The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-11-01
rhn, I.c,,er to Frnnci. p. E:Iair.

fr publication under any Circumstances. IN,
letter contains nothing Of ,':s sort. There isno-
thing IN j,of a confidential nature whatever, cx-
cegtns always the dlmning Procfit affords Of the
bargain add sale. /, is also rccol,ectcd that Amos
Kendall saw lai, letter nj, long after it was writ
tens that before a committee Of the Kentucky Io-
gisalurc, hc stated his recollection Of is content.
and that the whiss have over since then heaIoJ
upon him o'ory species Of abuse, dcnounciag bis
statements o. ll-c, and accusing him Of perjury.
Mr.. Kendall gave bis recollection of the most
material part IF the letter in these words:
"My friend, entertain the belief that their Mind
wishes toward, u,c viii in the end be most likely
/ 10 he accomplished hy bcstowing their votes on
/ Mr.. Adams. (llr. Clay then declares that he
/ has urged them 10 be governed by their views Of
/ lhc public good alone and AYERS that he has been
Influenced ouly by that consideration. In con-
ciusna lac uses nearly the following words y
! Your representative (mcauing Mr.. Whc) is
/ inclined T. concur with Us in these sentiments,
and | know his respect for your Opt
{ MON (Nr Biar's) request, if you concur in our
/ views, that you will write 10 him by return mail
10 strengthen him in his iucIinatious.- Shoig IT'S
/ 10 CnHoaleH aiae.'
/ The following is an extract from the letter as
now pubIi,hcd;
'Nly friends entertain the belief that their kind
wishes toward, me Will in the end be more like
/ ~ To be accomplished by so bestowing ihcir votes
! (on Mr. Adams) have, however, most ear
nesty cntrcaicd them to throw me out of their
considerations in bringing their judgments 10
final conclusion, and to ouk and he solely guided
! by the public good. If know myself tina. alone
! has determined me- Your representative is
inclined to concur with us IN these scnl-
mcnls and views; and, If they should meet
/ your APPRECIATION, as | know he has great re-
! spcct fol Your opinions, would be glad if you
would. by the return mail, address a letter to him
to strengthen him in his inclination. BE pieased
! 10 H0,C his letter 10 Criiieaden GloHe.'
Thus ii will be observed that Mr.. Kendall, not
withstandiug all the asseyeraons Of the wings to
the contrary, gave this part of the letter uImos,
word (or word, certainly bot doing Mr.. Clay IN
| Justice ia his version. And this extract con
tnins the riih aud marrow Of the whole
| letter. But in order to understand it, some ex.
| PLANTATION is necessary. Jackson, Adams, Craw-
ford, and Clay had been candidates for the prosi-
dency. There was no choice by the people, and
/ l.C tlEtc HTbt NtIC iount VI piC-
scnatives by the electoral college. Clay's friends
held the balance Of power between them, and
whoever they went for in the house would be
elected Clay wanted the next chance to be pre-
sdcnt, and the whole aim of himself and friends
was so TO cast their votes as to secure to him that
object, Up to that time, The secretary of state
had always been the next candidate for tho pres-
Gcucy. Thus Jefferson had been secretary Of
state under Washington Madison under Jelcr-
son, Monroe under Madison, &c. Mr.. Clay
therefore, wanted to get into this "line OF safe pre-
cclents" by having himself appointed secretary
Of state, and his friends determined Cor were
induced) t, go for the man who would ap-
point him 20 that Office This man, it appears,
they found in John Quincy Adams. But all
lhe Clay states were not willing to go for Mr.
Adams, aud among them was CIoys own Ken
lucky. That state had no, given single vote
for Mr.. g., and, in her legislature, had strongly
requested her members Of congress TO go for
Jackson. But hy adroi, management MIR. Clay
had got half Of the Kentucky members to go for
jorly. The only additional man he could hope
to &c, was Mr. White. He therefore writes to
Mr.. Blair, who was then one Of his warmcst
fncnds and ready to aid him in every way he
could to get the succession, and who Mr.. Clay
knew had a great deal of influence with Mr..
W hite, aud informs HIM that "My Mr.. Clay's1
friends entertain The JeGef That their kind wishes
iOlpayas me, [hm,l Chat is that he should be the
next president after the one about TO he choscn,)
",riH in the end, be best promoted by besto,cing
their pgies on Mr Adams," and, as Mr.. White was
only half inclined to go into the arrangement, he
requests Mr. Blair TO write to him ITO strengthen
his inclination" Mr. Blair did write to him;
Mr. White did vote MS desired; the vote OF Ken.
lucky and Of the other states that had gone for
Mr. Clay in the electoral college was cast for Mr..
Adams Mr.. Adams was elected president, and
Nc. clay tcas appointed secretary Of state and
thus was consummulcd one of most Infamous
bargains recorded in the annals of political knove.
Try. Aud when tho Kentucky delegation return
ed home and Mr.. White was tainted for voting
agajcs: the wishes of his state, he defended him
self by candidly acknowledging that he voted for
Mr. Adams solely to secure TO Clay the appoint
menl to the secrotaryship, aud thus the best
chance for the succession. But hitherto, although
few men have doubted that there was an under.
standing between Clay and Adams, IL was diff
cult to prove Mr. Cley's personal agency in car
ryng the agreement into effect, Tho letter TO
Blair however settles that point. We see him
there over his own hand, telling his friend that his
aims for the presidency will he hest promoted by
the election OF Adams, and is laboring to at.
tain that end 10y securing the cooperation Of Mr..
White, But although Mr., Clay did &c. Adams
elected, aud was appointed secretary Of staie