The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-05-29

| ly designed 10 protect Mr.. King toward whom
: Mr.. CLAW had used insulting and defamatory
language in;his place in the Senate, calcua-
ted, if not designed to proroke challenge to
| fight duel"
The absurdity of this comment is worthy
of the spirit of falsehood in which it origina-
ted. 1.-THE peace was in danger, it was from
Mr.. King, the person who, if the story was
true, had received an insult which, according
to the 'scode of honor" could not pass lit by
without challenging the insulter. To put
Mr.. CLAY only, under bonds, was, therefore,
reversing the true order of proceeding. But
the Argus supposed the emergency required
the concealment Of halfthe truth, IN order to
calumniate Mr.. Clay, and.'cover the real Of
fender; and hence the absnrdity of the COM
ment.
The whole truth OF the case is stated by
the N. Y. Courier and Enquirer, and while 1t
relieves Mr.. Clay from the imputation cast
on him, il shows that Mr.. King was the real
aggressor. The C. s. E. gives the case as
follows:
The discussion arose on the proposition to
make F. P. Blair, Of the Globe, Printer to
the Senate. Mr.. Clay opposed it, and re-
marked that he had little confidence in MIR.
Blair, that he distrusted the integrity of man
who had shown so little regard TO principle in
the conduct of public press, and that he did
not believe Mr.. Blair could be safely trusted
with printing of the confidential documents
of the Senate, The truth of this every man
who knew Blair will most readily admit. But
Mr.. King and the man in the corner, Mr..
Perry Smith, from Connecticut, thought it
proper and becoming in them to reply, by
the most infamous attacks upon the personal
character of Mr.. Clay. Mr.. King said that
some years ago Mr.. Clay was on terms Of in
timacy with Blair, and that he considered Mr..
Clay's character no better than that of Blair,
with other expressions equally improper and
equally insulting. Mr.. Clay, as was due to
his own character, pronounced the assertions
supplementary and false,-as they notori
ouslyIwere. And Mr.. King publicly declared
his intention to challenge Mr.. Clay. Mutual
explanations however were made; Mr.. King
retracted all that was offensive in his remarks,
saying explicitly that he intended, by them,
nothing derogatory to the character of Mr..
Clay; and Mr.. Clay of course, withdrew the
language in which he had resented the insult.
But the police of the District bound both Of
them over to keep the peace. And the Argus
is base enough to descend to the kennel with
its meaner allies, and endeavor by misrepre-
senting this simple transaction, to create a
prejudice in the public mind against the per-
sonal characer Of Mr.. Clay.
In connection with this subject we will re-
fer again TO the old SANDER of bargain be-
tween Mr.. Adams and MIR. Clay, when the
former was elected President and the latter
Secretary of State. in 1925.
That SANDER. as well known, originated
with General Jackson; and is equally notori
Gus that the witness, whom he named to sus-
tain his SANDER. Mr. Buchanan, explicitly and
fatty contradicted the statement.
All this we showed, the other dav, by ex-
tracts from General Jackson's own letter, of
July, 1927, Mr.. Buchanan's letter of Au-
gust next, and by various other testimony.
The Richmond Wing has republisbed an
other piece OF testimony on this subject, which |
had slipped from our recollection. 1t is short
letter from the late illustrIous Chief Justice |
of the United States, John Marshall. twas
published in the Wing, and was
called forth by a statement which had been |
made in the Marylander, then published in |
Baltimore, namely, that Judge Marshall had |
said during the Presidential canvass Of 1923, |
that he should consider the election of Gen. |
Jackson as a virtuous dissolution of the IN
ion." The letter Of Judge Marshall was as
follows:
MARCH Goth, 1923.
Sir-I perceive in your paper of to-day,
quotation from the Marylander, of certain ex-
pressions ascrbed TO me,respecting the pend
ing election for the Presidency the United
States, which think it my duty TO disavow.
Holding the situation do, under the Govern
of the United States, | have thought it right
to abstain from any declaration on the cleo
lion; and were it otherwise, should abstain,
from conviction that my opinions would
have no weight.
admit having said in private that I thought
had not voted since the establishment of
the general ticket system, and believed that l
never should, during its continuance. might
probably depart from my resolution in This
instance, from the strong sense felt Of the in
Justice Of the charge Of corruption against the
President and Secretary Of State. l never
Used The expressions ascrbed to me.
request you to say, that you are author
zed to declare that the Marylander has been
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN MARSHALL.