Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-06-21

In 1870 have testified that Mr.. Clay, far from hav-
ing signi6ed that he would support dsnerAl Jack
On for the Presidency In consideration Of the Sec
r.t.ryship OF State, had positively rejected such
bargain. proffered TO him by Mr.. Buchanan him
sslE Whatever Of dshonor, whatever OF infamy
there could be in bargain intrigue, and corruption,
ast.chsd 10 Mr.. Buchanan We do not believe
that be had any authority from General jackson
70 gay what he said to Mr.. Clay, yet he professed
20 utter fact aud not opinion. He undertook 10
assert, as from authority, that General jackson
would form the most splendid cabilet the country
had ever had, and that Mr. Clay, If he should sup
port him. would be his Secretary OF State.
Mr. Clay stated, in the passage be wrote out for |
Coltons biography OF him, that, while he was 40 |
holly sssAled with the charge Of bargain and cor
ruption during the Adams administration, he mott
fed Mr.. Buchanan Of his intention 70 publish the
occurrence In question bat was induced by that
ssntemsns earnest entrssties 70 forbear doing 90.
hr. Cotton said In his biography, that he had un-
dsrstood that several times In later years Mr.. Clay
had intimatsd TO Mr.. Buchanan that 1t might be
his duty to publish the facts, and that he was dis
suadsd from IL by Mr.. Buchanan. We also know
that Mr.. Clay often between 1926 and 1916, contem-
plated publishing the facts and was vehemently
urged by his political friends TO do 30 as matter
Of Justice not merely to his own fame but to bis
party. and that he was prevented only by mr..
Buchanan's entresties. Governor Letcher, VINO
and heard al that passed, wasalways Of opinion
that Mr. Clay ought TO make the publication, and
often told him 90, but Mr.. Clay was long-suherng,
and carried his generosity too far.
Mr.. Letcher Il seems, after the interview Of
january, 1895, relieved Mr.. Buchanan's apprehen-
sions By the assurance that he would not publish
the fscts OF the interview without Mr.. Buchanan's
consent But 90 strong and deep was Mr.. Letch-
srs conviction that the facts ought to be published
that be wrote to Mr.. Buchanan upon the subject,
during the great Presidential conflict of 1874, de-
clarine however, In his letter. that he would not
violate the pledge he had originally given Mr..
Buchanan replied, deprecsting the publication and
requiring the observance of the pledge. The re-
ply was made with Mr.. Duchanan's characteristic
cunning. and we give it below, entire. One might
think from the language Of his letter, that he had
no distinct recollection Of the conversation with
, Mr.. Clay in Mr. LessLetS-~-.--, la January, 1926,
and vet that very conversation, sns.sli.gly en-
ana tnrvus.itFse had BEEN rom the very y n ,na
an who q Mr.. cass y zen agitation 70 Mr. Buchan
hand, had earnestly entreated that Il m nus onu
given TO the world. Here is Mr. Bucbsns, no. pc
70 Mr.. Letcher: iee'er
ar. 6nchanan TO r.. r. LetcAer.
:, LANCASTER, June 81. 1874
MI DEAR SIR: this moment received your yarv
nnd letter and hasten to give it an answer can.
not perceive what good purpose it would subserve
we'd con-
yersstion TO which you refer was then his ardent
friend and admrer; and much Of this ancient feeling
sun survives Notwithstanding political differen
oes since. ! did him ample justice, But no more than
and IN my letter in answer to Gen. Jackson.
have not myself any very distinct recollection Of
what transpired in your room nearly twenty wears
ago but doubtless expressed strong wish 10 him
SELF as had dono hundred times TO Others that he
might vote for Gen. jackson and if he desired it be-
come MS Secretary of State. Had he voted for the
General In case Of his election, should most GER
ainly have exercised any influence might have nos
sessed to accomplish this result and this should
nave done from the most dsinterested friendly and
patriotic motives
This conversation of mine whatever II NAV have
been can never be brought home to Gen. jackson. /
never mad but one conversation with him on the sub
ect OF the then pending election and that upon the
street and the whole OF it rer6at ct Hterat, when
the public in my letter of August, 1927 The publi-
cation, then, Of this private conversation could serve
no other purpose than to embarrass me and force me
prominently into the pending contestwhich desire
You are certainly correct in your recollection.
You told me explicitly that you did not feel at ber
y 70 give the conversation alluded TO- and would not
DO 90, under any circumstances without my express
psrmisson." In this you acted, as ysu have ever
done, like man of honor and principle.
TO show how the terrible exposition made by !
Mr.. Clay in Coltons biography Of him was regarded
at the time, we may mention the fact that. when |
il appeared, all the Democratic organs were |
startled by 1t. Mr. Buchanan was then no candi- |
date Tor office, and on that account IL created
less powerful impression than it would otherwise
have done, but we wildly remember the sensation
manifested by the Democratic papers, especially
those OF Pennsylyania We copied into the Jour |
nal an article from the most prominent and infiu-
entail OF them all declaring, several of the rest
did, that Mr.. Buchanan must rcepond to and refute
the charge made against him or expect to be dis
Nor aod WI INV nc ~ \ 4
of other Wing editors called upon him and defied |
him to respond while yet Henry Clay and R. p.
Letcher were both living to meet any denial or |
equivocation that he might put forth. But he
replied not. He uttered no word. He could not |
be induced either by the warning threats of polit
ical friends or the loud defiance and demands of |
political opponents to open his mouth Humby |
he bore from the greatest man then living
upon the earth published charge, which. #
true, exhibited the most irredeemable infamy on
his part.
And now we ask the old friends of Henry CLAW
We ask the oldline Wings, we ask all honorable |
men, We ask the whole American people, what they |
think OF James Buchanan, and how they mean to |
act toward him? O what a shame what burn |
Ing shame, what an everlasting shame it would be
If the American nation, afterhaving thrice rejected
Henry Clay from the Presidency on account of a |
charge OF bargain and corruption resting on the |
alleged authority of James Buchanan, and all be- |
cause Mr. Clay listened to the earnest prayers of
Mr.. Buchanan, the real proposer of bargain and |
corruption, and spared him for nearly the lifetime
OF generation, were now to elect that same Mr. |
Buchanan to the Presidency. Truly il would be |
almost enough to make man sick Of his species. |
Mr.. DoUGLAs.-WhiIe Messrs Buchanan. Doug
las, and Pierce were striving for the Cincinnati
nomination, Douglass home organ at Chicago put
forth series Of articles quite able and exceeding
ly bitter, against Buchanan. Folks thought Il
strange that Democratic paper should be 30 yio-
lent IN its charges against prominent member of