The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1844-10-19
POLITICAL.
MR.. CLAWS LETTER TO MR..
BLAIR.
TO the Public.

Some time during the last summer, Mr..
! Clay sent me copies Of his letters to Mr..
Blair, written in January, 1925, and au-
thorized me to shew them to any one
who might wish TO see them. Finding
that the charge Of bargain and Corrup-
ton which was made at the time, and
reluted, was revived, and was now serious
ly urged against Mr.. Clay, that it was
alleged to be susceptible of proof under
his own hand, and that these letters were
referred 10 as containing the proof, caus-
ed notice 10 be inserted in THE WING,
that copies Of the letters were in my
hands, aud that they were open to the IN
speclion of any gentleman of either party.
/ thought it impossible, that any man
could read the letters, without seeing and
admitting, that they contain no evidence
of any imploPriely Of thought, word or
dted--no evidence Of any selfish or per-
soual i,eling-no evidence of aughl but
patriotism, and that his bitterest foes
would be compelled to acknowledge this,
uIon erusal of them Many Of the friends
of Mr.. Clay have called upon me, and
read these famous letters. Not one of his
enemies has asked to see them, aud have
| shewn them to but one, who did rot ask
TO see them; they have ether been unwi-
ling TO have any communication with Me
on the subject, or perhaps, they wish to
remain in ignorance.
II am rightly informed, no application
has ever been made directly to Mr.. Clay,
! by Mr.. Blair, by Mr.. Linn Boyt, or by
any other of that party, to consent to the
publication Of these letters. Mr.. Clay
would doubtless have consented. if his
consent had been asked by any Of the
leaders of the party hostile to him. They
have imputed whatever sentiments it SUIT
ed their purpose to Mr.. Clay, under the
impression that he could not relate the
impurations they made, without violating
the sanctj'y of private correspondence un-
der the seal of which the letters were
written. Overcome by the earl ct en-
rea les OF his friends in Virginia, Mr.. Clay
has reluctantly consented TO the publlca-
ton if they think it proper of the let
ters, private and confidential as they arc,
ID even playful and sporIive in their
character That he is right in doing this
cannot be doubted, since the seal Of pri-
vale correspondence has in fact been bro
ken; the letters have been seen by hum.
dreds-by all, indeed, who wished to see
Them, and the only question is whether
Mr.. Clay ought to suffer all the evils of
mIsconslruclion, which longer suppress
sion of Them might apparently warrant.
and which publication of them vii! re-
Iule' But the publication is now made
by me-not without Mr.. Clay being ap-
rised Of the purpose, nor wlthou! his &C
quIesence-but still take the RESPONSE
biIity Of the publication. Knowing, as
he must have known, that the publication
could only be beneficial 10 him, he has
yet patiently endured all the calumnies
which have been founded on the letters.
now publish them, in order to put dow II,
rllrclually and forever, a vile charge, which
has been revived after having been com
pIeely reinled, and which has been re-
vIved here in Virginia, n the hope that lhe
letters, after SO long delay, would not be
published.
One word as TO the authenticity Of the
copies which are now published. In 1927
Mr.. Clay sent copies, certified by Mr..
Blair, TO the late Colonel john I1arvie of
Frankfort, Kentucky. and he put them in
the hands Of Col. Richard ii. Tay Tor, also
OF Frankfort, for public inspection. They
we're examined by hundreds of persons of
both parties, and were perfectly accessi-
bie TO any person who wished to sec
Them. 1t is confidently believed, that
no one who has examined them ever ven
iured to assert that they contained any
hing prejudicial to Mr.. Clay. There
is, in ruth. nothing in them, which is not
substantially stated in Mr. Clay's letter to
his constituents, Of the Goth March, 1925,
which was printed in Niles Register at
The time, and which is republshed in Nal
Ioty's life of Clay, Vol. |, page 4S6.-
I he copies now sent for publication are
copies certified by Mr. Blair, now in Col.
Iaylor's hands 1t is not doubted that
the copies are correct. But Mr.. Blair is
challenged to produce the originals, and
after showing to any person acquainted
with Mr.. CIay's hand writing (for exam
pie, the Hon. Willis Green, or Mr.. Gales,
or Nj, Fendall) to publish them. II may
be proper to say, that the expression in
the first leter---'.Next, friend Of Mr.
Adams comes, acith tears in his eyeS'-is
an alluson to a physical intirmily, to
which Mr.. Adams is, or was then, subject;
his tears flow Involuntary. Such an al
fusion could only have been IN the most
confidential letter.
Itmay be proper TO remark further, that
the extract which Nh. Kendall is said to
have published, as have recently seen i!
published, is to be found in fact, in the
Ere. I..a. II AL Cln.. hnt Il IL nnlh al