New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-09-20

rebuked and pardoned it would have brought him ut
once in collision with Mr. Clay who had made known
ms liked purpose to call to account any man who
stood upon equality with him, and who suggested the
idea that he was capable of being influenced in his
vote by the tender Of the Secretaryship If Mr. Blu
ehanan, them had acknowledged what he had told
Major Eaton-what he urged on General jackson
what he conned over with Mr.. Markey and what the
latter says he falsely imputed to himMr. Clay would
have had no alternative but to hold him responsible
In this dilemma he threw himself upon the magnan-
unity OF that man who he knew would pardon any
weakness in one who could plead that his faults had
originated in friendship for him. Mr. Webster was
enabled, from what had passed around him in Con-
gress to fathom the depths of the intrigue as soon as
General Jacksons letter to Beverly was published,
and before he had named the man who approached
him with the overture. Cotton gives a letter from
Mr. Webster to Mr. Clay, about Gen. Jacksons letter
/ to Beverly, of June 6: ~.
Ihaxe suspicion the respectable member q consrcs
awkward situation, since seems recommend bargain
with yoar friends on The suspicion that such had been
curious TO know how this matter will develope itself
l am always truly y0u paNrEr WEBSTER
| After Mr.. Buchanan come out with his response
and Mr.. Clay had commented on it in his speech at
Lexington kentucky Mr.. Webster, remarking on this
speech, writes Of Mr.. Clay:
Bosros, August o. 1897.
M an otq eS It e ,e "
hard protect the General far he could without
owsys ase' to ssndsT stsr
Vic may think olhsrwise complain Of BH
/ c,annn. Ever truly yours,
Mr. Webster saw at the first glance what all must
see now, that General Jackson had good reason to
complain of Buchanan Mr.. Clay, too, repeatedly
complained of the wrong he suffered, and in spite Of
earnest entreaties felt himself called at the close
of life to expose Mr.. Buchanans sinister conduct
towards him. Mr.. Prentice, the editor of the Louis
vile Journal the earliest and ablest of Mr. Clay's
biographes, in an article reviewing General Jacksons
Buchanans course towards them after deploring the
injustice which he thinks his great friend received at
the hands Of the majority of the American people,
sums up this conclusion with saying that Mr. Bu
chanan was the very man by whose treachery and
| falsehood they were induced to do twas himself
the only guilty pary-that he pertinaciously sought
first by lying to Henry Clay and then lying to Gen
Jackson to effect precisely the kind of bargain and
and Adams.'
But the Judgment which General Jackson pro-
nounced in all his public and private letters touching
Mr.. Buchanans attempt to implicate him in q deep
corruption" his adopted son is bid to say " was not
any deliberate conviction of his mind, as is simply
shown by his cordial treatment during his whole adj
minstlation-hisa appointment to Russia" etc. Mr.
Buchanan, before he broached his proposal to Gen.
Jackson, stipulated in advance lin it was dis
approved) for his pardon. His design being friendly
Gen Jackson, although he selnly rebuked it at the
time did not make it bar to all subsequent inter-
course. 1t was his natures fault to be too conding
and to men who attached themselves to him with
shows of friendship he was apt to be indulgent, with
out looking into their selfish motives, relying upon
the firmness purity of their characters. He had
much reliance himself and his power to prevent
/ i'll designs in bad men mischevous results from
their attempts, that he never feared betrayal. He
put Latte the pirate at the most vital point of his
defence before New Orleans, and felt that he had
nothing to fear from his want of principle while I'M
der his command. In his bank war he did not APP
prehend danger from its friends in the Cabinet He
even trusted them at the head of the Treasury.
/ i'm infD Int n
had so long successfully baffled difficulties that the
apprehension of them interfered with his
His sending Mr.. Buchanan abroad would have been
considered, if he had been weak and tinlid Presi-
dent, as proof of design to get rid of willy un-
scrupuous intrigner, whose schemes in his favor
he had repused, and who might be inclined to prac-
tice his arts against him in resentment of what might
be construed into ungrateu return for an offer to
exert them in his service This however never could
have influenced Gen. jackson in sending Mr. Blu
chanan to St Petersburg. He doubtless gave him
this mission in compliment to Pennsylvania, the State
which gave him the noblest earnest Of its confidence
and affection for himself both before and after his de-
feat in the House of Representatives.
Mr.. Buchanan, notwithstanding the rebuff given
him by Gen jackson, still went with bis State in his
support, and was himself returned to Congress- Com
ing with this endorsement from his State and having
capacity for diplomat, to refuse the State in his
person would have evnced sternness which he
exhibited towards those who made appeals to his
kind feelings, based on services rendered to the cause
in which he was engaged, and especially ween asso-
cated with those of great State towards which he
4 had the deepest sense Of gratitude. He gave the
mission to Mr.. Buchanan, | have no doubt, with
pleasure. He had no fear that Mr. Buchanan would
intrigue against his country in Russia. He knew that
political Advancement was not to be sought in that
direction. But if he had been asked to place Mr. Bill
canan in position where he could barter all the offices
Of the Government to reach the Presidency the Gen
era would have acted as he did when that gentleman
proposed to take that function upon himself to elect
President in 1925. d.
F-rrtn ,,'s
career politician, which signally mark his char
/ acter They stand out and show that however de
vious his course, solitary selfish ambition, without re-
gard to any great cause has been the gmdingstar OF
his life. During the last war with Great Britain he
gave all his faculties to break down the admnistra
ton of Mr. Madison, and give the triumph to the
English party in the United States If success had
crowned this effort he would have had the best claim
of any public man in Pennsylvania, to come into
power under the auspices of the Hartford Conyen
ton. The failure extinguished his hopes for ten years
He next appeared the Jealous friend of the great
man whose trumpet tones had proclaimed the wal
in the House of Representatives, and of the great
man who had closed it in blaze of glory. He en-
deayored, by corrupt intrigue to bring about coal
} tion which would make one President, the Other
Secretary with a view to the succession, and estab
fishing this double interest for himself as the repre-
sentative Of Pennsylvania to open the way to his owl
advancement. In this also he faed-losng the con
fidence Of both the ustrious men to whom his
scheme would have attached dishonor His third eX
pertinent is now before the country.
For years past he has identified himself with the
nulfyng party of the South, contributed to estab
lish their organ and their power in the Capitol ant
by this means making them masters of the whole
slavehoding interest which sways that section ant
through il seeks now to donineer over the North
He bargains with the politicians who have banded
together, and hope by concert in one section to ena
bic the minority TO subject the majority in the othe
by dividing it. He pledges Pennsylvania to abandon
her sister States of the North in her vote for him. ant
pledges himself to surrender the rights of the North
in her vote for him. and pledges himself to surrcnde
the rights of the North-to sanction the breach o
faith that sacrificed the compact of peace between thu
sectons-and to give the strength Of the Government
to enforce the usurpation that yranizes Kansas
This system of controlling the majority by the mnor
. ty in our elective government can only be made t
work by corruption. The oligarehy of England sui
ects the masses of Ireland to the small body of Eng
lish landlords there by buying, with money or peer
ages, or high appointments the leading men to whor
the democracy of ireland conide their interests III
> circumstances under which SO many Northern aspi
raats among have betrayed the will of constitt
ents and surrendered their rights to the slave ogarcJ
make it obvious that the corrupt Influence OF oticlt
barter has taken root here and certainly the MANI
. gers of the Southern minority could not employ
more skilful adept to ply the trade OF Yenal inHigu