Indiana Palladium, Volume 3, Number 34, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, 1 September 1827 — Page 2

&'lr. Bay fornierly would Imvc given mc statement of the facts in writing, bui to get hl3 little pittance he was obliged to promise not to publish them. Numbers of his friends however have heard the circumstances frcrri him frequently and will confirm the above. In relation to Mr. Ray's "having frequently stated his age to be such that he could not constitutionally hold the office of Governor,' at the time he was sworn Into office, I will merely remark that the statement on that subject was considered

to be justified from what I had myself heard from him, from a statement ol trie former editor of the Public Leger in hi paper in 1325, that Governor Ray had in two instances made such declarations, and from a statement of two late Senators of the state, and a respectable gentleman of this town, who have heard similar declarations. Shortly after my publication, information was given me that positive proof could be obtained, that his age was not quite twenty-nine when he was sworn in as Governor and this proof was promised to be furnished to me, but it has not yet arrived. Not ex;f cling to want the names of the persons above referred to, no application was made for using them until so late that I have not yet received but one an swer, and thU gentleman is not willing to be mentioned alone. What was before stated on report, in relation to the Governor having made use of hi office of "Diplomatic Agent of th" United S'atos, 1 4to dispose of properly to the Indians at five or six times its v;ilu.," ha since been fully confirmed to me on undoubted authority. The facts ar in substance as follow: Me bad for some lim, owned a horse in this place, which is stated by persons acquainted with the. horse, to have been worth from five to twenty-five dollars. The Governor himself has been heard to say, that "the horse was not worth any thing," for tye could travel only on soft ground, and in dry weather was nearly useless. This horse was taken oui to the treaty lasi fall and was presented by the Governor to an I idian. The Governor afterwards brought in an account for the horse and charged and received 125 dollars. It is Said, however, by some that a saddle and bridle were included in the account, for which 25 dollars were charged. Th; horse was a few days since in the Indian country, "not worth five dollars." The owner intends to make a present of him to the Governor whenever he can be got hsre. The following transactions have been communicated to me as characteristic of the manner in which the Governor takea rare that the laws be faithfully eXecu ed;" Application was made to him from Wayne county to remit the militia fine?, assessed on persons conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms, in said count), which fines at that tim unpaid at the Treasury, amounted to 672 50. The above money by the law and the constitution is directed to be paid into the Treasury, and "shall be applied in equal proportion to the support ofj county seminaries. 7 The Governor refused to remit the fines, but wrote to the sheriff of Wayne county directing him to desist from collecting them, stating that he believed the Militia-law on that subject was unconstitutional. The sheriff, on the receipt of the letter, supposing that the governor had acted by pro per authority, obeyed his direction,- and! the collection of the hues was suspended. This excited much sensation in Miecountv. of w'neh when thf (ivtirnnr wna in formal, ho wrote :,r,,,ti.Ar httr ivm,r

altogether tiifT. rem civecti ..; but thejed r&l"Ood, r known to quail before sheriff rid suffred his anihnriiv in , -lthe lace of power. Nor would I be sup-

pire, and suit is now pending' against him for the deliiMmencv. In another case h sent a letter advteign a Court of Justices to reconsider and i confirm an election which had been routested before them-and broken, and afterwmh on hearing the story on the: other side, wrote another letter to coun-; termaud the advice given in the first. In-

another cae when applied to, to appoint;'''., pro-rraiing any one.f

h sherill in the room ot one whose tin,, h-d hni. r.,tittH nnH Kr.,L.v i. atswl of rrvilinrr th tm.mir.tmnnf o. K J 1 1 M V. . Ihw required, ne Ksueu what hecallecii . i i i m . . ! an ex omno wnr, stating mat though he had no doubt of his right to make the appointment, yet that he had issued a writ ex officio to ascertain the wishes of the people on the subject. These cases connected with that of Tippecanoe county already mention ', develop some striking trai's in the character of the man. After telling the people that he "loves them," he thinks himself authorized to set the law, the constitution, and morality at defiance. Th following affidafit of Mr. Duglnss, the public printer, is ir.serted to show the falsehood of the charge made by the Governor, in relation to my being concerned in the contract for public printing: f I certify that Satnurl Merrill Eq Treasurer of State, has never had, either directly, or indirecijy, any interest or concern in any o the contracts, for public printing for Ibe State of Indiana, in which I Lave been enjraKed for five year pnst;and so far haa said Merrill been from deriving: any proGt from the said public printing, that he hs laken much trouble upon himself iu relation to that business without any

