Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-06-27
Gen. Jackson--Mr. Clay--and Mr.. Blu

chanan.
The following letter from Gen. jackson, address
ed to the public from the Hermitage, under date
OF July 18th, which viii be found In Niless Regis
ter for August Is, 1927, page 4l5, will explain, in
the Generals own words, the manner in which he
was induced to believe that Mr. Clay and his friends
had made proposals to support him upon certain
conditions, and indicates the person through whom
the proposition reached him. That person was
James Buchanan, the prefent nominee Of the for
eign Democracy for the Presidency Gen. Jack.
son, II we know anything of his character, was
not the man to be mistaken In such matter, and
the language used by Mr.. B. in making the com.
must have been very erpiicit to have
produced the impression left upon the mind of the
old hero
We ask again, with such facts before him, how
can any old-linc Whig who loved and respected
Henry Clay, entertain for an instant, the idea of
voting for the very man pho ,eas at tie bottom of
all the misapprehension and misrepresentation
which deprived him Of tbs PrssideneyS
Mr.. Clay, In his letter to the public, dated Ler-
ington, 29th June, and in his speech delivered at
the same place, gave the most abrupt and indig-
acter OF his accuser In the severest terms possible
rejoicing as he said, that ga specific accusation
by responsible accuser" had at length appeared
The General, on seeing Mr. Clay's denial "over
his own signature, then addressed the public un-
der date of Hermitage, July 49," and said I @
The statement contained In my letter to Mr..
Beverly is this that in January, 1896 member
OF Congress, OF high respectability, visited me one
morning, and obseryed--. he had been informed
ho Io &c NJ. a. n
dams had made 0vertures to them, saying. IL Mr.
Clay and bis friends would unite In aid Of the cleo
ton Of Mr.. Adams, Mr., Clay should be Secretary
OF State; that the friends Of Mr.. Adams were ura-
ing as reason to induce the friends of Mr.. Clay
to accede to this proposition, that if was elected
President, Mr. Adams would be continued Secre.
tary of State, Qnuendo, there would be no room
for Kentucky j that the friends Of Mr. Clay stated,
the West did not wish TO separate from the West,
and il ! would say, or permit any Of my con6den-
tal friends to say that In case was elected Pres
ident Mr.. Adams should not be continued Secfe
tary of State, by complete union of Mr.. Clay and
his friends they would put an end to the Presiden-
tial contest in one hour and he was OF opinion il
was right to light such intrigucrs with their own
weapons
This disclosure was made to me by Mr. Bu-
chanan, member of Congress from Pennsylvania,
gentleman of the first respectability and intell-
gence. The evening before he had communicated,
the same proposition to Major Eaton
my colleague in the Senate, with a desire, warmly
manifested, thai he should communicate with me,
and ascertain my views on the subject. This he
declined doing, suggesting to hr. buchanan that
he as well as himself, could converse with me and
ascertain my opinion on the matter though, from
his knowledge of me be thought he could well con-
lecture my answer--that / would enter into no
engagements whatever.--It was the morning sue
needng this interview, after Major Eaton had OBJ
ected to converse with me on the subject and
before had set out from my lodgings for the Cap.
tol, that Mr.. Buchanan came to visit me and when
The conversation have stated took place. The
answer returned has already been published, and
need not to be here repeated.
g To be thus approached by gentleman of Mr..
Buchanan's high character and standing, with an
apology proered at the time for what he was about
to remark to me--one who, as / understood, had
always, to that moment, been on familiar and
friendly terms with Mr.. Clay, assuring me that on
certain terms and conditions being assented to on
my part, then, by an union of Mr.. Clay and his
friends they would put an end to the Presidential
contest in one hour what other conclusion or in
ference was to be made, than that he spoke by au-
thorty, either of Mr. Clay himself, or some of his
confidential friends. The character Of Mr.. Bucha-
nan, with me, forbids the idea that he was acting
on his own responsibility, or that under any cir
cumstances he could have been induced to pro-
po an arrangement unless possessed of satisfac-
tory assurances that IL accepted, it would be car
ried fully into effect A weak mind would seldom
or ever be thus disposed to act an intelligent one
never.
+" Under all the circumstances appearing at the
time did not resist the impression that Mr.. Br,-
chanan had approached Inc on the cautiously sub.
mitted proposition Of some authorized person, and
therefore, in giving him my answer, did request
him to say to Mr. Clay and his friends, what that
answer had been. Whether the communication
' as made to Mr. Clay and his friends / know not
This, though, do know, that while TIE opinions
and course Of Mr.. Clay to the election were but
matter of conjecture with many at and before this
time, very shortly after this conversation took
place, his and his friends opinions became forth
with matter Of certainty and general knowledge.
Still, have not said, nor do now say, that the
proposal made to me was arith the pripity and
consent of Mr.. Clay, nor either have said that his
friends IN Congress made propositions to me-"
Here it will be seen that Gen. jackson specifi-
cally and positively asserts that Mr.. Buchanan did
" propose an arrangement" whereby he, Gen. j.,
should be elected President by the aid of Mr.. Clay
and his friends, and Mr.. Clay be appointed by him
Secretary of State--that Mr.. Buchanan did assure
him that on those terms and conditions an inn
mediate end should be put to the Presidential con-
that Mr.. Buchanan, referring to the
alleged profers of the friends Of Mr.. Adams, that
if Mr.. Clay and his friends would aid in the election
Of Mr.. Adams, Mr.. Clay should be Secretary Of
State-that, referring to these alleged proceedings
on the part of the friends of Adams, Mr.. Buchan'
IN said to him, Gen. jackson, that he, Mr. Buch.
anan, "was of opinion 1t was right to fight such
intriguers with their own weapons "---and finally,
that he, Gen. Jackson, in giving to Mr.. Buchanan
his answer to the proposition which he understood
Mr.. b. to make to him by the authority of Mr. Clay
and his friends, requested Mr.. Buchanan Ito say to
Mr. Clay and his friends what that answer had