less, this is a good, a charitable, a Christian, and a useful maxiin, where public and private justice are not concerned. But neither charity, nor forbearance, can silence the claims of justice.

"It often falls, in course of common life,

That right long time is overborne of wrong,
Through av'rice, or power, or guile, or strife;
But justice, though her doom she do prolong,

Yet, at the last, she will her own cause right."-SPENSER.

Justice, with man or God, when it concerns the public, can not yield to charity; and the greater the wrong, so much greater the importance, so much more imperative the duty, of exposure, and of a suitable visitation. Wrong persisted in, is doubly, in a manifold degree, criminal; and if it be a wrong to society, as well as to individuals, it is for that reason still more aggravated. The wrong now under consideration, regards not simply two parties as individuals, but parties composed of numerous individuals. It is a wrong in which society on a large scale, in which a nation, is concerned; and it is a wrong PERSISTED IN. If it had been given up, or atoned for, in such ways as wrongdoers in society are required to atone, the case would have been different, and it would be censurable to keep the subject alive. But justice still sits in the seat of controversy, and demands, not only scrutiny, but her award; and she will never cease to call for it, till judgment is rendered. The aggressive party has made the issue, AND SUSTAINS So far as human judgment is concerned, therefore, it can only be decided by the common rules of evidence. In such a case, so important as respects the party assailed, and so momentous in its bearings on society, it would not only be wrong, but criminal, to let it go by default. It must necessarily be submitted to public judgment, to the judgment of mankind, and of posterity.

IT.

Unity of the Plot.-Another Question.-Witnesses to it.-Singular Result.-The Truth of the whole Matter.-Proposals of Bargain made to Mr. Clay.-One through Mr. Buchanan.-One through Mr. Houston.-Crime and Consequences of the Plot.

IN General Jackson's address to the public, July 18th, 1827, he says: "The ORIGIN—the BEGINNING of this matter, was at my own house and fireside-where, surely, a freeman may be permitted to speak on public topics, without having ascribed to him improper designs. I have not gone into the highways and marketplaces, to proclaim my opinions." Without stopping to reflect, that, of all places, a man's "own fireside" should be sacred to truth, charity, and fairness; or that, considering "the CROWD of company" present, representing all parts of the Union, it was in fact, a scene of publicity somewhat broader than “highways and market-places"—the following certificates and facts will show, that "the origin-the beginning of this matter," was NOT at General Jackson's " own house and fireside," on the 8th of March, 1827.*

"PHILADELPHIA, October 2, 1827.

SIR: In answer to yours of yesterday's date, requesting me to state to you the particulars of some remarks, which you were informed I had heard General Jackson use on the subject of the last presidential election, I have to state, that on my way down the Ohio, from Wheeling to Cincinnati, in the month of March, 1825, on board the steamer General Neville, among many other passengers, were General Jackson, and a number of gentlemen from Pennsylvania, some of whom remarked to the general that they regretted that he had not been elected president, instead of Mr. Adams. General Jackson replied, that if he would have made the same promises and offers to Mr. Clay, that Mr. Adams had done, he (Genera) Jackson) would then, in that case, have been in the presidential chair. But he would make no promises to any; that, if he went to the presidential chair, he would ge with clean hands, and uncontrolled by any one.

"These remarks of General Jackson were made in the hearing of Mr. James Parker, of Chester county, Mr. Wm. Crowsdill, of this city, and myself, and a number of other gentlemen unknown to me.

"I am most respectfully yours, &c.,

"SAM'L WITHERELL, Esq."

"DANIEL LARGE.

When a witness on the stand begins to lose character, by contradiction of himself, or by manifest pains to conceal truth, or to support error, he breaks down fast with the court, jury, and spec

"PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 5, 1827. "The statement made by Mr. Daniel Large, in the prefixed letter, is a faithful account of General Jackson's conversation, on the occasion alluded to. "WILLIAM CROWSDILL."

"In the winter of 1826-'7, Mr. Thos. Sloan, of Brownsville, Pa., in a conversation in my barroom, respecting the election of the president of the United States, and of the corrupt bargain and intrigue which procured his election, expressed his opinion to be, that such practices had been resorted to by Mr. Clay and his friends, and justified his belief by stating, that General Jackson had informed him so, in a conversation with him at Brownsville, and which was in substance the same since communicated to the public by General Jackson. I further state, that I lately wrote to Mr. Sloan, requesting him to give a certificate of General Jackson's statement to him, but have not received his answer. "RICHARD SIMMS.

"WHEELING, Dec. 19, 1827."

