Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-07-11
VOL. 90, NO %.


bourne the weight Of bitter caiumny for
more than twenty years, and seen his high
est political hopes crushed and blasted, by
it, did not choose to submit to il longer out
Of tenderness to the reputation of an old
political enemy; and the deepest regret felt
by his best friends is, that he submitted to
itso long. Mr. Buchanan itappears, might,
when called on for his testimony in 1925,
have testified that Sir. Clay, far from hav-
ing signifed that he would support General
Jackson for the Presidency in consideration
Of the Seeretaryship of State, had positive
y rejected such bargain, profered TO him
by Mr. Buchanan himself. Whatever of
dishonor, whatever of infamy, there could
be in bargain, intrigue. and corrupticn, at
tached to Mr. Buchanan We do not be-
lieve that he had any authority from Gener-
| al jackson TO say what he said to Mr.. Clay,
Jet he professed to utter fact and not opin-
ion. He undertook to assert, as from au-
thority, that Gen. jackson would form the
most splendid cabinet the country ever had,
and that Mr.. Clay, if he should support
him, would be his Secretary of State
Dir. Clay stated, in the passage he wrote
out for Colton's biography of him, while
he was so hotly assailed with the charge Of
bargain and corruption during the Adams
administration, he notified Mr. Buchapan of
his intention to publish the occurrende in
question but vas induced BY that gentle
mems earnest cntroaties to forbear doing
so. Mr Cotton said, in his biography, that
he had understood that several times in
later years Mr.. Clay had intimatcd TO Mr.
buchanan that it might be his duty to pub
lish the facts, and that be was dissusded
from it BY Dir. Buchanan. We also know
that Mr.. Clay often between 1925 and
lS45, contemplated publishing the facts and
was vehemently urged By his political friends
to do 50 as matter of justice not merely to
lis own fame but to his party, and that he
was prevented only by SIr Buchanan's
entreaties. Coy. Letcher, who was present
at The interview, in January, 1925, and
beard all that passed, was always of opinion
that Mr. Clay ought to make disqualification,
and told lin SO, but Mr. Clay was long
suffering; and carried bis generosity toe
far.
/ Mr.. Leteher, it seems, after the interview
Of January, 1925, relieved Mr.. Buchanan's
apprehension BY the assurance that he
would not publish the facts of the interview
| without Mr. Buchanan's consent. But so
strong and deep was Dir. Letcher's con-
| viction that the facts ought to be published
| that he wrote TO Dir. buchanan upon The
subject, during the great Presidential con-
| fict of 1911, declaring, however, in his
letter. that he would not violate the pledge
he had originally given. Dir. Buchanan
replied, deprecia;ing the publication aud re-
| quiring the observance of the pledge
| The. reply was made with Dir. Buchanan's
characteristic cunning, and we give it be-
low, entire. One might think, ftom the
| language of his letter, that he had no dis.
tiuct recollection of The conversation with
Nj. Clay in Mr. Letcher's room, in Janua-
ry, 1928, and yet that very conversation,
exceedingly cmphatical as it was had been
from the very first and though all the en-
suing years, matter of the deepest anxiety
and even agitation to Mr. Buchanan, who.
as sIr. Clay has testified under his own hand,
| had earnestly entreated that il might not
| be given to the world. Here Is Mr.. Buch-
anan's s letter to Mr.. Letcher;
.Nr. Buchanan to r. p. Letcker.
LANCASTER, June 27, 1914.
My DEAR Sin: this moment received
your very kind letter and hasten to give it
az answer l cannot perceive what good
purpose it would subserve Mr.. Clay to
publish the private and unreserved CONVEX
sation to which you refer. was then his
ardent friend and admirer; ana much OF
this ancient feeling still survives, notwith-
| standing our political difference since. |
did him ample justice but no more than jus
tice, both in my speech on Chilton's reso-
lutions and in NY letter in answer 10 Gen.
jackson.
/ have not myself any verT distiLct re-
collection of what transpired in your room
nearly twenty years ago, but doubtless
expressed strong wish to himself, as Ihad
/ done hundred times to others, that he
might vote for Gen. jackson; and if he de-
sired it, become his Secretary of State
Had voted for General IN case of his cleo
ton, should most certainly have exercised
any influence might have possessed to ac-
cornplish this result; anad this should have
done from the most disinterested, friendly
and patriotic motives.
This conversation Of mine, whatever 1t
may have been, can meyer be brought home