The New York herald., 1876-08-21
THE "CLAY COMPROMISE.
THunLow WEEDS REPLY TO MEssRs STEPHENS,
rooMBs AND CLINGMAN.

suPPAc"en'ed oy etter OF the Hon. KoDert ioomps,
published in the HERALD of the sth inst, to my letter
OF last july In opening and widening tho controversy
calls for somewhat extended reJoinder Mr. Stephens
says
II will be recoleced that Mr. Weed in his "Unwrit-
ten Chapter of History" in giving account OF his
interview with Mr Bennett OF the HERALD, by which
ne secured his influence In behalf OF the adininstra
tion OF Mr.. Lincoln, made this statement:-"l gave
him The then unknown particulars OF an interview OF
Nessrs. Toombs and stephens and Cl.neman, members
OF congress from Georgia anu North Carolina, with
General Taylor. The oDJect OF that interview TO
induce General Taylor, Southern man and slave
hoIaer TO veto the bill permitting California 10 enter
the Union as a free State IL stormy interview
with threats OF dlsunlon the hanG and hanging
Hamhn, ot Maine and myself within ten minutes after
the interview closed. ~
Now. in answer to this statement. simply entered
my unqualified denial of the correctness OF the matter
as SET iorth ! intended my protest to be entered
against the correctness of tho entire statement not
only IN whole. but IN every part and particular. ro-
affirm the again No such interview as that set
'or'h ever d'd occur or any one Ike IT.
Mr.. Toombs, in his letter, says:- .
DEAR stR-My attention was called several weeks
ago TO the letter of Thurow Weed osNew York. touch
Ing an alleged interview between you and myself and
the Hon. Thomas J.. Clngman, of North Carolina and
President Taylor, IN 1850 The whole story is iabrca
toa as Tar as am concerned, and believe equally so
as TO yourself never did call General Taylor with
you Mr. CiinSman anybody else on the subject OF
vetong the bill for the admission Of California
Both OF US had frequent interviews separately and
together, with General Taylor and urged upon him the
abandonmcnt OF his policy andthc adoption OF ,hc
promise measures. Some OF these interviews
earnest and decided both sides but such lang
as that attributed to General Taylor by Weed wds
used by him in my presence.
II Mr.. Stephens had relied his vindcation upon
an error in my first letter he would have given
Tho opportunity OF involving himself and his friend
Inconsistencies and contradictions. In my 'unwritten
Chapter" sad-'The object OF that interview to
induce General TaVlOr n Southcrn and a slave
holder to veto the bill permitting California to enter
the Union q FREQ Stalen TINS, though true. was
not the whole truth the whole of tho question.
When California with free constitution Knocked at
the door OF Congress Tor admission as State Southern
Representatives became violently excited. Some Of
them, prominent among whom Messrs Toonbs.
and Stephens threatened dis solution OF the Union
Less excited men. prominent among whom Mr..
Clay suggested compromise" IN which slavery
to be indemnifei by large concessions. General Tay-
or though Southern man ana STAKEHOLDER, believed
that slavery enjoyed all it was entitled TO under the
constitution and by the Missouri Compromise The cx-
orbtant demands and the aggressive spirit OF slavery
called out Message from the President,
in which tho policy OF tho Administrations
was announced. An issue therefore made between
the opponents tho friends of the administration,
the former sustaining the compromise "Omnibus
BILL while the latter sustained 'the Presidents plan
The President his Message said that the rejection
OF the application OF California for any outside
of herself would DO an invasion Of her rights His
friends therefore, demanded the unconditional admis-
sion OF California II was during that exciting period
that the interview between Messrs. Stephens and
Toombs and the President occurred. Tho converse
ton related the whole subject and no. limited
as stated in my first letter. tho admission OF Cali
fornia free State. Mr. Stephens however waving
his advantage now, in the following explicit language
says:-"No such interview as that set forth did
occur, or any one like it." Mr. Toombs in his letter.
says-"The whole story is a fabrication far am
concerned, and believe equally as to yourself"
In answer to Mr. stephens first denial contented
myself with reiteraton of the general truth OF my
statement, accompanied by corroborating circum-
stances derived from the debates Congress. But
now thnt Mr.. Stephens has called Mr.. Toombs to tho
witness stand the question assumes nm Importance
which renders il proper that should strengthen my
own position. therefore addressed letter cx-vce
President Hamhn, to which the following is reply
WASHINGTON, August 10, 1915
TnuRLow WEED, Esq. -
MY DEAR SIR am IN receipt Of your favor of the
Sth inst and will chceruily give you such information
as am aOle to give in reation 10 the occurrence to
which you refer. During tho session OF Congress
while General Taylor was President his private
iary called upon ana stated that the President
sired TO sec mo at the Executive Mansion
the morning in relation to nomination then
pending in the Senate and IN my charge There had
been certain charges made as,inst The nominee and
evidence hed IN support OF tho same which the lrcs-
idcnt desired to examine directed him to inform
the President that would call accordance with his
request Iii so call sent IN my card by the
scnger who returned with the Information that the
President then busily engaged but would soon
me, aud desired me to remain until he could do So |
remained IN tho anteroom should think, iull halt
hour, perhaps more. was then notified that the Pres
dcnt would see
Immediately repaired to the Presidents room. As
approaching The door RoDcr, ToomDs and Alcxan-
der II. stephens, OF Georgia, came out They
excited in their manner to degree that attracted nv
attention.. We did not speak to each other | went
into the Presidents room and found him alone. He
evidently much excited. have frequently said
that he appeared like an cnraged lion IN his cage
the best description could give, In fact he must
have walked across the three four times
before he even noticed me alter my entrance He
then spoke the, out still continued pacing the room
crossing II several times more He then addressed
with an inquiry. ''Mr HamliD," SAID he, what arc
you dong at the senate with tho Omnibus
bill ~ called) then before the Senate Ny reply was
promp-'Mr. President believe tho bill wrong in
prnc pie ana am do ng what can to defeat IT, HIS
rcJonder was prompt ana very dcciied'Siand irm;
don't yield; II means disunion, ana PANIED
that We have dlsuD'on to coutcni WIN dis
union Is treason;" and, with All explctivc which viii
not repeat here he SAID With an emphasis that shall
forget. that If they attempted carry their
schemes whllc he was President they should be dealt
with by law they deserved aud executed. Once or
twice in the conversation he affirmed that he would
not be coerced by any man from the strict line
oi his dutv he understood u, and that the Union
must he preserved AT ali hazards.
such is the substance OF the conversation that took
place as now recall IT, 40 not now recoilcct seeing
Mr. ClIngman, though he might have been present aud
crossed the hall before met Messrs. Toomos and
phcns.
am unable from any data now at hand TO fix tho
precise when this occurred but II was
the same day that ! met you as was leaving the
Executive Mansion. You have undoubtedly the means
OF liking hat precise time. had no other inici view
with the President Of like character Yours truly,
II. HAMLIN
Mr. Stephens, after denying that any such interview
/, - T..Ior had
attributes my avcrmcnt to indrmi,y of memory
while Mr. roombs stigmatzcs it as "a fabrication" la
tho light OF Senator Hamln's letter the pubic Will
bc better able to decide whether NJ stephens mem.
ory my own is in hut and whether my whole state
ment Is a fabrication.
The letter OF Mr. Toombs, whole, impairs, If Il
does not contradict, both Mr.. Stephens and himself
lie says:-"Bo,h OF US had frequent interviews sep.
araielY and logelher with General TaYlnr urrcd