The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-07-28
~ ERSoNAL feuds have played
. their part, and fateful one, in

latter, and not Jefferson, would have
succeeded the elder Adams; but even
more momentous In its consequences
was the long battle between Andrew
Jackson and Henry Clay. When jack
son first ran for the Presidency, in
1924, the candidates opposing him
were Adams, Crawford and Clay
None Of the four secured majority
of the Electoral College, and the cleo
ton thus devolved upon the House,
with choice to be made from the three
candidates = Adams Crawford and
Jacksonville had received the most
electoral votes. This debarred Clay,
who, forced, as he expressed 1t, to
choose between two evils, announced
that he had decided to support Adams.
But Clay's determination no sooner
became known than some OF jack
sons friends attempted to drive him
from 1t. The weapon used for this
purpose recalls one Of the most dis
creditable incidents in our political
history.
Charge Against Clay.
A few days before the time set for
the election In the House letter ap-
peared in a Philadelphia newspaper,
asserting that Clay had agreed to sup
port Adams upon condition that he be
made Secretary of State. The same
terms, the latter alleged, had been Of
fered to Jackson's friends; but none
Of them would descend to such mean
barter and sale" The letter was
anonymous, but purported to be writ
ten by member Of the House. Clay
at once published card, In which
he pronounced the writer "a bastard
and liar" who, If he dared avow his
name, would forthwith be called to
the field. Two days later the letter
was acknowledged by witless mem
Der from Pennsylvania, Kremer by
name, who asserted that the state
ments he had made were true, and
that he was ready to prove them. A
duel with such character was out Of
the question. Something, however,
had to be done, and Clay Immediately
demanded an investigation by spe-
clal committee of the House. Such a
committee was duly selected. None
Of its members had supported Clay for
the Presidency. Kremer promptly de-
clared his willingness to meet the in
quiry; but In the end the committee
reported that he had declined to ap-
pear before II, sending instead COM
munlcatlon in which he denied the
power Of the House to compel him to
testify. No further action was taken,
and in this shape. for the time being,
the matter rested,
Soon, however came the election OF
Adams by the House, followed quickly
by his appointment Of Clay as his Sec
retary of State Though it is now
generally acknowledged that there had
been no bargain between Adams and
Clay, 1t was natural that, at the mo
ment, the rank and file of Jackson's
following should regard Clay's appoint
ment as conclusive proof that such a
deal had been made. BY accepting 1t
Clay made himself the victim of cir
cumstantlal evidence. As matter OF
fact, he hesltated to accept the place,
and finally assumed its duties with re.
luctance. What chiefly determined
him was the belief that If he did not
accept 1t would be argued that he
dared not. This to Clay was more OBJ
noxious than the other horn Of the di-
lemma. He, therefore, took the alter
native Of bold defiance; but In so do
ing committed a calamitous error.
A strong effort was made at the mo-
ment to reject Clay's nomination. This
falling, the cry of bargain and cor
ruption" was again raised, and with
It began another contest for the Presl-
dency, a contest longer and more scan
dalous than any other In our political
annals. Everything that rancorous
partisan intention could conCoct was
spread broadcast by the Jackson jour
nails; nor were Clay and Adams the
sole objects of the storm of slander.
Charges Of the most Infamous charac-
ter were made against Jackson, and
intlamed his anlmoslty against Adams
and Clay to degree that approached
insanity. Jackson believed Clay capa-
Bile OF anything of which the latter
could be accused, and he himself gave
currency to the bargain and corrup-
ton" cry, which was printed, placard-
ed and harped upon throughout the
land. Clay, on the other hand, was
unable on the stump to assume the
line of dlgnlfed refutation; and his
language, losing all restraint, became
the vehicle of raving wrath. The re-
suit of the contest was signal tri-
umph for Jackson. Even Kentucky,
Clay's own State. went against him,
and Adams retired In the shadow of
deep humiliation. Four years later,
when Clay himself was candidate
against Jackson, he received but forty
nine out Of 2S6 electoral votes.
Fillmore Weed Quarrel.
A quarrel which unmade, If 1t did
not make, a President, was that be-
tween Millard Fillmore and Thurlow
Weed Fillmore was one Of Weeds
political discoveries, and when they
met for the first time had just gradu-
ated from the wool carder's loom to
the dignity of law office in Buffalo,
Fillmore, at Weeds suggestion, was
sent to the legislature, William II.
Seward was there, serving his first
term as Senator and upon the day
that the legislature met these three
men. one Of whom was to become
President, another the idol of his par
ty and Secretary of State, and the
third maker OF Governors, Senators
and Presidents, began an Intimacy
that lasted for more than twenty
years. Fillmore, by Weeds help, was
sent to Congress, where he speedily
became one Of the leaders of the
Wings, and also by Weeds direction
Seward was elected Governor Of and
then Senator from New York. Weed