The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-08-21

'ioh' ho'C iui9 ohu Saietulil eNuulfu Tue
whole history Of the bargain and intrigue
slander, with the express purpose OF ascer-
tanning the truth or fnlsity Of the charges
against Mr.. Buchanan, and the result of my
research has been, that os an honest man
am bound TO acquit him Of having bad any
part in the original SANDER, or of having
done my father any wrong, when he was
summoned before the public as a witness
against him. am bou IA 10 Ocquit him on
the testimony Of the very person to whom he
is said to have wronged and slandered, and
however little partisan editors and partisan
orators may esteem the evidence of my
father himself, il is abundantly sufficient
ror me, his son. The charge of bargain and
intrigue was first made by Mr.. Kremer, in
an anonymous letter, subsequently reiter.
ated by Carter Bavery, in his celebrated
FnyettsvilIe letter, and finally asserted by
General Jackson, wlo assumed the respon.
sibility of it, and to prove its truth, summon
ed Mr.. Buchanan before the public as his
own witness. Mr. Buchanan promptly re-
sponded to the call for his testimony. Did he
sustain Mr.. Kremer, Carter Ba7ery and Gen.
eral Jackson, the last OF whom had sum-
moned him! On the contrary his evidence
was clear and distinct, and fully exculpated
Mr.. Clay from the charges made against
him. So Mr.. Clay regarded it himself, and
he, the person accused, testified, publicly
and privoteIy, that he considered Mr.. Bu'
chanan had done him no wrong. read to
you from Colton's Private Correspondence
of my father, his private letter to his old
friend, Judge Brook, Of Virginia--the friend
of his life time--a letter never intended for
publication, dated August, 1927, in which
referring to MIR. Buchanan's Lancaster let.
ter, he says: 81 would not desire Il stronger
statement" Again in public, upon the oc-
casion of dinner given him at Washington
on his retirement from the office Of Secre-
tary OF State, he said:
"That citizen General Jackson) has done
me great iNjustce. 1t was inflicted, this
must even believe, for the double purpose
of gratifying private resentment and pro-
noting personal ambition. When, during
the late cavass, he came forward in the
public prints, under his proper name, with
his chnrge against me. summoned before the
public tribunal his friend and only witness
(Mr. Buchanan) to establish it, the anxious
attention OF the whole American people was
directed to the testimony which that witness
migh;rendcr. He promptly ubeyed the call
and testified to what he knew. He could
say nothing and he said nothing which cast
the slightest shade upon my honor or integ
rity. What he did say was the reverse o.
implication of me-"
Thus, fellow citizens, we have the private
and public opinion OF my father respecting
the testimony of Mr.. Buchanan upon The
charge OF bargain and intrigue. know
my futher would not have expressed such
opinion unless he believed them to be true.
He was satisfied vith Mr.. Buchanan, and so
expressed himself privately and publicly
that is enough for me, and so far as | am
concerned, it is of the smallest possible con-
sequence what may be the opinion of those
partlsans who are now endeuvoring to
strike down their political opponents with
la, Ir.,r, bo ton,b
Felow-citizens, you are aware you can
not vote for Fillmore alone. You must
know that in voting for the electoral ticket
of Mr.. Fillmore, you also vote for Andrew
Jackson Done!son; as in voting for that Of
Mr.. Buchanan, you vote for John C. Breck-
inridge. Mr.. Fillmore himself became
President by one of those dispensationS
of Providence which may likewise cause Mr..
Donelson to fill the chair, if their ticket
were successful. Between Donelsun and
Breckenridge | could not hesitate for sim
gle instant. know Major Breckenridge
we'll; he is not only my fellow. w.Kentuckian,
but my fellow wtownsman also. We have
differed in politics, but / have never heard
but one opinion expressed by hm-that he
is an honorable, high toned Kentucky gen.
tleman. 1t affords me very greet plesure to
relate to you an incident which occurred in
my presence, and which afforded as much
qualification to my father as it was honor.
able and creditable to Major Breckinridge.
Very soon after his first election to Con
gress, Major Breckenridge called upon my
father, and l was present at the interview.
"Mr. Clay" said Major Breckinridge, (of
course | can only give the substance Il
have been elected from your old district,
and am about to go quite young man, to
Washington City We have always differed.
sir, in politics, but have ever entertained
the highest respect for you. have no
doubt but shall often have occasion for
good advice, and il you will allow me, sir, to
do so, It will afford me great satisfaction to
call freely upon you at Washington, and to
be enabled to avail myself Of your wisdom
and great experience"
Between such man as this, and Andrew
jackson Donelson, /, at least. fellow
citizens, would have no difficulty in making
a loice.
Fellow citizens, have already occupied
more of your time than had any right to
expect would be given SO atten,ively 10