The Placer herald., 1856-09-20
Old Line Whigs.


The following extracts from the able letter
of Senator Pearce, of Maryland, we commend
to the attention of every manly and sensible
old line whig. Mr. Pearce has occupied a
distinguished place in the councils of the
nation for the last fifteen years His intlu-
ence in the State which he represents is only
equalIed y that of his colleague, the Hon.
Thomas g. Pratt, also an old line whig, who
has announced his determination to support
Mr.. Buchanan for the Presidency. After
the conclusive answer here made to the
charge which is current, that Mr.. Buchanan
countenanced the bargain and corruption"
slander against Mr.. Clay it will need no fur
ther retuation. One circumstance we may,
however, advert to. as affording the closing
testimony of the falsity Of the charge which
is made against Mr. Buchanan; and that is
the terms Of regard and respect which mark
ed the relations of Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Bucha-
nan, up to the last days of the Sage of Ash
land. Had he not known that the conduct
Of Mr.. Buchanan was entirely free from cen
sure, and in all respects honorable, Mr.. Clay
would have been amongst the last to preserve
towards him even the semblance of that cor
.diaity which existed through many subse
quent years, in which they were associated
in the Senate. Mr.. Pearce remarks:
81 have politically opposed the Democratic
party for so many wears that | cannot with
out reluctance contemplate the necessity of
supporting their nominee. Yet it must be
admitted that he is a man of abilities and
large public experience; that he has been just
to the South; though not assuming to be
Northern man with Southern principles; That
hls lncIlnatlons are generally conservative;
that he numbers among his prominent sup
por'ers many gentlemen of talents and patri-
otic character, entitled not only to the con
tdence of their party, but to influence with
the country at large; and that many of the
old issues between the Wings and Democrats
are obsolete. Two objections to him are
much relied on by his opponents in the South.
1t has been alledged that he countenanced
and promulgated the charge of bargain and
corruption against Mr. Clay in the election
by the House Of Representatives in 1925.
should denounce him for this as readily and
as severe as any one if | thought this allie
CATION just. But remember hat this charge
against Mr.. Clay was made without any direct
testimony until 1927, when the Garter Be
verify letter led to Mr. Buchanan being nam
ed as a witness and that he then promptly
denied the statement which he was relied ON
to prove, and. at the risk of oosng General
Jackson's favor and that Of his party, exone-
rated Mr. Clay. From the letter which he
then published extract the following passage:
81 owe it to my own character to make
another observation. Had ever known or
even suspected that Gen. Jackson believed |
had been sent to him by Mr.. Clay, or his
friends, | should have Immediately corrected
his erroneous impression, and thus prevented
the necessity for this most unpleasant expla-
nation. When the editor of the United
States Telegraph, on the 18th of October
last, asked me by letter for information upon
this subject, promptly informed him by the
returning mail, on the 10th of that month,
that | had no authority from Mr.. Clay or his
friends to propose any terms to Gen jackson
in relation to their votes, nor did ever make
any such propositions; and that trusted
would be as incapable of becoming nessen-
ger upon such an occasion, as it was known
General Jackson would be to receive such
message. | have deemed it necessary to
make this statement in order to remove any
misconception which may have been occa-
stoned by the publication in the Telegraph
Of my letter to the editor, dated the tlth
ultmo"
Again, in 1928, in a speech delivered in
the House Of Representatives, Mr.. Buchanan
declared that he had no knowledge of the
bargain and corruption charged on Mr. Clay.
These disavowals may be considered as mere
ly cold justice to the great and ncorruptible
Wing leader, but surely they contradict most
tlatly the charge Of being his 'traducer and
defamer."