The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-07-02
From the Louisville JOurnAl.I
Clay and Buchanan-Gen. Jackson's Testimony
Look at This.

- LOOK at IRIS.
When we first heard of Mr.. Buchanan's
nomination for the Presidency we said, with
out moments hesitation, that full revela-
ton of his conduct during the tendency of the
Presidential election in the House of Repre-
sentatives in 1926 would kill him with the
American people. We have already developed
upon him In connection with that affair, enough
to kill half dozen men of more vitality than
he ever possessed.
And now we have another document to lay
before the public, a document that will attract
and rivet the country attention, letter writ
ten by Gen. jackson, near the close of his
eventful life. Important leading facts connec-
ted with Mr.. BuchanaEs extraordinary move
ments in the Presidential election of 1926 are
already before the world. He went to Mr.
Clay, and, to induce that distinguished states
man to support Gen. Jackson assured him, as
if by authority, that Gen. Jackson, if elected,
would make him Secretary of State. Without
receiving the slightest encouragement he then
went to Gen. Jacksoni told him that Mr.. Clay,
if promised the Secretaryship, would support
him, and earnestly solicited permission to say
from Gen. jackson, that, if elected, he would
appoint Mr.. Clay Secretary. Gen. jackson
treated Mr.. Buchanan's proposal as contemp-
tuously as Mr. Clay had previously treated
Mr.. BIS proposal to himself Both Gen.
jackson and Mr.. Clay scorned all thought OF
bargain and sale, and both alike repulsed their
selfconstituted go-between in his attempts to
get up corrupt bargain between them. And
yet the go-between on being summoned by
Gen. Jackson as a witness, lyingly expressed
belief that Mr.. Clay had been guilty of bar
gain and corruption, and from that time, for
more than twenty years, humbly duplicated
Mr.. Clay to spare him by not indicating him.
self-by continuing to submit INTERESTINGLY
to the most cruel and bitter ofcalumnies.
We have said that we have another docu-
ment in connection with this matter to lay be-
fore the public, letter written by Gen. Jack
son shortly before his death. The letter was
furnished three or four days ago by the Hon.
Allen A.. Hail. editor of the Nashville Banner,
who says that the original manuscript is in his
possession. Here it is:
HERMITAGE, Feb. 25, 1845.
Your observations with regard to Mr.. Bu-
chanan are correct. He skOlUed ,0ant of NOR
al courage in the affair of the intrigue of Adams
and Clay-did not do me justice in the expose
he then made, and am sure about that time
did believe that there was perfect under
standing between Adams and Clay about the
Presidency and the Secretary Of State. This
] am sure of But whether he viewed that
there was any corruption in the case or not, l
know not, but one thing do know, that he
wished me to combat them Nth their o,on ,0eapons
that aoas to let my friends sag, If Uas elected
I would make Mr.. Clay Secretary of State. This
to me appeared gross corruption, and repealed
it with that honest indignation as thought it
deserved.
Let the public mark that Gen jackson
says that ne knows that Mr.. Buchanan, when
he came to him, wished to get him to say that
he would give the Secretaryship of State to
Mr.. Clay for his vote, and he adds that Mr.. Bu-
chanan's proposition appeared to him gross
corruption, and, that he repealed it with indig-
nation. Here we have it under Gen. Jackson's
own hand that Mr.. Buchanan made to him
what he considered grossly corrupt propo-
stion, one which he felt called on to repel with
scorn and indignation, and he charges beside
that Mr.. Buchanan was guilty of moral cow
ardice in not daring, when called on by him,
to confirm what he had privately stated to him.
As the Nashville Banner remarks, a strong
point to be pressed is, that Mr.. Buchanan, it
is now conclusively proved by Gen. jackson
himself, did want the General to practice the
very corruption which Mr. Buchanan's political
friends charged upon Mr. Adams and Mr.. Clay
that Mr. Buchanan did, of his own accord
and on his own individual responsibility, 60 to
Gen. Jackson and urge him, with the view of
buying the support of Mr.. Clay's friends, to let
his (Gen. Jackson's) friends say, if be was
elected, he would make Mr.. Clay Secretary of
State---a proceeding that Gen. jackson thought
involved "deep corruption" That proceed
ing, on the part of Mr.. Buchanan, ought GER
tainly to deprive him of the support of every
man. of whatever party, that ever made the
charge of bargain, intrigue and corruption"
against Mr.. Clay ground of objection to him.
This strikes the scaffolding from under the
feet of those organs that have been attempting
to excuse the proposition of Mr. Buchanan in
his interview with Mr.. Clay upon the misera-
BILE pretext that it was only Jest. The Ian
guage that Mr.. 3. used to Mr.. Clay at the time
and his abject entreaties afterwards to be
spared the modification and the infamy of an
exposure render the very idea that his corrupt
proposition was but a Jest perfectly ridiculous;
and if these considerations were not enough
it certainly would be enough to refer to Gen
Jackson's written testimony in the last days of
his life that Mr.. Buchanan excited hig Scorn
and Indignation by endeavoring to prevail upon
him to make corrupt bargain with Mr.. Clay.
Of course all the Sag-Nicht talk about ''the
Jest" is now annihilated, and we are curious
to see what will be the next Sag-Nicht device
for relieving the Sag-Nicht candidate for the
Presidency from the avalanche of infamy that
has fallen upon his head
All, fellow-countrymen you rejected the
immortal Clay thrice as a candidate for the
Presidency, because, on the authority ofJames
Buchanan, the charge of bargain and corrup-
ton was made against him in 1926. Your re-
peated reflections of him almost broke his
great heart, and yet, throughout all his vain
but mighty struggles for the highest honor in
your gift, he in his mercy needed the prayers
Of the author of the calumny that crushed him