The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-09-20


Cabinet" and suppose period to have elapsed during
which the eminent actors in the political conflicts of
the last Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson have closed
their earthly career New parties have arisen, and
contending for success New questions in issue
and new presented for popular favor The
OF Mr. Clay is reyered by his countymen for his manly
virtues and his faults have been overlooked by his ancient
enemies In their admiration for his many noble qualities.
The ample testimony furnished by Mr. Buchanan 10 Mr.
Cay innocence OF that charge which embittered many
OF his life has been accepted conclusive and the
feeble effort made in 1874 by Andrew J. Donelson
vve 1t by calling for nine cheers for the who he said
proved Mr. Clays guilt has almost passed away from the
public mind The year Of Lord 1856 finds three par
Ties with their respective candidates against each
other IN struggle for the presidency OF the republic The
old Clay whig party is no longer in the field Many OF i
old adherens have deserted it, and repudiatng its prnc
pes have aayed themselves under another party banner
Thousands OF the old friends OF Clay however, refused TO
follow them in their deseron and in canvassng the claims
OF the different parties they most naturally preferred in
far they could be influenced by personal consdera
tons, to yield their support 10 james Buchanan who
throughout the protaced struggles in which their great
leader engaged although politically opposed, always
defended him with the weight OF his great and nu
eny against the charge OF corruption about which no was
called 10 testify.
Against James Buchanan and the party he represents
strange and ncomprehensibe il may SEEM the seeding
knownothing wings have arayed themselves in support
of the Andrew j. Donelson for the vice presidency
who, just little while before Mr.. Clay passed from the
OF his earthly conflicts called upon public asemblage
in Nashville 10 give CHEERS WHO,
SAID, HAD PROVED THAT Mr. CLAY WAS oonRuP-
TONI
Let now, for moment again lift the curtain which
conceas from public view the proceedings of the old Kitch
en- Cabinet brief outline OF whose early history have
given
Behold them again assembled in solemn concave-Wm.
D. Lewis Andrew j. Donelson, and Allen A. Hail. under
the guidance OF the councils Of Francis Blair The first
1t will be remembered charged Mr. Clay with bargain aud
denounced Mr. Buchanan 10 Gen. jackson because he
fused to testify falsely against Mr. Clay the second pro-
posed nine cheers to the who he declared proved the
charge to be and the third declared that in addition
to this Mr. Clay proven to be fully concerned in the
treason Of Aaron Burr and altogether the greatest
dSmagogue" and the most unprinciped politician" in
istence Yes the trio assemble The game be played
for was The votes OF the old friends of Henry Clay
The past seems by single effort of their will to have
ogsn oe'tterated from the memory They resolve them
selves into committee OF three to take charge of the rep
ntafion and fane OF Henry Clay and TO punish with
empIay vengeance all whom they may have assumed to
toe his enemies Lewis the ball by furnishing the
Banner fragment Of letter purportng have been
written ny General Jackson The Banner herads IL to the
world rs proof conclusive that Mr. Buchanan originated
q" charge oil bargain against Mr. Clay. New lights have
optoed suddenly the hitherto benghted visions of
the Kitchen Cabinet" After cropping their way for thirty
years IN darkness and error they have suddenly been
aroused 70 the conviction that Henry Clay as pure
aud spo'lcss the undriven snow and that they have
bean enshrouded in this Egyptian darkness by the inu-
ence OF Mr. Buchanan They do not modest of
proprlety would dictate take the back
for their past Gins against Mr. Clay and ask humbIy for
forgiveness for their ransgressons but although only pos
thumous admirers Of the great statesman, they rudey
thrust back his Lifetime friends and deenders-declare
Mr. Buchanan whom Mr. Clay and his friends have ever