compedsaiion whatever. The paper for Tour year past bas been purchased on his credit, or paid for in advance bj him, for which the state

bas paid no more than the cost ana expenses oi procuring it brought to the seat of government ; by which means paper has Deen procurea oi a superior quality, and of a price considerably below what was formerly paid. The kind of paper for which $4 per ream were formerly paid, bas since been procured at $2 50 per ream . Mr Merrill bas not now. nor has be ever had any interest, concern, or ownership in the Indiana Journal establishment Since I dissolved partnership witb Mr. Msguire, which was in November last, Mr Merrill bas been employed by me to assist m editing the paper, for which I arn to pay according to the service rendered. Previous to that time. Mr .Merrill never wrote an article for the Indiana Journal that had an) reference to Gov. Ray, or that was calculated to influence any state election whatever. JOHN DOUGLASS. State of Indiana, Marion Covnty Personally came before me this 15th day of August, A. D 1S-27, John Douglass who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that the

foregoing statements are true in substance an"jwnjch were intended to counteract the

matter of fact. In testimony wnereoi i nare set my hand and s-al this 16th August. 1827 OBED FOOI E, J. r. Ll s.j In addition to what is stated in the affidaffiit, the law which authorized those contracts ana me mence u.iuu uk must be satisfactory evidence that notn-' ins wrong has been done. The Secre I l . ' ho Vorrn. tary, Auditor and Treasurer, were the persons appointed to contract on the part of the State, and ail those officers attended and gave their assent to the contracts when they were mnde. All of the pro positions are now on file and have been repeatedly axammeo. was accepted, and three years nave pas-. sed away, during which, ll any had just cause of complaint, the legislature would no doubt have heard it. As to my assisting in editing a paper or engaging in any other business which does not interfere with official duties, no complaints can with justice be made. Every other officer here is so engaged, and it is a duty each one owes not less to himself than to the public, to be prepared at all times to resign his othce if he cannot exercise it to the satisfaction of i hose who have appointed him. Instead of pursuing this course, it would have suited me better if the Governor had applied to the law for redress. N)t that there is any pleasure in being dragged into Court, hut that course was desirable on account of its certainty. Where he and the witnesses are known, truth could have nothing to fear. But before the people he had great advanta ges. To many it will seem incredible that a person in his situation can be guilty of tiie acts alleged. They take it for granted thr.t the. higaest oflrcer in the S'ate is worthy of respect,- and it is humiliating" to be eoviiictd that such is not the cuse. lie has'patronage, he has dispensed favours in the performance of important duties,- and he is the medium of conferring benefits, from which he may appropriate much credit to himslf which of right belongs toothers. With a desposition to avail himself of these advantages, it would he strange if the Governor could not oppose a-formidable resistance taone, who from the trust reposed in hint, must be often liable to causeless suspicion. I ask nothing, however, but your can-' c:or. i vvouni not nc thought either -the V 11 . t ... -..I neau or me iooi ot a party, unless the existence of the party can he shown, and ; some connecting link be traced to me. i woum not ne thought -a noelJer for

speaking truth in self defence nor 4'aCmnoved All of the same time he

slanderer" or "coward," unless eonvict1 Posed "an eiiem? to republicanism and jmternal improvements," merely fordif-! fi ring in opinion with another man. 1mvp not .the m''ans to ra,,0' rund e, either "disappointed or disaffettod pir,,s" a,,d U vcu,d be tl,e height of folly a,ld wea!nes for me to think of "putting

lur """""es wuicm inn voice oiSOme errors in immaterial circumstances Clizens f India., has established,"' h:lve occurred. Ill health and necessary

elec-!.,1"..1 1 -uul11 uo u Iuu mm dovvn wniie nis conduct is blamele like thrOVV IUg stra W 3 against I I 9 A i I 1 J . 1 . , sm. w . .... I1T II If r 1riCOiS m irfm.f niinyif J " . T . . & ly U';""? , " ! " interfering in elections, by consulting his own interest before that of the neo-

r..,y.. ,v.. ...... h ..,H.iuuu,!gia neither stinnk Irom uie tasK nor they are his own art and he has himself apflr ihnr, ithnt itv.

