Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-06-26
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1856.
+" Bargain, Intrigue and Corrup,,o,

boris article to our columns entire, and trust
it will receive careful and attentive peru
sal from readers Of all parties 1t is the
history of a political event, whose influence
on subsequent political changes and events
constitutes it one Of the most important and
remarkable which has transpired in the
country. 1t is something more than those
who, for purpose, having once magnifed
it as a monstrous enormity of corruption,
would now have it regarded 1t was not
a simple misunderstanding between two
prominent politicians common charge of
political immortality, living for day and
then taking its place in the sewer 1t was
a stupendous falsehood-a slanderouS charge
without the semblance of truth-used for
the destruction, and alas ! too fatally sue
cessful, in accomplishing the political ruin
of one Of the noblcSt characters that ever
fourished in the tide of tme-the high
hearted and magnanimous CLAY.
His great antagonist, the distinguished
hero Of the Hermitage, impuIsve and fiery,
but honest and sincere, permitted his ear to
be poisoned by the gossip and SANDER Of the
petty-brood Of politicians, who from the
dawning of the star of his fame, clung
around him, fattening on his favor, and
having no principle of life but that impaired
by his smile, and boldly led the charge in
this assault on the reputation of Mr.. CLAY
We have never believed but that General
JACKSON was convinced of the truth of his
charge when he first asserted it, and it may
be that so strong an impression was wrought
upon his nature, that he did not give due
weight to subsequent evidences Of its lalSi-
ty, not even to 'the aoaat Of moral courage"
displayed by Buchanan, who is proven to
be tbe'prime instrumentality in the whole
affair Be this however as it may, the
charge was made, and pertinaciously re-
peated through a quarter of a century,
wounding a gallant and sensitive spirit, and
whitening his political hopes. 1t became
the battle-cry of his enemies, and was the
chief instrument in defeating his ambition,
and sending him to the grave disappoint-
ed man.
1t viii not do for democratic journals now
TO begin to undervalue it, or to speak of it
as trivial and unimportant. Base and scan
dalouS as it is in itself, it has achieved i'm
mortality as the means used by great
political party to break down and crush out
the great leader of its rival, who but for it
would have been invincible. 1t will not do
for those who have characterized it as the
most heinous of political crimes to speak Of
it now that the odium is fastened on anoth-
or as venial. The exposure of Buchanan's
conduct, while it really gives a darker hue
TO the transaction, vindicatcS Mr.. CLAY's
fame, and though tardy and too late to re-
pair the mischief, is yet a triumphant justi-
fcation of the purely of his conduct.
AS link after link in the chain of evidence
riveting the authorship of this nefarous bu-
Siness on Mr. Buchanan passed under our
review, we seemed to feel again the indig-
nation we have experienced when in former
days we have heard this charge repeated
against Mr.. CLAY. We seemed to see the
original slanderer before us, and hear him
recite his story. We could see the syco-
phantic place-hunter first approaching Jack
son, and ingeniously leaving the impression
on the Generals mind that he was deputed
by CLAY or his friends to sound him on the
subject of the election, limiting that a word
from the General could terminate the strug-
Gle in an hour, and TO his satisfaction.
We could see him when he received Jack
sons answer, aud was told to say to Mr..
CLAY and his friends what that answer had
been" We could see him again, undeterred
by the repulse which he had received from
jackson, force himselfinto the private apart
ments of Mr.. CLAY and again introduce the
subject Of the election, and begin TO speak
confidently of the success Of jackson, and
ertfully attempt to draw Mr. CLAY into his
support by pretending TO knowledge OF
who would compose his cabinet, and fat
tering Mr.. CLAY with the belisf that he
would be the premier. We can see the III
genious backing aud filling" Of his Ian
caster letter in reply to Jackson's, admit
ting in the main the facts, but suggesting
wrong inference on the Generals part Of
fering timid halfway denial to some OF
JacksOn's statements, and speaking Of the
place Of the interview as giving probability
10 the superstition that there was a misap-
prehension by both parties We could see
the humiliating admission Of the disgraceful
part which he had acted in his private letter
10 Letcher in 1914, when he piteously en-
treats that he may not be forced TO make
public the details of his interview with Mr.
Clay, which, while be knewi would acquit
Clay, (the last thing he really desired, be
knew also would fix him IN the Pillory Of