103
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1827
within the last year? From Maine to Mississippi, do we not find agents actually engaged in the different Senatorial elections, and using every exertion to influence the Legislatures in their choice? Were not letters written? Did not agents attend in person? Were 11ot pledges given? Missouri presented an opportunity of operat- ing with great force in behalf of the present Administration. Benton, a distinguished Senator, one of the nineteen who were charged with corruption, must be beaten. His talents and patriot- ism had secured to him a high character and standing, and, as he cou!d not be wielded, he must be put down. All efforts ·were unavailing. He was elected by a triumphant majority. I wish it understood that I do not charge the Administration with employ- ing money in the extension of their influence. Mr. Speaker, at the commencement of this debate, I understood the object to be to ascertain, if possible, whether or not, the Secretary of St_ate had made a misapplication of a power vested in him for the appointing the publishers of the laws of the United States. We have been diverted from that course, and I will not pretend to assign the reason for it. However, I will endeavor to advert to some facts, at least, connected with the subject of this 1·esolution. A fact of very extraordinary character occurred after the last Presidential election, which, for the sake of human- ity, I would to God it had not. A letter was published and went the rounds, of the newspapers, purporting to have detailed a conversation which should have occurred between Gen. Jackson and a certain Major H. who met with him at Washington, Penn- sylvania, as the General was on his way to this City. This letter charged General Jackson with having entertained sentiments and opinions adverse to the liberty Qf his country. The statement was promptly met and positively contradicted. The first publication of the letter was imputed to the Nashville Whig. The editors of that paper denied the fact, and acquitted themselves of the charge. Its first appearance in any. paper was traced to the editor at Kenhawa, Virginia. He could give no satisfactory account of the manner in which he came by it. The public mind sett!ed down that he was the author of the forgery; or that he had derived it from some source which he was unwilling to disclose. The object of this letter was evidently to exasperate the public mind against the "military chieftain." How much credit was due to the indi- vidual for the attempt, I will not say. But, within the last year, the public printing was taken from an editor at Clarksburg, a
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