nle. hv low frMiirl. riihriirm -.nA riLnlinJ only to hi im. The ufifieen thousand freemen,1' &c, know and care but liitle for me, but they will enquire who has "treated with insult and contempt" their preference, bv becoming unworthy of it, who has disgraced himself and his ofiice, by actions that tend to bring both into disrepute, and who dare not give an opportunity to prove in court his real character when he is challenged to do so. One advantage at least will arise from this publication; it will prevent a repetition of some of the acts that are at war not less with republicanism than with honesty, and which for some time past have kept our town in an uproar. The Governor will hardly again attempt absolute dictation to electors, or openly set the constitution and laws at defiance. He will be more private in talking about 'breaking down tavernkeepers," "ruining mechanics," and declaring of the best'

citizens of ths 3tatc, that "they might ns

well ask for a seat in high Heaven as apply to him for a fiiYor." It is something gained, when unprincipled men are restrained from injuring others by fear of exposure. That this is not to me a pleasent undertaking must be evident to any one who considers how little is to he gained by such warfare when unvoidable, and how much must be lost by an unnecessary contest. But almost any thing is better than to he represented and believed hostile to all that is patriotic and virtuous. Many, no doubt, will sav, that the private transactions of the Governor ought never to he made public. In answer, I will only remark, that nothing of a personal character has been mentioned which has not been long notorious in this place, and it is owing to him alone that they are now made more public. Some of the personal transactions mentioned, were no doubt principal causes nf iU niihlir.-iiimw mHo nn his nart ;fl - chmlea ,l,,, h had been guilty of. It was in fact, hut a few days after the attempt to deprive Mr. Leverton of his little property, as mentioned in his affidavit, that the first pubHcation jn faVor of the Governor ap-' , lv. nnUr ;nri;crn:lt;An f been excited bv an act as wanton as it was inhuman, no man could give even a private opinion, but it was answered by his being called "a malicious persecutor," a vindictive enemy of the Governor and of internal improvements." 'When absolute submission to his will lbe wonlli gatisfv him, ourrht those h( abu?ed and j,,: to be re . , , delieacv in publishing j j x --,-' which he never exhibits in acting? If he had attempted to balance transgres sions bv actual services, the course would

have been less blameable; hut abuse 0fHecl5on'and concerning the person who

others and hollow-hearted professions are the onlv substitutes oliered for the jack 0f both patriotism and virtue: Let those who talk of what he bas done, point to the legislative act or executive recommendation emanating from him, that has produced beneficial results. When very few if any of them can be shown, we shall be told pehaps of the late Indian Treaty. That I had no disposition to do him injustice, one proof appears from the credit given him in that respect, in my publication of the 19th of June. But it appears by subsequent information, that the credit then awarded to the Governor was entirely underserved. The ?ruth is, that his conduct at the Treaty was neither honorable to himself nor beneficial to the cause in which he was engaged. Such is the general statement made bv almost every one in any way acquainted with the facts. Some of the particularsare fooedrous to be repeated. The Treaty was once nearly broken off by his imprudence, much delay was occasioned by him, and it was not thought expedient to entrust him with a knowledge of the proceedings as they took place. The Polowatamie Treaty was agreed on several days before the fact was communicated to him. In short, it required all the knowledge of Indian character which is so eminently possessed by Gov. Cass and Gen. Tipton, to prevent the indiscretion of the other Commissioner from being fatal to the j'pre itv. por th0se services thus per formed. I have been assured that Gov.! R;1V charged aid received from ih U,sited State?, at the rate of eight dollars per dav for double the time he was actnallv changed and received his pay as Governor. The facts on which 1 rely for the opin ion I have of the Governor, are now be fore the public. They have been Com i -1 t .. . ,1 : iV. i. : r e. diff rent persons. If I h thing misformed, it shall b rrcled. My authoritiesa ave been in any i be promptly cor ;aonear to he sat jsfiictory, but it would not be strange m,?iness has caused some delay in the pub J publication of this article. It was intend -

s,, would be!ed that it shoud ,lave bcen ready l)y the

a w.nriwinci.jxvepk after the election, but circumstan-l

t t lCes beyond my control prevented, it, . i i t r W oi ,ts statements are assailed in such a manner as win render ic necessary iorj

. . . - a. iIA... I

me to appear again before the public, I 111 .! ! . I ll . . . . . .1 .1 SAMUEL MERRILL. Indianapolis, August 21, 1827. From the Lancaster Journal. MR. BUCILLXJX'S LETTER. The Cincinnati Advertiser, was last night placed in my hands by a friend,! containing an address from Gen. Jack son, to the public, dated on the 1 8th ult. in which he announces me to be the member of congress, to whom he had referred in his letter to Mr. Beverly, of the 5th of J une last. The duty which I owe to the public and to myself, now compels me to publish to the world, the only conversation which I ever held with General Jackson, upon the subject of the last presidential election, prior to its termination, i In the month of December 1821, a short time after the commencement of

