The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1853-10-08
CLAY AND ADAMS.


; himself and Mr.. John Quincy Adams
by which he made the latter Presidrn
and was himself made Secretary O
State. If with any person any doub
remained, another witness has apprarp,
Or rather re-appeared-on the stand
a political opponent Of the parties; VIII
closes up III evidence and cause, a YER
diet of acquttal to be universally rem
dered. Col. Benton in his great his
torIcal work, now in course of publca
ton, thus refers to the subject:
sit is no part Of the Object of th
Thirty Years View to dwell upon til,
conduct of individuals, except as show
ing the causes and consequences o
events; and, under this aspect, it be
comes the gravity of history to tell tina
in these two struggles for the election
Of President, those who struggled a.
gainst the democratic principle los
their places on the political theatre, the
mere voting members being put doWr
in their States and districts, and the
eminent actors forever ostraclaed from
the high object of their AMBITION A
subordinate cause NAV have had its ct.
feet, and unjuStlv, in prejudicIng the
public mind against Mr. Adams and
Mr.. Clay. They had been political
adyersarieS, co-operatcd in the ritctiin
and went into l,'. administration to-
gether. Mr. Clay received the office OF
$ cretary Of tat" from Mr.. Adams and
this gave rise to the lnputatIon OF bar
gain between them.
II came within my knowledge, (fnr |
was then intimate with MIR. Clay,) long
before the election, and probably before
MIR. Adams knew it himself, that Mr..
Clay intended to support him against
Gen. Jackson, and for the reasons after
wards averred in his public speeches.
| made this known when occasions re-
Guirrd me- to speak Of it, and in the pre-
sence of friends of the impugned parties.
1t went into the newspapers upon the
information Of these friends, and Mr.
Clay made me his acknowledgment $
for it in a letter, of which this is the
exact copy:
Il have received paper published on the
2Olh uiIimo at Lexington, in Virginia, in which
Is contained an article stating thai YOU la !, 10
gentleman Of that place, expressed your dis
belief "t a charg" in urious to me touching the
lule presidential election, and thai | bad COM
muniCalcd loyou qulvOcally, before the 18Th
OF December, lS2 !, my determination to vote
ior AIR. Adams, and not Tor Gen. Jackson Pre-
Stunning thai the publication was with your au-
Ihonty. cannot deny the expression OF proper
acknowledgements for the sense OF Justice which
has prompted you TO render this voluntary AMI
faithful testimony"
This letter, Of which | now have the
original, was dated at w ashington CITY,
December Is, 1S27-that is to say, in
the very heat and middle Of the canvass
in which Mr.. A dams was beaten by Gen.
Jack son, and when the testimony could
he of most service 10 him 1t went the
rounds Of the papers, and was quoted
aud relied upon in debates in Congress,
greatly to the dissatisfaction Of many Of
my own party. There is no mistake in
the date or feet. left WASHINGTON the
18th Of December on a visit to my faith
er-iu-iaW. Col. James M'DoweIl, of
RocAhridge county, Virginia, where
Mrs. Benton then was, and 1t was before
| left Washington that | learned from
Mr.. Clay himself that his intention was
10 support Mr.. Adams. told this at
tn., finn, T., r,J AI)DouaI md ,, q,
friends that CHANGED to be- present. |
told it as my beitcf to Mr.. Jefferson on
Christmas evening of the same year,
when returning to Washington, and
making a call on that ilustrious man at
his seat, Monticello; and believing then
that Mr., Adams would be elected, and,
from the necessity Of the case, would
have TO make up mixed cabinet, ex-
pressed that belief to Mr.. Jefferson, u.s.
ing the term familiar in English history,
of "droud Jotomcd;" and asked HIM
how it would do! He answered, "no, at
all-would never ed-wouId ruin
all engaged in it," Mr.. Clay told his
friends from an early period; but, as they
remained his friends, their testimony
was but little needed. Even my own,
IN the violence Of party, and from my
relationship to Mrs. Clay, seemed to
have but little effect. The imputation
of "bargain' stuck, and doubtless had
an influence in the election. In fact,
the circumstances of the whole affair
previous to the antagoni<m between the
parties, actual support in the election,
and acceptance of high ollice--madc up
a case against Messrs. Adams and Clay
which ii was hardly safe for public men
to create and to brave, however strong
in their own consciousness Of integri-
ty."
IMPORTANCE OF ONE VorE.-Norman
MilIington (whig) is elected Senator in