies,

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In 1925, letter appeared in the "Co
lumbar Observer" rejecting pretty Sc
verely upon the coalition between JOIN
Q, Adams and Henry Clay. The lette
was written by George Kreemer, mem
Der of Congress from Pennsylvania, al
MIR Krcemer afterwards avowed. Thi,
letter, touching as it did upon subject
exceedingly sore to Mr. Clay, excited hin
exceedingly, and he issued the following
"cARD" on the 3lst January 1926, which
was published in the newspapers of thai
time:
ga CARD.
81 have seen without any other emo
ton than that of ineilable contempt, the
abuse which has been poured out upon
me by a scurrillous paper issued in this
city, and by other kindred prints and per-
sons, in regard to the Presidential cleo
ton. The editor of one OF those prints
ushered forth in Philadelphia, called the
Columbian Observer, for which | do not
subscribe and which | have not ordered
has had the impudence to transmit to me
his vile paper ofthe oath inst. In that
number is inserted letter purporting to
have been written from this city on the
18th inst, by member of the House OF
Representatives, belonging to the Penn
sylvanla delegation. | believe it to bc n
forgery; but if it be genuine, ] pronounce
the member, whoever he may be, base
and infamous calumniator, dastard ana
liar; and if he dare unvcil himself and
avow his name, wW hoM him responsible,
as i here admit myself to br, TO ALL
THE LAWS WHICH GOVERN AND
REGULATE MEN OF HONOR.
ii. CLAY.
"3lst January, 1926"
This letter caused many remarks at
time Of its first publication, it then being
considered very extraordinary thing
The Evening Post designated it as an
unprecedented MOTEL 1t showed Mr.
Clay to be a very passionate man, acting
in hot haste, from temper easily excl
ted, rather than deliberate and sound
judgment. He took offence at a newspa-
per paragraph about the coalition "a ten
der point truly and felt like fighting a
duel with any mcmber, "whocvcr he night
be-" dming him to "unveil himself" and
publicly giving challenge to the author
of the letter!
Such is the man whom the ledcralists
declare to be the "embodimcnt" of their
principles and their candidate for the
Presidency. He is passionate, incon-
sidcratc man, as we have often seen,
since his pubHc challenge in 1895. When
he declared in 1911 that the Democratic
party were like criminals, "miM haiers
around their neeks," he evinced much
malice and bad temper. The many du-
els in which he has been involved, as
one of the principals or as main adviser,
are further evidences of his bad temper,
and his general bullying character
Now we ask our readers to mark this
point. Henry Clay's "card" denounced
the author of the letter in the Columbian
Observer as "a base and infamous ca
lumnator, bastard and liar" The let
ter was written in January 1925, about
four weeks previous to the election of
John Quincy Adams, aud stated that
there was evidence that Mr. Clay was a
bout to vote for John Quincy Adams,
against the special Instructions of the
Legislature of his own state, and that
Clay would be rewarded by high office
for his treachery. This is the substance
of the letter which called out Clay's
"card" of general challenge-this is
what Clay pronounced to be calumny"
and Gle" In February, about four
weeks after the publication of Clay's card,
ii Presidential election in the House of
Representatives took place. Clay roted
far adams, against the instructions of
Kentucky, as the letter said he would
Shortly after that, Mr. Clay was appoint
ed Secretary of State, thus proving the
statements of the letter which Clay de-
clared to be Gle" How much reason
had he for the public challenge he put
FORTH