M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-07-17
The Athens Messenger Taken
DOwn---Its Sianders against
Buchanan and the Democracy
"NaIled TO the COunterI"


Of the Black Republican movement as this.
politician by trade, and trimmer in principle
at once the defamer Of the best men In the coun-
try and the servilo instrument Of the worst-the
slanderer Of Henry Clay, the tool of the Cinein-
natl Border Ruifian Convention-and, beneath
all, the author Of the despcable sentiment, which
we would not have believed Of him had II not
come from his own lips, that his individuality was
lost in being made the nominee Of party, that
be was "NO LONGER SIMPLY JAMES BUCHANAN,
BUT TIE REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE PRINCIPLES OF
TIE CINCINNATI PLATyoRN.'-the utterance Of a
demagogue steepod in tho eess-pool ofpolitieal
corruption, till manhood and principle are alike
extinct. Athens Messenger.
There are three palpable falsehoods in the
above. /. That Mr.. Buchanan is "the
slanderer Of Henry Clay; 2. That the Gin
cinnad Convention was "Border Ruffian"
Convention; and 8. That Mr.. Buchanan said
he was "nO longer simply James Buchanan,
but the representative Of the principles Of
the Cincinnati platform"
The first glaring falsehood we fusten up
on the Messenger by Mr.. Clay's own testi-
mony, and that Of his most intimate friends.
In Mallory's life Of Henry Clay, vol. /.
page 1873, reference is made to the charge
against Mr.. Clay and his friends of having
proposed, through Mr.. Buchanan, to give
Gen, Jackson their support on certain con-
ditions. Mr.. Clay Indignantly repelled the
charge, and his biOgrapher adds Mr..
Buchanan fatty and promptly denied that
such proposition had been made through
him as had been alleged, and entirely EX-
HONERATED MR.. CLAY AND HIS
ADHERENTS from all connection withit."
Mr.. Clay himself, in letter to Judge
Brooke, of Virginia, dated Washington,
Aug. IA, 1927, (see his private cOrespon-
dence, published by Cotton stat es emphat.
ically in regard to the same matter could
not desire stronger statement from Mr..
Buchanan. The tables are completely turn
ed"
Again, the Hon. R. P. Letcher, OF Ken.
lucky, a devoted personal friend of Mr.. Clay,
writes to the latter under date of August
81, 1927, in relation to the same point in
Mr.. Buchanan's response "This answer is
well put together. AS they say in Connec-
ticut, there is great deal of good reading
in Buck'sreply,' it is modest and genteel, yet
strong and conclusive. l am truly delight
ed with the manner in which B. has acquit-
ted himself"
George D. Prentice, editor of the Louis
vilIe Journal, paper that is bitterly op-
posed to Mr.. Buchanan politically, wrote the
biography of Mr.. Clay in 1881. We take
the following extract from it in respect to
the SANDER
"For some time it seemed as if partizan
vengeance would soon desist from the pur-
suit of Mr.. Clay but distinguished accu-
ser at length appeared against him. 1t was
Gen. Jackson. This gentleman began 10
assert in private circles, that he himself
might have been President had he offered
Mr.. Clay the Secretaryship. **
Not satisfied with private hints and decla.
rations, Mr.. Cluy's distinguished accuser f.
nally stated in a public letter, that over
tures of bargain had been made to him
during the pendency of the Presidential
election in the House of Representatives, by
he friends Of Mr.. Clay. With his usual
,romptness of character, he demanded thrO' |
whom these overtures were made. In re-
Wy Gen. Jackson gave the name of James
Buchanan, one of his own personal and po-
itcal friends. MR.. BUCHANAN, HOW
EVER, WAS AN HONORABLE MAN,
md hesituted not to say publicly, that he
lad never made to Gen. jackson the over
ures in question, or any other that bore re-
iemblance to them. The principal accuser
vas now silent put his partizans stopped
heir ears and shut their eyes to the proof of
Mr.. Clay's innocence, and cried-"away
With him away with him "--Prentice's
Biography Of Henry Clay PIP. 1857.
Mr.. Clay himself, in one of his public
peeches said in reference to this same mat
er "What he (Mr. b. DID SAY WAS
THE REVERSE OF ANY IMPLICA-
TON OF ME-"
The Messenger says Mr.. Buchanan sian.
cred Mr.. Clay. Mr.. CLAY says the reucrse.
Athens Messenger VS.. Henry Clay. The
ublic can form the judgment.
But ifthe assertion of the Messenger was
rue, would Mr.. Clay's own sJn at this time
'e an advocate of the election to the Presi-
ency of the slanderer of his honored and
lifted father 2
The Lexington Statesman ofthe 9th inst.
contains letter from James B. son of Hen
y Clay, in which he says:
There is also statement copied into the
ObSerrer and Reporter of the 9TH inst, "that
had been heard to say that | was not for
Buchanan" | may have said that Mr. Buch-
nan was not my candidate, or was not my
hoice for the Presidency but / have not
aid that should not vote for him. l pre-
er Mr.. Fillmore personally, and if he stood
N the same principles he did in 1850, |
would vote for him in preference to anv man
know. But expect to cast my vote for
hat candidate who in my opinion may have
he best chance to defeat the Black Repub-
lean party, and, at present advised, l think
Nr. Buchanan has the best chance to do so."
Why does Henry Clay's son wish the de-
eat of the Black Republicans Let Mr..
8rister, for many years editor of the Newark
Times, leading Wing paper tell:
"The old Wing party no longer has an
organization-indeed has no existence. 1t
was ruthlessly slain in l844-and that too