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denied him, to be untramelled, & that he should
vote according to the dicrates of his own enlightened
judgment. Such was the case, I am very sure, in the
County of Clarke, in which I resided, & am address
to that effect, signed by hundreds of the citizens
of the County was forwarded to Mr. Clay. It was
impossible for Mr. Clay, to avoid "suspicion" - Entertaining
the opinion he did, of the unfitness
of Genl. Jackson, for the office, it was impossible
for him to vote for him. He had been also
[noted?] with Mr Adams at Ghent, and it was
understood, that they were not cordial in their
feelings towards each other. Still he had confidence
in Mr. A. & well knew & admitted his
permanent qualifications for the high office
of President of the U. S. His friends, political
and personal, desired him to accept the office
of Secretary of State, tendered to him by the
President. Others not his political friends
amongst whom was Col. R. M. Johnson, also
desired him, to accept the office, from the best
of Motives. Mr. Clay, in my opinion, ought
not to have accepted it, if he had not, the charge
of "bargain, intrigued" would have had no
basis on which to rest. It would have sunk
into oblivion in a short time, & Mr. C. would
long since have been President of the U. S.
I have often taken occasion publicly, as well as privately,
to defend Mr. C. against the above charge
particularly in a speech made by request of
many respectable citizens of the city of Washington
at Carusi's Saloon, on the night of the 29th. April
1844. I have been endured there particularly to
notice, the charge of "bargain, intrigued" & made