The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-05
Letter Of MIR. Clemens. Of Alab"sas-

Fro,n the DIonfsomeyv ddpertiscr and Gazette.
WAsHIsoroN, February 2l. 1852
Sir l notice in your paper. and several othe H.
that the old charge of corruption between hysei
and the Whig members of the Legislature OF loi9'
has been revived in the form of letter from JEFF
ierson Buiord, and sustained by - s'milar letter
from Paul Mccall. mr.. y. ai1es sstha1 n makes
the present publication because he would be tn
fling with his own character to maintain longer
silence. He did something more than trine WIN
his own rcputat ion when he made the charge Ac~
cording to his own showing he made corrupt
bargain with me- aided in carrying 1t out, ana
then upon the first suggestion OF interest oeTaycu
his confederate. cannot relieve him from VIII
ingness to do all he says he has done, bui III po'
of fact he is lees guilty than he represents himself
He made no bargain with me, and nc did not
betray me, for he had nothing to betray. MI
Bulord's memory is bad ono, and he should nave
learned to distrust it long since lie undertakes 10
give the exact words Of a PAPER which he saw but
once, and that more than two years ago. Mr.
Mccall who never saw it at all, but only heard II
read gives it precisely word for word and syllable
for syllable as Mr.. Buiord docs
Now this il little too accurate. Ii Is sustain
ing friend little too strongly; but am willing
to suppose that both of them are honestly mistaken.
The precise charge is that addressed note 10
the whig caucus in "ncarly exactly these
words"
"If elected 10 The United Sfaiss Senate, promise
10 support the Administration Of Gsnodi Taylor
(Signcd) "JERE. CLEmsss.
The slip of paper which MIR. Buford saw, and
which his imagination has converted INTO IN"
above pledge, contained no pledge OF any sort
no expression Of opinion even. 1t was a short
| note addressed TO l.. X. Davis esq, authorizing
him to state hop far ! would consider myself
pledged TO support General Taylor. Mr.. Daviswa
| nv warm personal friend; he is gentleman
| of az high character as any in tine Sinte; he was
| perfectly familiar with my opinions, and knew
hc would have an opportunity OF explaining theni
when would not. In accordance with The au-
thorty bad given him, Mr. Davis stated that,h
elected to the Senate. l would oppose to Generh
Taylor's administration no factous party oProsi-
ton. That I believed the time had come when ~
behoovcd southern men to look rather TO satisfac-
tory settlement of the slavery question than TO old
party divisions. That if found General Taylor
true TO the South would sustain, hin--il fcand
him under frcesoi influences, should oppose him.
| This pledge and no other, was made by Mr.. Da-
| via lie hss go stated again and again M"sS's-
/ Haker Gardiner Abercrombie, Gum, Blo'lh''
| Murphy and others, all concur win nm. no
one believes that either Of tbcso gentlemen wouid
utter an untruth. and it is impo~sible that 'hey
| can be mistaken about matter in which they all
took 20 warm intcrcst.
The charge. a, made by Mr.. Buiord' IL absurd on
the face Of IT, My FIST act in Congress was one
Of opposition TO General Taylor. and That oPPosi-
ton continued unabatcd up 10 the day OF bis doath.
| No two men sustained me in 1t with more zeal
than Jefferson Buford and Paul McCall, winch
establishes beyond controversy that ne''her oil
them askcd or expected me to sustain Hny man
whose course was not entirely satisfactory to the
| South.
! do not consider IL necessary 10 write another
syllable upon this subject. For my own Nindiea-
/ tion would not have written 20 much bot lore
sec that 1t ~ TO be uscd ia aid Of certain schemes
now concocting IN Alabama, and therefore lehoose
! 10 put IL at rcst Very respectfully,
! Cd l. J. sprsl. JERE. CLEMENS.