"In the winter of 1826-27, Mr. Thos. Sloan, of Brownsville, in a conversation in my presence, respecting the election of the present president of the United States, and of the corrupt bargain and intrigue, which procured his election, expressed his opinion to be, that such practices had been resorted to by Mr. Clay; and justified his belief, by relating a conversation which he had had with General Jackson on that subject at Brownsville, on his return home from Washington, after the election. Mr. Sloan rehearsed at length the statement made to him by the general, and which was in substance the same since communicated to the public by General Jackson. Mr. Sloan further said, that a company of which he was one, had met the general near to Brownsville, and escorted him into town, which was the occasion on which he had made the communication referred to.

"WHEELING, VA., December 19, 1827."

"ALDEN H. HOWE.

For the foregoing documents, see Niles's Register, vol. xxxiii.

STATEMENT OF WILLIAM SAMPLE, TRANSMITTED IN A LETTER TO MR. CLAY.

"On Tuesday, the 22d of March, 1825, when General Jackson was on his way from Washington city, to his residence in Tennessee, he, with a number of citizens of Washington, Pennsylvania, and of the county, were in the public house of Mr. Chambers, innkeeper, West Alexandria, Pennsylvania. Mr. Edward McGlaughlin was introduced to the general; and after the common salutation of shaking hands, Mr. E. McGlaughlin said: 'Well, general, we did all we could for you here; but the rascals at Washington cheated you out of it.' To this expression General Jackson made the following reply: Indeed, my old friend, there was cheating, and corruption, and bribery, too. The editors of the National Intelligencer were bribed to suppress the publication of honest George Kremer's letter.' Mr. McGlaughlin's introduction was at his own solicitation, in a public house, in the presence of a room-full of gentlemen; and the conversation also in the same public house, in the presence of a large and promiscuous company.

"Samuel Workman, Thomas Morgan, Joseph Henderson, Josiah Truesdall, William Sample, and others."

"BROWNSVILLE, February 28, 1828. "DEAR SIR: Your favor has been received, and in pursuance of your request, I called on Mr. Sloan, to obtain a certificate of the conversation that took place between him and General Jackson, which he peremptorily refused to give. Therefore, in conformity with your further request, that, in case of a non-compliance, I would transmit to you the purport of that conversation delivered to me by Mr. Sloan, that took place between him and the general, I therefore do certify, that I have repeatedly heard him observe, in substance, as follows: That he, Mr. Sloan, was one of a committee, that left Brownsville to meet General Jackson, on his return from Washington city, in 1825; that, while in his company, he observed to the general, that there had been much said, respecting a corrupt bargain and intrigue, pending the presidential election; that he wished to ascertain from him,

tators, and is doomed to severe handling by the opposing counsel. After what has already been disclosed of the character of General Jackson, in the progress of this conspiracy, no one will be surif there was any foundation to justify the report. The general observed, that it was a delicate matter for him to treat upon. The general then proceeded to state, that, early one morning, Mr. Clay called on him, at his lodgings, which was quite an unusual circumstance, and after a few compliments had passed, Mr. Clay observed: 'General, I have no doubt of your election now.' The general stated: "I read his heart, in a moment;' but replied to Mr. Clay, that, if elected, he would exercise his best judgment in executing the duties of his office;' that Mr. Clay, meeting with no encouragement, politely bid him good morning, and left the room; and in a few days, he understood, that Mr. Clay had declared himself in favor of John Q. Adams. This,' said the general,' Mr.Clay will not have the hardihood to stand before me and deny.' The general further stated, by way of comment, that there was no doubt, had he observed to Mr. Clay, 'If I am elected, I will do something for you,' that he, Jackson, would have been the president.

"R. MCKEE and ALEXANDER CALDWELL, Esqs."

FROM REV. A. WYLIE.

"ISAAC BENNET.

"WASHINGTON, February 15, 1828. "DEAR SIR: I received your note of the 12th ultimo, in which you inform me, that, by a letter just received from H. Clay, he expressed a wish to obtain a statement in writing from yourself [Mr. Wylie], giving in detail a substantial account of that portion of the conversation of General Jackson, which related to himself and Mr. Adams, or in other words, the bargain and sale story, and that this statement is intended for self-protection only.'

"Your note should have been answered sooner, but that I found myself unable to bring up the conversation alluded to, so distinctly to my recollection, as to give it in detail. The substance of it, even now, is all that I can pretend to give.

"When General Jackson arrived at Bunland's, on his return from Congress, in the spring of 1825, the agitation of the public mind was extreme, from the belief, then prevalent, that his elevation to the presidency had been prevented by intrigue and management, on the part of Messrs. Adams and Clay. My own mind, I confess, was not altogether undisturbed on this subject, feeling, as the head of a family-who, in the common course of nature, must share after me, in the destinies of our beloved country-a deep interest in the preservation of our liberties, which I believed, from what I knew of the history of republies, were not likely to perish in any popular convulsions, until the people themselves should first find their rights invaded by those in power. Feeling, from the force of such considerations, a sympathy for General Jackson, I was induced, though I had no previous personal acquaintance with him, to pay him my respects. The following dialogue took place :

"A. You return, general, from a boisterous campaign.