regarded the chief cornerstone of his defence against
the caumnes Of this very clique unworthy Of the support
Of Mr.. Clays old friends. And BEHOLD THE OLD
KITCHEN CABINET GIN JACKSON regularly naugursed
the TauE AND RIGHrFuL REPUTATION OF
HENRY CLAYj and boldly claiming OF THEIR
sUaBER from old Clay whgs the vice presidency Of this
great republicl
Spirit great departed shade of the Sage of Ash
land -couldst thou be renvesed with the attributes Of
mortality, and look down upon the which
now called upon witness what would be thy emotions
on oehodng the majority of those who claimed 10 be thy
friends arrayed against one of the few OF all thy po
ca Toes who dared To do thee justice and struggling 10
elevate 10 the vice Presidency thy life time accuser who
in thy old age pursued thee STILL and while the hand
Of death was almost upon thee called upon assembage
citizens in the capital OF Tennessee give cheers
TO ne man who charged and, he alleged proVed thee
guilty OF bargain and corruption, protesting the same
time TO support this man. thy ddraer and TO oppose the
Other, thy defender, in hy name and for tky sake
Friends OF the great depared-you who through all the
yicissudes OF his eyenful stood unalterngy by
the side Of the great Clay-you who like the humble in
diydual addressing you in effort to defend him
and his defenders reoced 10 all his trumphs and mourn
ed all his defeawhat think you Of these new guar
dians of his and fame What think you OF the
claims Of that party upon your support which only
deaYors TO oberae from the page Of history the tes-
mony Of Mr. Buchanan In his favor but which seeks to ele
yate To the vice presidency the who Of al men nor
hiHg has been most Intimately identified Tih kS personal
enerlies
Friends Of our noble old leader win you not unite with
me- Ia November next In pronounCing the condemnation
OF that party which thus ruthessy attempts TO asten an
indeltble stain, and 10 and perpetuae a cruel
wrong upon the reputation Of the living the dead for
the single purpose Of achieving temporary party advnnt
ageH
For the purpose Of presenting at view the true
friends Of Henry Clay the record OF the noble and manly
course Of Mr. Buchanan ia reference to the question OF
bargain and corruption" will group together with the
evidence furnished by Mr. Buchanan the universal recop
milton by all Mr. Cays bographeIs and historians OF the
Importance Of that testimony bis defence Superaddcd
to this positive Proof-inping scrutiny aud DEFYING
CONTRADICTION assert that from The day this charge
was fret preferred against Mr. Clay the good hour
when the Cincinnati Convention made It's nomination for
the presidency friend Of Henry Clay ever alluded 10
Mr. Buchanaus conneIion with that charge or his tes
mony In reference thereto who did not declare that he y
and unequlrocaiy ESTABLISHED MR. CLAYS INNO-
CENCEl During period OF thirty long years. the friends
Of Mr. Clay haze trtumphanty pointed TO this testimony
the honorable character OF his conduct towards
Mr. Clay called in question, until those who claim bo
excellence the perpetrators Of Mr. Cays party under
new name adopted their candidate for The vice pres-
dency the OF all others most thoroughly identified Nth
this charge IN Va inception and perpeuotioRi
And now 10 the documentary testimony. I read from
the Nashville Banner Of the 18th Of August 1856:
Gen. Jaoksons Statement
In January, 1928, a member OF Congress OF high re-
specabty Sr. Buchananl visited me one morning and
observed "be bad been informed by the friends Of Mr.
Clay that the friends OF Mr. Adams bad made overures 10
them saying If Mr. Clay and his friends would unite In
aid OF the election Of Mr. Adams Mr. Clay should be Sec
rotary OF State that the friends Of Mr. Adams urg
ing induce the friends Of Mr. Clay accede
70 this proposition that II elected President Mr. Ad-
would he continued Secretary Of State (nnuendo
there would bc no room for Kentucky j)tha The friends
OF W. Clay stated the West did not wish separate from
the West and u would cay, or permit any OF my
6doani friends sny, that in elected Presi.
dent Mr.. Adams should not be continued Secretary Of