New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-08-21
JOHN nnII. ANp HnNRY cLAY.

An attempt has been made to injure MIR. Bell IN
the estimation Of the friends Of Henry Clay, by as
serting that Mr. Bell was believer in the :" bar
gain and CORRUPTION charge in 1926. This at
tempt is made by people who we're themselves pro-
pagators Of the charge, and hunted Mr. Clay down
with it when he was candidate for the Presidency
in 1914. Whether they themselves believed the
charge to be true at the time they made it, is a
doubtful questionbut to see them now Affecting
to be indignant because John Bell believed it in
developed in the present canvass.
Henry Clay, from lSs2 to the day of his death,
had warmer friend, personal and political, than
Jchn Bell; and he knew it. To show how highly
the great statesman valued Mr.. Bell, we copy Che
following from a late number of the Louisville
Journal:
HENRY CLAY's 8pINIoN OF JoHS BELL.--The re-
lations between Henry Clay and John Bell having
been frequently referred to of late we think not
improper or inappropriate to mention fact within
our personal knowledge:
Some time in November, 1S4s, it having been
ascertained that Gen. Taylor was elected to the
Presidency, his friend and relative Captain ALI
son, wrote to rs from Louisiana. stating that he
thought it desirable that the opinions of the
soundest and best informed politicians in the
country in regard to the making up of the Cabinet
should be known to General Taylor, and asking
who, in our Judgment, would best fill the several
Cabinet Offices We thought that this might be in
tended as an indirect and delicate mode of obtain
ing the views of Mr. Clay upon the subject, and we
accordingly addressed letter to Mr.. c., inform
ing him of Capt. Allison's application, and asking
him, in consideration of his deep regard for the
welfare Of the country to say what selections he
if President, would make for his Cabinet. He re-
piled, that to do Justice to his opinions, he would
have to say more than he had time to say in a let
ter, but that he should be in Louisville in a few
days. and would then take pleasure in talking with
us fully andfreely upon the subject.
When Mr.. Clay arrived here, we called on him
at his room in the Calf House. and he at once eX-
eused himself to another gentleman, then present,
saying that he wished to talk with us upon mat
ter of Importance. During the interview Mr.. Clay
evidently expressed himself without the slightest
reserve. He said that Horace Bnney, of Phila-
delphia would be his choice for the Secretaryship
of State, if not too old blt that if Mr. B. was too
old, the best man would be Mr. Clayton of Della
ware. Inregard to the Secretaryship of the Treas
ury, he said that George Evans had the best fnan-
cial head in the nation, but there were personal
objections to him, and another was mentioned for
the place. We do not at this time remember all
the details of the views expressed by the great
statesman, but we distinctly remember that he
named Gov. Morehead of North Carolina, and John
Bell OF Tennessee. as among the men who would
make frst-rate Cabinet officers.
Nobody ever heard Henry Clay speak Of John
Bell except in terms of high respect and regara