Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-07-25
From the Louisville Journal.
He Must ssSpeak or Dies


Mr.. Y. Cotton, the author of the Biography OF
henry Clay, recently addressed note, as our
leaders have seen, to the editor of the New York
limes, confirming our statement tina, the two par
agraphs in the Biography relative to Mr.. Buchan.
ans approaching Mr.. Clay in Mr.. Letchers room.
IN January, 1925, to offer Mr.. Clay the Secretary
ship OF State, for his support of Gen. jackson.
were written by Mr.. Clay's own hand Mr.. Cotton
further states in his note to the Times that Mr..
Clay, on furnishing him those pages for the Bioc.
raphy, appended to them note requesting him 10
apply to Gov. Letcher for further information on
the same subject and he adds that he did accord.
ipgy apply to Gov Letcher but found his Inns
sealed by pledge Of silence given to Mr.. Buch
anan.
We say, with the Times, that we must now have
uoV. Letchers evidence in ful or Mr. Buchanan
must iaii Deiore the lnfamy of his position in re
fusing to allow 1t. Mr.. Clay has appealed to 1t
and the injustice done him by Mr.. buchanan cries
out nom the grave for Gov. Letcher to be permit
ted to speak. The truth of history demands it
every old friend OF the sainted patriot will demand
1t. And we trust the American people will do
mand it. Let Gov. Letcher speak, or let the dee u
damnation of the seal put upon his lips be pro-
Claimed to the world Justice to Henry CLAY call !,
aloud from his grave for this revelation. There is
enough, indeed, on the record of history, which
Mr.. " caused to be made, to show on which side
and by whom, bargain was proposed but the fin.
ger OF deceased patriot and he the greatest, the
purest and most magnanimous Of the age in which
he hved, points to a revelation on this very sub
Ject yet unmade, and justice to his name and fame
demands that it should be made.
II Mr.. Buchanan has any friends left that en-
tertain the slightest respect for him, or are willing
to see justice rendered to the injured and mighty
dead, let them at once unite with the rest OF the
people OF the country in demanding, peremptorily
and sternly, that he at once authorize Governor
Letcher TO make statement of the facts, which
that gentleman stands pledged not to make with
out his consent. Henry Clay wanted those facts
stated in his lifetime for the vindication of his
fouly-slandered fIme, and Governor Letcher. as is
proved by Mr.. Buchanan's own hand, applied to
Mr. b. for permission to state the truth, but that
guilty man, az is proved by his own hand, with
held such permission, and insisted that the old
pledge of silence should be rigidly kept. If Mr..
Buchanan now, with the whole Sag Nicht press AT
his back, dares to meet the truth face to face. If
he darss to let the world know what his conduct
was upon the memorable occasion which gave rise
10 that dreadful charge against the greatest and
best man of all our land, charge that has inilu-
enced the political destinies of our country ever
since, let him, abandoning the miserable and skulk
ing cowardce of his present position, stand up
and bid Governor Letcher speak Then the world
whatever else IL may say of him, will never call
nim cowerd again. He will strongly remind us of
Ajax defying the thunderbot. Will he let Gov.
Letcher do justice to the dead Clay by statement
OF the truthS If not, who, of all the true and
honorable and just men Of the country, viii be
guilty of the degradation Of supporting him for
the Presidency
And, whilst Mr.. Buchanan is giving his consent
that Gov Letcher shall speak out let him. If he
dares, give bis consent in another matter, during
the lifetime Of Mr.. Clay, writer Of high responsi
oity and authority after publishing the
given BY Mr.. Clay in Colton's Biography, salt: :
ITO add further testimony We state--and let Il be
denied If IL can-that Mr.. Clay has now in bis pos
session letter which, IL published to the world,
would place Mr.. Buchanan in an embarrassing con-
dition. The letter came from Mr. Buchanan; |; and
no call on Mr.. Clay will induce him TO give II up,
save one from his country--that is, the Senate OF
the United States. The bargain and sale conspirs-
cy, with this expose, would place Mr. Buchanan
without the pale Of Democracy, az totally unworthy
the place he holds and the suffrsges Of the people
We and many Others heard Mr.. Clay speak Of
this letter Of Mr.. Buchanan which he had in his
possession. And now let Mr. Buchanan, who as
pires to that lofty position which he prevented
Henry Clay from attaining, the Presidency Of the
United States, signify under his own hand, or
through an authorized friend his consent that any
letter Of his to Mr. Clay upon the subject of bar
gain and corruption shall be given at once 70 the
world We arc not quite certain that the letter is
It'll in existence. Possibly Mr.. Clay, whose re-
solve was that it should not be published. unless
with the consent of Mr. Buchanan or at the call of
the Senate Of the United States, ordered II upon
his death-bed to be destroyed but we should not