Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-10-02
])olitfial,
Gen. Jackson g. James Buchanan.
LETTER FROM FRANCIS p. BLAIR.

to- THE PUBLIC.
(CoSrrsuED
Mr.. Buchanan, thus ca He'd out, lied in the
Lancaster Journal, and after stating that he was
prompted in his movements by a rumor that
General Jackson had determined, should he be
elected President toc,a,iau: Mr.. Adm, S:cre.
tary Of State, he comes to the paint put in is
sue, and thus relates the circumstances which
brought him with his proposals to General jack
son.
In the mouth of December, 1884, short lime
after the con n,ncen3nt Of the session OF Con
gross, heard, among other rumors then in cir
culation, that General jackson hai determined
should he be elected Preside, 1t. to con time Mr.
Adams Secretary of State, Although felt GER
tain he had never init mated such an intention,
yet was sensible that n,thing could be better
calculated both to cool the ardor of his friends and
inspire his enemies with confidence, than the be
lief that he had already selected his cheif com
pe,or for the highest office within his gift. |
thought General Jackson owed it to himself, and
to the causein which his political friends were
engaged, to contr4dist this sreportsssadin de-
clare that he would not appoint to the office the
man. however worthy he might be, who stood at
the head OF the most formidable part of his po-
Ii,ical enemies These being my impressions,
addressed letter to confidential friend in Penn
sylvania, then and still high in Office and ex-
alted in character, and one who had ever been
the decided advocate eff General Jackson's elec-
ton, requesting his opinion and advice upon
the subject. received his answer dated the
9th of December, 1921, upon ha 29th which
is now before me, and which streng lhened and
confirmed my previous opinion. | then finally
determined, either that would ask General Jack
son myself W get another Of his friends to ask
him. whether he had ever de ,ared he would ap-
point Mr.. ADKINS his Secretary of State. In
this manner hoped, a contradiction of the re-
port might probably declare it was no, his inten-
ton to appoint Mr.. Adams.
" A short time previous to the receipt of the
letter to which have referred my friend Mr..
Markley. and myself got into conversation, as
we very often did both before and after, upon the
subject of the presidential election, and concern
ing the person who would probab' v be selected
by General Jacksan to fill the Office of Secretary
of State. feel sincerely sorry that am COM
PEELED thus to introduce his name but do SC
with the less reluctance because it has already
t without any agency of mine, found its way into
the newspapers, in connection with This transac.
r tion.
Mr. Markley advorted to the rumor, which
9 have mentioned, and said it was calculated tc
J injure the General. He observed that Mr.. Clay,
; friends were warmly attached TO him, and tha
he thonght they would endeavor to act in con
. cert with him at the election that il they did 81
they would either select Mr., Adams or Genera
Jackson at their pleasure, but that many Of then
would never agree to vote foi the latter if the,
Mr.. Clay for the first Office in his gift and tina
u some of the friends of Mr. Adams had alread,
besn holding out the idea, that in case he wer,
Y elected, Mr. Clay might, be offered the situation
Y of Secretary of State.
70 Il told Mr.. Markley that | felt confdep
is General Jackson had never said he would appoin
-" Mr.. Adams Secretary of State, because he wa
le not in the habi, of conversing upon the subiec
Al of the election and If he were, whatever nigh
Is be his secret intention, he had more prudenc
n than to make such a declaration. mentione
g. to him that would call upon the General nv
n, self, or get one of his other friends to do SC
ol and thus endeavor to get from him the contra
H. diclion OF the report although doubted whe the
BY he would hold any conversation upon the subjec
to " Mr.. Markley urged me to do so and obser,
r. ed, if General Jackson had not determined who
a he would appoint Secretary of State, and shou
n say that il would not be Adams, it might he
Dr. great advantage to our cause for US to dec ar
n upon his own authority We should then
placed upon the same footing with the Adam
if men, and might fight them with their own wea
all ons. That the western members would nat,
up rally prefer voting for western man, if the
1t were probability that the claims of Mr. CT,
10, to the second office in the government should
to fairly estimated ; and that if they thought pr
ere per to vote for General jackson, they could so
decide the contest in his favor.