The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-20

fsous 'harsatn ana corruption" ccntrover-
" but behind ali this lies q story Of
snlewo pohtical mAneuverfns. Of carefully
iato ana executed plans. that profoundly
affected the politics Of the nation for
over . decade
hremef was but tool In the whole bus
snees- It II practically certain that he
never wrote the letter which appeared IN
tne Columbian Observer NOR prepared the
argument presented TO the house investi-
gating committee for refusing 10 appear
before II. He was an honest. well inten-
uoned man. enthusiastically devoted TO
Gen. Jackson. but ignorant and easily
imposed upon The real authorship Of
these letters h q matter Of doubt: II II
generally thought. however. that 6ena-
tor John H. Eaton. OF Tennessee. and
samuel d. InGham. o Pennsylvania con-
gresham, were responsible for then. Al
any rate. they answered their purpose and
the jackson party had telling cry to
20 before the country with In the next
election. II In interesting to note here
that both Eaton and Ingham were APP
pointed 10 Jackson's first cabinet
But what were Clay and jackson. the
leading characters In this unfortunate
AFFAIR, doing all this time. Clay could do
nothing for lack Of definite accuser. He
must stand idly looking on while the
charges Of bargain and corruption were
scattered broadcast over the country But
Jackson. did he believe In these charges?
Going into the campaign at the solicit
tation of friends. with little interest In
the outcome, the fighter in him soon came
to the fore and he conceived q desire to
be elected. When the returns came In
he believed himself the choice Of the
people and when Congress selected Ad-
a 0vA him o th,xf ht fa<f
out Of the ONCE TO which the people
wished TO elevate him. Intensely personal
he soon fastened his imagined grievances
upon Henry Clay, for whom he enter
tanned an old grudge dating back from
the time OF the Seminole war. Brooding
over what he sincerely believed TO Be his
wrongs. he gradually came 10 hate Clay
with all the intensity OF hts nature. To
him Clay was an unprtncipled ONCE
seeker. who had betrayed his country for
his own ACKNOWLEDGMENT II can readily
be- imagined, too. that the generals ad-
visers and friends did nothing to stop his
ever increasing luminosity towards the
great Kentuckian.
clay Finally DowneA.
The cry Of bargain and corruption
spread, and. what was more. It was be-
iieyed. In the West IL Increased the en-
thusasm for 'Old Hickory" and his home
coming was made a continual ovation. Ac-
cording to competent testimony. Jackson
repeatedly expressed his belief in Clays
guilt while on his way TO the Hermitage.
He even went so far az to state that the
friends Of Clay had offered him their sup
port provided he would promise Clay the
secretaryship OF state. At length Clay de-
manded of Jackson proof OF the allega-
tions made against him. Hereupou follow
ed q long and acrimonious correspondence
between them. No proof was furnished
by Jackson. and Clay's friends held their
chief indicated. The discussion and agi-
fation of the whole matter had done It's
work. however. and Clay became d!scredt-
ed with a great majority OF the people.
In ISIS Gen. Jackson was elected presi-
dent by a dec,s.;e majority. This action OF
the people he interpreted az n vindication
OF the charges against Clay, and went to
Washington with the sincere belief that
the country had been rescued from a cabaI
of traitors. Just what influence the bar
gain and corruption cry had In determin-
ing the final result IL il impossible TO say.
1t was. however. used with telling eject
In the campaign. especially in the South
and West, where among the ignorant
classes II had great influence
The fight had been intensely bitter: per-
sons rather than issues had been upper
most In the mind OF the average voter.
jackson. OF course had denounced Clay
In his usual nery manner. while Clay had
retaIiated with good old Kentucky invec-
tive. Lesser lights had taken up the fight
and kept II waging merrily.
Mystery IN Appointments.
On February Is. 1899. Jackson announced
his cabinet In the United States Tele-
graph as follows:
Secretary OF state-Martin Van Vuren.
of New York.
Secretary OF the treasury-Samuei u.
fngham. OF Pennsylvania
Secretary OF war-John III. Eaton. OF
Tennessee.
Secretary Of the navy-John Branch.
OF North Carolina.
Attorney general--John Mcpherson
Berrien. OF Georgia.
Postmaster gcneral-William +. Barry.
OF Kentucky.
Who were these men? why were they
selected by Gen Jackson for these posts
OF responsibility, Ingham was one Of
the men who had stood behind Kremer
through all the bargain and corruption
controversy. He had been especially
active In the campaign In circulating
charges against Clay and Adams He
was first az all An anti-Clay man. Eaton
was another an,l-clay man who had
been concerned in the same controversy.
Branch and Berrien had both voted
against the confirmation OF Clay I'm the
senate wher Adams sent his nomination
In for secretary OF state They were
both anti-Clay men Barry had helped
to carry Clay's own state against him
In the election. He. too. was anti-Ciay.
II was mos, heterogeneous cabinet,
the only thing all could agree on being
hostility To Clay. II was an auti-Ciay
cabinet
Such were the bargain and corruption
controversy and the Jackson-Clay feud
growing out OF II, ard few az the re-
suits A more unfortunate or disgrace
full piece of business would be hard to
imagine. No fair minded man after go
ing over all the facts could believe Clay
guilty ~ the offense' charged against
him. Yet he retired from the consrc-
versy. defeated In his fondest ambition.
disappointed and discTedited man. On
the other hand. the xhrcwa originators
Of the charges gained power and opt
,encc They were high minded. fearless
patr.ass. As for Gen, Jackson. no one
can fairly minute so him anything bat
thorough belief In the truth Of the
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