"B. Yes, sir.

"A. One in which you were not quite so successful, as in some former ones. "B. My success in those to which you allude, was owing to the firmness of the brave inen, whom I had the honor to command.

"A. It is more honorable, however, to lose than to win, in such a contest as that lately concluded at the federal city, if, indeed, things were managed, as has been reported.

"B. And who can doubt it?

"A. Why, general, one would hardly suppose, that such men as J. Q. Adams and H. Clay, would, in the face of the nation, engage in such a transaction.

"B. But let any man in his senses, take a view of the circumstances-let him compare, for instance, the prediction of honest George Kremer, with its accomplishment.

"A. But were not the talents and local situation of Mr. Clay sufficient to justify the confident expectation of his appointment? There is, however, another circumstance, which, if true, will settle the point.

"B. What is that?

"A. The proposition that is said to have been made to you—is that a fuct ?

prised at the glaring inconsistency of the statement above quoted from his address to the public, of July 18th, 1827, with the facts proved by the documents in the lower margin of this chapter.

"B. Yes, sir, such a proposition was made. I said to the bearer- Go, tell Mr Clay, tell Mr. Adams, that, if I go into that chair, I go with clean hands, and a pure heart, and that I had rather see them, together with myself, engulfed to the earth's centre, than to compass it by such means.' The very next day or shortly after (which of the expressions it was, is not now recollected), Mr. Clay and his friends declared for Mr. Adams.

"Such was the conversation, as nearly as can be recollected. It was rapid, and carried on in such a tone of voice, as not to be heard by many in the room. The Messrs. Murdocks, who, I believe, were present, must have heard a part of it. Most of the sentences were not announced in full, but taken up and answered by the parties, as soon as their drift and bearing were understood, except the last, which was pronounced emphatically. Of this I am the more certain, as it made an impression, which was, on my mind, deep and vivid.

"The foregoing statement is at the service of Mr. Clay. The allegations which it contains against him and Mr. Adams, were believed by me at the time, but have, in my view, been losing their evidence, in the course of public inquiry; and now ought either to be sustained by additional proof, or magnanimously abandoned. Otherwise, I should think a reaction in public sentiment may be expected. "Yours, with respect, "A. WYLIE.

"THOS. M. GRIFFIN, Esq."

"BOWLING GREEN, February 23, 1828. "DEAR SIR: Your note of this day has been duly received, requesting me to state, whether or not, I was present at a conversation held by General Jackson, at the Washington Hall tavern, in this town, in the month of April, 1825, when on his way from Washington, in which he made charges of bargain and intrigue against Mr. Adams and Mr. Clay. In answer to the above inquiries, I must state, that I was at the Washington Hall, on the evening after General Jackson's arrival there, when on his way from Washington, in 1825, and heard him conversing freely respecting Mr. Adams, Mr. Clay, and the presidential election, in which conversation I heard General Jackson say, that he would not have the office of president of the United States, if he had to obtain it by bargain, corruption, and intrigue, as Mr. Adams had done. This was the first time I had ever heard the celebrated bargain and intrigue mentioned, which has since made so much noise throughout the United States.

"Col. R. JOHNSON."

"Respectfully, your obedient servant,

"JOHN KEEL.

"BOWLING GREEN, February 1, 1828.

"I think it was some time in the month of April, 1825, that General Jackson, on his return from the city, with his family, put up at the Washington Hall tavern, in this place, and remained until the next day, after breakfast. In the course of the afternoon of the day of his arrival, many citizens of this place called to see him. I then lived at the Washington Hall tavern. He appeared to converse freely with the company, who were there, on the subject of the presidential election. I heard him repeatedly speaking of Mr. Adams and Mr. Clay; and in speaking of the presidential election, I understood him to say, that propositions had been made to him [General Jackson], either by or through the friends of Mr. Clay--I do not now distinctly recollect, whether it was by Mr. Clay's friends, or through Mr. Clay's friends-that, if General Jackson would say he would make Mr. Clay secretary of state, Mr. Clay and his friends would vote for him, and that they would settle the presidential election in one hour; and I further understood General Jackson, that he told the messenger, that he might go back and tell Mr. Clay, that he would rather see the earth open and swallow both himself, Mr. Clay, and their friends, up together, than it should be said he got into the presidential chair by bargain or intrigue, on his part.

"CUTHBERT T JONES.".