Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-22

the hope Of seeing Mr. Van Buren, nomi-'
mated by the Democratic party. A copy
of this note, the day it was written, was
given to Major DoDelson, With the under
standing that the original was not to be
published until the 10th. The object of
this delay in the publication of the note
was to give Major DOnelson, who was one
of the delegates to the Convention, time to
consult with the leading friends of Mr. Van
Buren, before the public attention could be
called to the contents Of the note. Gen.
Jackson felt it to be due to Mr. Van Buren,
who had been indicated very generally as
the nominee of the Convention, and was
VIGOROUSLY his own choice, that his conf
Dental friends should be advised Of the i'm
portance attached to the annexation Of
Texas, and Of the necessity of making it 8
leading question in the Presidential cleo
ton.
Major Donelson took leave of Gen. Jack
son on the 18th of May, the day of the
date of this note. On bis way to Nashville
he met Mr. Polk and Gen. Armstrong who
were coming to his house. Mr.. Polk had
few days before written to him in relation
to the action of the Convention, after the
letters of MeSsrs. Clay and Van Buren, had
been published. This letter Major Donel-
son now has in his possession, and it shows
conclusively that Mr. Polk concurred with
Gen. Jackson in the opinion that Mr. Van
Buren, ought to be the choice of the Dem
ocratic party as the nominee for the Presi-
dency.
These facts show that Judge Catron
must have been mistaken in representing
Mr. Buchanan as the choice of Gen Jack
son for the Presidency in 1874 at any time
previous to the Baltimore Convention.
But there are other facts still more au-
thoritative as an index of Gen. Jackson'S
wishes and feelings on this subject.
Maj. Donelson who not only had copy
of the note to which we have referred but
letter on the same subject from General
Jackson to B. F. Butler, the confidential
friend Of Mr.. Van Buren,, must certainly
have known what were the expectations Of
Gen. Jackson in case Mr.. Van Buren, de-
clined to modify his views in regard to the
annexation of Texas. He was not only a
delegate to the convention, but charged
specially as the confidential friend of Gen
Jackson with the communication of his
views to Messrs. Wright, Benton and other
friends of Mr.. Van. Buren,, for the purpose
if possible Of harmonizing the conflicting
views in regard to Texas If Gen. Jack
son had given up the idea of seeing Mr.
Van Buren, nominated, Maj. DoHelSon who
was in daily intercourse with him would
certainly have known tor if in the event
of Mr. Van Buren's refusal to adopt the
test question created by the proposal to
annex Texas, Mr.. Buchanan had become
Jackson's preferred candidate, Maj. Donel-
son must have known it.
But Maj. Donelson, we are authorized
to say, knew nothing of any such prefer
ence at that time, nor did he ever hear of
it until he saw the statement which ap-
pears in the Union and american under the
signature of John Catron.
When it was ascertained at Washington
that Mr.. Van Buren, would not modify the
ground he occupied on the Texas question,
Maj. DonelSon, as the confidential friend
Of Gen. jackson, endeavOred first to obtain
the nomination of Mr. Wright, but failing
in that, cordially seconded the efforts Of
the latter gentleman to unite the cOnven-
ton upon Mr.. Polk, who had been origin
ally designated 10y the leading members Of
the democratic party in Tennessee and
other States as a candidate for the Vice
Presidency on the ticket with Mr.. Van
Buren,.
1t is impossible to reconcile the course
Of the confidential friends of Gen. Jackson
in that convention with the idea that he
ever felt or had avowed preference for
Mr.. Buchanan as is now stated by Judge
Catron after the lapse Of years. No mem
Der Of the convention made such statement,
no movement indicated such a thought.
Mr. Van Buren, was the first choice of
Gen. jackson as long as there was hope
of his acceding to the project of annexiug
Texas When that hope was abandoned
the confidential friends of the General, ard
especially Maj. Donelson, endeavored TO
give the nomination, as before stated, first
to Mr.. Wright, of New York, and then 10
Mr. Polk.
If Mr. Buchanan had been the choice of
Gen. Jackson, it would follow that Mr..
Polk obtained his nomination in opposition
to the influence of Gen. Jackson, and that
the prominent men who thwarted the
wishes Of Gen. Jackson, were Mr.. Polk,
Ben. +. Butler, Silas Wright, and Maj.
DOnelSon-a supposition which is too i'm
probable to be entertained
Giving to these facts their due weight,
they utterly destroy the statement made by
Judge Catron--a statement which is Who'll
ly unaccountable on any other hypothesis
than that the Judge has allowed his parti-
atty and long friendship for Mr.. Buchanan
TO mislead him. He doubtless pressed upon
General Jackson bis own preference for