Arkansas intelligencer., 1846-01-17
From the Arkanssa Banner.
COL. ASHLEY, AND HIS ALLEDGED PLEDGES
To tie Editor ofMe Arkan,a. Banner.

ferson," in your paper OF the l7th inst, and find
IN il the following most extraordinary paragraph,
which, think, requires few comments:
"At the commencement of the last session OF
the Legislature, Col. Ashley was a candidate
for the Senate, and wns we'll convinced that
he would be elected, il Gov. Yell. whose friends
were desrous Of placing his name before the LIE.
gislature. in connection with tho senatorship,
should not be candidate To preyen, the Gov.
ernor from becoming a candidate, Col, Ashley
went 10 number Of members OF he Legislature,
and other gentlemen, and stated 10 them, that "he
only desired to serve out the unexpired portion
of Gov. Fullon's term in the Senate; that his char
ac,er had been sandered by his eteniies, in con.
necton with his business transactions, and that
if he could be elected 10 the Senate, it would be
an endorsement by his political party, and would
efeciually efiace the stains attempted to be im-
pressed upon his reputation by his enemies; that
he was getting old, and that he would be perfectly
con!ented to retire, after having served out the
three sessions made vacant by Gov. Futon's S
death; and that if the friends of Gov. Yell would
induce him not TO be u candidate at that time,
and give him their support, that he would not be
in the way of Yell at the next Legislature" He
made this statement to CIV. Adams, Judge Sneed,
DR.. Borland, Col. John G. Walker, of the Sen.
ate, A. b. Greenwood, ESQ.,, Of the House. to
Judge Oldham, and Maj. John S. Houston of
Johnson county, besides other gentlemen, and he
requested Judge Sneed and DR.. Borland 10 make
the declaration, in his name, TO Gov Yell. which
they did. He urged gentlemen 10 electloneer
with members of the Legislature, upon those
grounds, which almost every member OF the Le'
gisature will remember was done"
~ | l,alaye hpnn
sonalIy acquainted with Col. Ashley, for more
than dozen years past, and, presume, as most
others have done, have known him as ranking at
leas, among the foremost members of our BAR
and given him credit for the possession OF a high
order of talent and intellect rs well as reason
able share Of shire rewdness-perhaps you will say,
as much Of the latter quality as usually falls to
the lot of one man. We'll. If this be 30, then let
me ask you, if you believe Col. Ashley could have
been so great IA simpleton MS to have made the
puerile and whining proposition to Gov. Yell
that Jefferson" charges him with, or any other
proposition resembling it, DO you believe any
sensible man, who is acquainted with Col. Ashley.
can be made 10 believe so ABSURD s'ors! .a
answer for YOU. You do not. 1t is too absurd
to gain credit any where. II IS true, l cannon
saw, of my own knowledge, that he dtd mol: hu''
if he did, | will confess he was greater snPe,
ton than had supposed him TO be, ana Possfsstu
of far less shrewdness than he had cfear' 'or
among his acquaintances. Hence, am ireo "
say, that do not believe he ever mace Such
proposi,on, nor, indeed, any thing like II.
The gentleman whom your correspondent TO-
{. rs 10, as his witnesses, to prove MS charee
npains, Col. Ashley, are, so far ms my acqua'n!'
ance with them extends, men OF un'mpeachao'e
yeraci,y who would not, am sure, intentionally
make false statement. or wiltully give wrong
Interpretation 10 casual or jocuar conversation
to inlure q political opponent. NO. s'r' 'ney
would not. They would scorn so base an ae,'-
Then, sir, say, that no. one OF them wou'u oe
WILING TO hazard his character tor veracity' ny
endorsing SO prepos,erons charge.
But, sir, suppose any one or more OF them were
10 endorse it. what predicament would he place
bimsefin! Those gentlemen occupy some prom
;nence in the democratic ranks, and are all LOOK.
ed nm 10, in their respective circles, Tor counse'
md instruction, by those who have not had 'ne
an ma obportunities for acquiring information IN
reInon 10 the qualifications Of candidates Tor 'ho
stations nspired to. Will these gentlemen, 'hen'
or nnv of them be willing to come out and testify,
ion oath or on honor) that they were pr,rl % .
bo,ooin Jet,reen Col. Ashley and Coz. feH' or
Il vou n,case, a proposition from the former 10
Tho Inter. that, if Gov. Yell would permit Col
a: 10 Is elected Senator, he (!A.} would not De
n candidate for reelection, but would leave me
rack clear for Gov. Yei Orr will they testify
10 the truth of the charges as quoted by "'ener'
so,", If ,hey will; believe every honest gem, a
ocr,t will denounce them as not entitled 10 Jug
confidence Of their party. and would say lhey
deserved it. If such proposition had oeen niaue
- them, or come to their knowledge, lhe'r oo''ous
Iu,v TO their party was, to expose IT. and e. sne
@ uor;v or parties making or accedlng to IT, suhel
ibe consequences of an attempted fraud o" ''''
people. He i. deferred to a.
..a of the witnesses. He was, at the tlme' tht
o"I O"I nowledped ~ "organ" Of the party-lhe 'rus,
ssn,;n.I on the democratic watch'to"efTEanr. ~.
hound. bv the confidence reposed IN hIm, oy VI.
Oor,v ~ TO expose oil corruption and Juggling: o.
,Sa 1,,t of the candidates for offices, that m'sn
.oms .n1 tn his knowledge. Could such a Proposl
% ion have been made to him. and he the bearer %
;, ~ Gov. Yell, and the keeper Of ,ne seG,en 10
. SboIe I vearl-Mrer! NkvEsH NEVEK!!
'n;nL tnoy The Doctor TOO well for that tie may
soms,imes err in Judgments IS 'hlnk ne mas u
,So % mar, he has taken in the contes. gong t y" 70
oen VI" the friends Of Gov. Vel! and Co'. Asn!ey-
% Wv, he is too stern and unwaverIng oeInofra
w ai have been so long in possession oil 50 gross
';sce Of Juggling and not publish 10 'ne ~ol'a J.
pltSo ~ tho confidence repO9e0 VI