Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-07-10

10 puollsh tne lacts, ana lnat he was ulSSu-
aded from it by Mr.. Buchanan. We also
know that Mr.. Clay often between 1925
and l843 contemplated publishing the facts
and was vehemently urged by his political
friends TO do so as matter Of justice not
merely TO his own fame but to his party, and
that he was prevented only by Mr.. Buchan-
ans entreaties. Governor Letcher, who
was present at the interview in January
1925 and heard all that passed, was always
of opinion that Mr.. Clay ought to make the
publication, and often told him so, but Mr.. I
Clay was suffering and carried his
generosity too far.
Mr.. Letcher, it seems, after the inter-
view of January 1925, relieved Mr.. Buc-
hanan's appreeensions by the assurance that
he would not publish the facts of the inter-
view without Mr.. Buchanan's consent
But SO strong and deep was Mr.. Letchers
conviction that the facts ought to be pub.
lished that he wrote to Mr.. Buchanan upon
the subject during the great Presidential
conflict OF 1874, declaring however in his
letter that he would not violate the pledge
he had originally given. Mr.. Buchanan re-
piled, deprecating the publication and re-
quiring the observance Of the pledge, The
reply was made with Mr.. Buch nan char.
acterisic cunning, and we give it below en-
tire. One might think, from the language
of his letter, that he had no distinct recol-
lection of the conversation with Mr.. Clay
in Mr.. Letcher's room in January 1895,
and yet that very conversation, exceeding
Iy emphatical as it was, had been, from the
very first and through all the ensuing years,
a matter of the deepest anxiety and even
agitation 10 Mr.. Buchanan, who, US Mr..
Clsy has testified under his own hand, had
earnestly entreated that it might not be Civ
en- to the world. Here is Mr.. Buchanans
letter to Mr.. Le,cher:
Mr.. DucHANAN TO II. p. LErcuIR.
LANCASTER, June 27, 1874.
MY DEAR SIR: this moment received
your very kind letter and hasten TO give it
an answer. | cannot perceive what good
purpose il would Subscrve Mr.. Clay to pub.
lish the private and unreserved conversa-
ton to which you refer. | was Then hIs
ardent friend aud admirer: and much Of this
ancient feeling still survives, notwlthStand-
ing our political differences since. | did
him ample justice, but no more than Justice,
l,tl IN .l,,f,.
and in my letter in answer 10 Gen. Jacks Oh.
l have not myself any very distinct recJl-
! lection Of what transpired in your room
nearly twenty years ago but doubtless | ex-
pressed strong wish to himself, as | had
done hundred times to others. that he
might vote for Gen. Jackson; and ii he de-
, sired it, become his Secretary of State
Had he voted for the General, in case Of
. his election, should most certainly have
) exercised any influence might have pos
sessed to accomplish this result; and this
should have done from the most dlsinterest-
ed, friendly, and patriotic motives.
This conversation OF mine, whatever il
may have been, can never be brought home
to Gen. Jackson. Inever had but one con.
versation with him OH the subject of the thgr
pending election, and that upon the street
and the whole OF it, UerJatim e. t.fcra!ig.
when comparatively fresh urca my memo
Y ry, was given to the p;tblic in my letter o
E August, 1927. The publication, then, 0
= tins private conversation could serve III
other purpose than to embarrass me an,
force me prominently into the pending con
> test which desire to avoid.
J You are certainly correct in your recol
. lection. "You told me exPlioitely that yo
: did not feel at liberty to give the converse
ton alluded 10, and would not do so. unde
: any circumstances without Try express per
Il mission" In this you acted, as YOU hav
It ever done, like man Of honor and princi
d pie.
), To show how the terrible exposition
n made by Mr.. Clay in Col;On's biography {
n him was regarded at the time, we may men
/ tion the fact, that, when it appeared, all tn
Democratic organs were startled by it,
d Mr.. Buchanan was then no candidate "a
d Office, and on that account it created les
i powerful impression than it would other
e wise have done, but we viyidy remembe
}. the sensation manifested by the Democrat
o papers, especially those of Pennsylvania. -
n We copied into the Journal an article froi
,. the most prominent and influential Of thel
1t all, declaring, as several of the rest did
n that Mr.. Buchanan must resi- pond to and re
n fute the charge made against him or expec
d to be dispensed with by his party. An
d we and hundreds of other Wing editor
If called upon him and defed him to respon
while yet Henry Clay and r. P. Letche
e were both living 10 meet any denial o
I, equivocetion that he might but forth. Br
e he replied not. He uttered no word. II
e could no. be induced either by the warnin
= threats of political friends or the loud def
r ance and demands of political opponents I
at open his mouth. IIumbly he bore from tn