the session of conrc??, I heard nmorc

other rumors then in circulation, that General Jackson had determined, should he be elected president, to continue Mr. Adams in the office of secretary of state. Although I felt certain he had never intimated eurh an intention, yet I was sensible that nothing could be better calculated, both to cool the ardor of his friends and inspire his enemies with confidence, than the belief that he had alreadv scj looted his chief competitor for the highest office within his gilt. I thought General Jackson owed it to himself, and to the cause in which his political friends were engaged, to contradict this report; and to declare that he would not appoint to that office the man, however worthy he might be, who stood at the head of the most formidable party of his political enemies. These being my impressions, I addressed a letter to a confidential friend in Pennsylvania, then and still high in ofiice, and exalted in character,! 'and one who had ever been the decidec. Kren( of General Jackson's election, renuestinir his opinion and advice upon

the subject. I received his answer,!clared, he had not the least objection to

dated the 27th of December, 1 024, upon (answer my question. That he thought the 29ih, which is now before n e andwt ll of Mr. Ad;ims, but had never said which strengthened nnd coi firmed m jor intimated , that he would, or that he previous opinion. I then finally deter-1 would not, appoint him secretary of state-

mined either that I would ask Gf neral.That these were secrets he would keep

Jackson myself, or get one of his n iends to ask him whether he had ever de

clared he would appoint Mr. Adams hi;helieved his right hand then knew what secretary of state. In this manner, 1 jhis left would do, upon the subject of aphoped a contradiction of the report jpointments to ofiice, he would cut it ctl might be obtained from himself, and jam) cast it into the fire. That if he

that he might probably declare it waslshould ever he elected president, it would

not his intention to appoint Mr. Adams. A short time previous to the receipt of the letter to which I have referred, my friend Mr. Marklev and myself got into conversation, as we verv often did, both before and after, upon the Presidential would probably be selected bv General Jackson, to fill the ofiice of secretary of state. I feel sincerely sorry, that I am compelled thus to introduce his name; but 1 do so, with less reluctance, because it has already without any agency of mine, found its way into the newspapers in connection with this transaction. Mr. Markley adverted to the rumor which I have mentioned, and said it was calculated to injure the General. He observed that Mr. Clay's friends were warmlv attached to him, and he thought they would endeavor to act in concert at the election. That if they did so, they could either elect Mr. Adams or General Jrckson, at their pleasure: but that many of them would never agree to vote for the latter, if they knew he had predetermined to prefer another to Mr. Clay, for the first ofiice in his gilt: and that some of the friends of Adams had already been holding out the idea, that in case he were elected, Mr. Clay might probably be otTered the situation of secretary of state. I told Mr. Markley, that I felt confident General Jackson had never said he would appoint Mr. Adams secretary of state; because he was not in the habit of conversing upon the subject of the election, and if he were, whatever might be his secret intention he had more prudence than to make such a declaration. I in-ntioned to him that I had been think - i g, either th.it 1 would call upon the General myself, or get one of his other hiendsto do so, and thur endeavor to ohti,i from him a contradiction of the nTorl; although I doubted whether he would Hold any conversation upon the su nject. Mr. Markley urged me to do so, and observed if General Jackson had not determined w hom he would appoint secretary of Mate, and should say that it would not be Mr. Adams, it might be irrc.'lt rnlvii'itiiirii tn imp i"i n:a f,t- it e c- - 1 Jl . L. A in ucLi.uc, wpwu jus own auinoriiy: we should then he placed upon the same r., i ; . ... : u 4 1, i ,i i , i . t

u HM1,riUa mni,ana m.gni;lhere is no man ,h , .

if.fihtthem with their own weapons.

ignt inem wi n their own weapons.- inion more value(J than that f1 hat the western members would natu-Lrai i.1(,knn n .u i ,i?Li,

rally prefer voting lor a western man, ,fjh?1VC recoived tMg impre!lsion unli! after there were a probability that the cluims!Tr ri i n;. r..;Lai,.,j ...,n.. .

