The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-10-02

A RepL eAf.BAsY EXPOSED,
The Madisonan started story some tIma ago
charging Mr. Clay, when Speaker of the House
of Representatives, with having increased the
mileage pay of Mr. John Scott, M. C.. from Mis-
souri,, in the amount of t'oenty-t,oo hundred dol
lars, and that the object of Mr.. Clay in the allow
ance was to buy the vote of Mr.. Scott for MIR.
Adams when that gentleman was elected to the
Presidency. The Intelligencer of yesterday
shows, in detail, the utter falsity of the whole
story, and the Madisonian stands convicted of a
sheer fabrication.
Mr.. Clay had nothing to do with making the
allowance to Mr.. Scott. The 102d rule of the
House, adopted in 1912, long before the date Of
the transaction in question, prescribes that a
committee of members of the House, styled the
Committee of Accounts, shall settle the accounts
of members for travelling expenses, &C. Here
is the lie given by the record TO the Madisonian's
fabrication, and leaves the imaginative editor
without leg to stand upon.
The basis of the lie being removed, the super
structure would, of course, fall to the ground ;
but we may as well remark that the story, so far
as regards Mr.. Clay's motive, carried contradc-
ton upon its face. The account was settled and
paid before the Presidential election and conse
quently before anybody knew that the selection
Of President would deyove upon the House of
Representatives.
1t is by such Infamous falsehoods that the char
acter Of Mr.. Clay is assailed by his desperate and
despicabe enemies, who despair Of defeating him
by honorable means
But the best Of the story is that Col. Benton
had the same allowance for extra mileage made
at the same time. Other Members Of Congress
travelling the river route received the extra al
lowance granted them at the same time by the
Committee of Accounts.
The only agency which the Speaker has in the
pay of members is to sign the checks upon the
Treasury, the first officer and representative of
the body over which he presdes Bnt as we
have above explained, the amount for which the
members are entitled to check is settled by the
Committee of Accounts.
In this connexion we insert the letter of Mr..
Scott, long ago made public, in which he ex-
pressly exculpates Mr. Clay from the charge of
ever advising him how he should vote, and that
although he had asked his advice. This short
letter of itself refutes the calumny about bargain
and intrigue, and places Mr.. Clay in an attitude
of noble disnteresedness
"sT GENEv1EvE, (Mo.) Aug. 2, 1927.
. never consulted or advised with any one
how should vote, except with the two Senators
from my own State and with Mr.. Clay, whose advice
4 /ln,f nrsI., }arsfc
to me when requested his opinion and advice was
substantially this: That personally knew all
the candidates well; that he Mould give no opin
ION that might go to the prejudice Of any candi-
dale, OR OPERATE TO INFLUENCE ANY ELECToR
that all he would say was, that ought not to be
hasty and commit myself, but wait till the last
moment for advices from my State, to the Legis-
!ature of which, then in session, had applied for
information on the subject of the election"