Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-09-03

unworthy posscseory sof. would sooner stick their
heads in the Are Than to have published, thu olds
hero had been living Mr.. JscksonFeg aras tne use
which has been made Of these raDdom letters IS az
outrage upon the memory Of his reverend fatner NOT
longer to be submitted to in silence and which ne
can and will sfIectually crush if PERI iste in.
Mr. BucHASAN's OWN SrATExENr.-The following
letter from the Hon. James Buchanan, to which both
Mr. Clay and Mr.. Lctcher refer, is SO candid, frank,
and plain a statement, that we publish it entire.
after the publication of this letter, that Genera
jackson offered to Mr.. Buchanan the post OF Minis
ter to Russia, and recommended his appointment as
Secretary of State to President Polk:
To the Editor Of the Lancaster Journal:
The Cincinnati Advertiser was last night placed
in my hands by friend containing an address from
Gen.. jackson to the public, dated on the 9Th utmo'
in which he announces me to be the Member OF Con-
gress to whom he had referred in his letter to Mr.
Beverly of the 9Th Of June last. The duty which
owe to the public and to myself now compeIs me
to publish to the world the only winch
ever held with Gen. jackson, on the subject OF the
last Presidential election, prior to its termna.o"
| In the month of December, 1924, short time at
| ter the commencement Of the session OF Congress,
heard among other rumors then in circulation that
Gen. jackson had determined, should he be elected
! President, to continue Mr.. Adams in the ONCE OF
Secretary Of State. Although felt certain he had
never intimated such an intention, yet was sensl-
bic that nothing could be better calculated both to
cool the ardor Of his friends. and to inspire his enc
mics with confidence, than the belief that he had
already selected his che competitor for the
office within his gift. I thought General jackson
owed It to himself and to the cause, in which his po
cal friends engaged to contradict this report;
and to declare thst he would not appoint to that Of
flee the man, however worthy he might be- who
stood at the head of the most formidable party OF
his political enemies These being my Impressions,
addressed letter to confidential friend in Penn.
syvanis, then ane still high in office, and exalted IN
md nh had hoon q
advocate of General Jackson's election, requesting
his opinion and advice upon the subject. received
his answer, dated the 9th December, 1924, upon
the 29th, which is now before me- and which
strengthened and confirmed my previous opinion
then finally determined, either that would ask
General Jackson myself get another OF his friends
to ask him-whether he had ever declared he would
appoint Mr. Adams his Secretary of State. In this
manner, hoped contradiction of the report might
be obtained from himself and that he might proba-
bly, declare it was not his intention to appoint Mr.
Adams.
A short time previous to the receipt Of the letter
to which have referred, my friend Mr.. Markiey
and myself got into conversation, as we very often
did, both before and AFTER upon the subject OF the
Presidential election, and concerning the person who
would probably fill the Office Of Secretary of State
/ feel sincerely sorry that compelled thus to
introduce his name but do with the less reluc-
tance because it has already, without any agency OF
mine, found its way into the newspapers, in connec-
ton with this transaction.
Mr. Markley adverted to the rumor which have
mentioned, and said it was calculated to injure the
General He observed, that Mr.. Clay S friends were
warmly attached to him, and that he thought they
would endeavor to act in concert at the election
That if they did so, they could either elect Mr.. Ad-
ans or General Jackson at their pleasure; but that
many of them would agree to vote for the lat
ter, if they knew he had predetermined to prefer
another to Mr. Clay for the first Office in his gift
And that some Of the friends of Mr.. Adams had al
ready been holding out the idea that in case he was
elected, Mr. Clay might probably be offered the sit
uation of Secretary Of State.
told Mr.. Markley, that felt confident General
jackson had never said he would appoint Mr. Adams
Secretary of State; because he not in the habit
of conversng upon the subject of the election and
if he were whatever might be his secret intention,
he had more prudence than to make such declara-
ton. mentioned to him that had been thinking,
either that would call upon the General myself, or
get some of his other friends to do So and thus
endeavor to obtain from him contradiction of the
| report; although doubted whether he would hold
any conversation upon the subject
MIR. Markley urged me to do so and observed. If
General jackson had not determined whom he would
appoint Secretary of State, and should say that it
would not be Mr.. Adams, it might be great advan-
tage to our cause for SO to declare, upon his own
authority we should then be placed upon the same
footing with the Adams men, and might fight them
| with their own weapons. That the western men,
bers would naturally prefer voting for western
man, If there we're probability that the claims of
Mr. Clay to the second Office in the Government
should be fairly estimated and that if they thought
proper to vote for Gen. Jackson they could soon de-
eide the contest in his favor
short time after this conversation on the 3Oth
December, 1924, q am enabled to fix the time not
only from my own recollection, but from letters
which wrote on that day, on the day following,
and on the I'd January, 1920 called upon General
jackson. After the company had left him. by which
found him surrounded, he asked me to take walk
with him; and whilst we were walking together upon
the street introduced the subject told him. wished
to ask him question in relation to the Presidential
election; that knew he was unwilling to converse
upon the subject that therefore if he deemed the
question improper, he might refuse to give it an
swer That my only motive in asking it, was friend
ship for him, and trusted he would excuse me for
thus introducing subject, about which knew he
wished to be silent
His reply was complimentary to myself, and &C.
companied with request that should proceed l
then stated to him. there was report in circulation,
that he had determined he would appoint Mr.. Adams
Secretary Of State in case he elected President
and that wished to ascertain from him whether he
had ever minated such an intention. That ne must
at once perceive, how injurious to his election the
report might be- That no doubt, there were several
able and ambitious men in the country among whom
thought, Mr.. Clay might be included, who were
aspiring to that office and if it were believed he had
already determined to appoint his chief connection,
it might have most unhappy effect upon their ex-
ertons, and those of their friends That unless he
had so determined, thought this report should be
promptly contradicted under his own authority.
mentioned, it had already probably done him
some injury, and proceeded to relate to him the SUBJ
stance OF the conversation which I had held with
Mr. Markley. l do not remember whether men,
toned his name, or merely described him as friend
of Mr.. Clay
After had finished, the General declared he had
not the least objection to answer my question That