I r !T pi - .i , rr wn ciiii nio n ii iiui uuu in. i mill ) t.;0' ilr- Clay to the second office in thejir..,H w aa ..t;,ff Mr

governinent . should be fairly estimated ;l

. 1 1,1,11 11 me-v ",0"St proper to vote!ry Df state 'Af

" r- e' 1 - r- I I ,. I. A K 4 I B1. i I 'V lrtI 'rtl ,iU!, u,ey couia soon rjem nis lavor. i snort time atter this conversation,'

on 30th Dec. 1824, (I am enabled to fixjdeeply deplore that such has been its efll. I."'

uie ume not only trom my own recolleclion but from letters which 1 wrote on that day and the day following, and on the 2d Jan. 1025) I called upon General Jackson. After the company had left him, by which I found him surrounded,

he asked me to take a walk with him;diately corrected his erroneous impies

and whilst we were walking together upon the street, I introduced the sub - ject. I told him 1 wished to ask him a question in relation to the presidential election; that I knew he was unwilling to converse on the subject ; that therefore if he deemed the question improper he might refuse to give it an answer. That my only motive in asking it was friendship for him, and I trusted that he would excuse me for thus introducing a subject, about which I knew he wished to be silent. His reply was complimentary to myself, and accompanied with a request that 1 should proceed. I then stated to him there was a report in circulation.

that he had determined he would app&Tnt Mr. Adams secretary of state, in case henere elected president, and that I wished to ascertain from him whether he had even intimated such an intention. That he must at once perceive how injurious to his election such a report might be. That no doubt, there were several able and ambitious men in the country, among w horn I thought Mr. Clay might be included, who were aspiring to that oOice; and if it were bettered, he had already determined to appoint his chief competitor it might have a most unhappy effect upon their exertions, and those of their friends. That unless he had so determined, I thought that this report should be promptly contradicted under his own authority. I mentioned, it had already probably done him some injury, and proceeded to relate to him the substance of the conversation which 1 had held with Mr. Mark-

ley. I do not remember whether 1 men tioned his name, or merely described him as a friend ot Mr. Clay. After I had finished, the general do to himself he would conceal them from the very hairs of his head. That if he oe without solicitation ai.n without in trigue on his part. That he would then go into ofiice perfectly free and untrammeled, and would be left at pertect liberty to fill the offices of the government, . with the men, wnom at the time, he be lieved to be the ablest and best in the country. I told him that his answer to my question was such an one as I had expected to receive, if he answered it at all; and that I had not sought to obtain it for my own satisfaction. 1 then asked him, if I were at liberty to repeat his answer. lie said I was perfectly at liberty to do so to any person 1 thought proper. 1 need scarcely remark that I afterwards availed myself of the privilege. The conversation upon this topic here ended, and in all our intercourse since, whether personally, or in the course of our correspondence, general Jackson never once adverted to the subject, prior to the date of his letter to Mr. Bev erly. I do not recollect that general Jackson told me, I might repeat his answer to Mr. Clay and his friends: though I should be sorry to say he did not. The whole conversation being upon the public street, it might have escaped my observation. A few remarks, and I trust I shall have done with this disagreeable business forever. I called upon general Jackson, on the occasion which I have mentioned, solely as his fi iend, upon my individual responsibility, ai d not as the ag i ! of Mr. Clay . or any other person. 1 never have been the political friend of Mr. Clay, since he became a car.didate tor the oftlr nf n rrci A c-n I . c ,, -r? t .j11 L-r.Mr ! Until I ,.. r.,.i,,'... li. i it t .-nn mhliui mJ 'i'. irv.Mi a it iici iu Mr. Beverly of the 5th ult. and at the same time was informed by a letter from the editor of the United' States' Telegraph, thai I was the person to whom ho alluded, the conception never once entered my mind, that he believed me to have been the agent of Mr. Clay or his friends, or that I had intended to propose to him terms of any kind from them, or that he could have supposed me to be capable ot expressing the "opinion that ofi;t uas riut tn flirh. :tl.;lora .;th i . i - v- . A 1 " 1 meir own weapons. ' Mich a supposition, had I entertained it, would have rendered me exceedingly unhappy, as Adams had appointed Mr. Clav secretaAfter these events had transpired, it may be readily coniectur ej in uhat manntT my communication mi"ht have led him into the mistake. I feet. I owe it to my own character to make another observation. Had I ever known or even suspected, that general Jackson believed I had been sent to him by Mr, Clay or his friends, I should have immesion; and thus prevented the necessity jfor this most unpleasant explni.aiinn. Wrren the editor of the United Slates Telegraph, on the 12th Oct. last, asked mc by letter for information upon this subject, 1 promptly informed him by the returning mail, on the 16'h of that month, that I had no authority from Mr. Clay or his friends, to propose any terms to general Jackson, iu relation to their votes, nor did I ever make any uch proposition; and that I trusted I would be as incapable of becoming a messenger upon such an occasion, as it vas known general Jackson would be to receive such a message. I have deemed it necessary to make this statement, in order to re