The National Republican And Ohio Political Register

THE COALITION

A VOICE FROM MAINE.—It would be very singular if there was no foundation in the report, that the principal supporters of Mr. Clay prefer Mr. Crawford as a second choice, when the friends of the latter gentleman, in almost every state in the Union, continue to assert it as a fact. We know of no objection which can be legally urged against such a combination, if it is done openly, that the people may take the proper measures to defeat it. The great objection which has been raised to this political manœuvre is to the course which the supporters of Mr. Clay have pursued, in connection with their repeated denials of the act. If no such understanding ever existed between the leading partisans of these candidates, it is difficult to account for the motives and policy of the friends of Mr. Clay, in continuing their support to the Kentucky candidate, after every earthly hope of his success had vanished. Was it to defeat the election of GENERAL JACKSON by the PEOPLE? Or was it to distract the public mind, divide the votes of the West, and ultimately throw the decision into the House of Representatives, where they might so manage as to promote their individual benefit and advantage? As events have turned out, these questions are of serious import, and require prompt and unequivocal answers.—It is due to the public and to the character and standing of Mr. Clay, that the mystery, if any exists, be fully and satisfactorily explained. Such a course is also due to the friends of Mr. Crawford, who have long calculated upon those of Mr. Clay as their only hope of success for their candidate. That it is due to the friends of Mr. Crawford will appear from the following extracts taken from the Eastern Argus of the 19th ult. a Crawford paper published at Portland, in the state of Maine. In speaking of the three parties, in Ohio, and the strength and prospects of each, it says,—"That of Mr. Clay constitutes a majority of the state against all other candidates. It embraces a large number of persons who would be equally well satisfied with Mr. Crawford, and Mr. Clay's friends generally prefer Mr. Crawford to any other candidate except Mr. Clay. We believe that there is no doubt that the ticket formed by Mr. Clay's friends, headed by General Harrison, will be elected by a large majority.—THESE ELECTORS on that ticket PREFER MR. CLAY, BUT IF HE CANNOT BE ELECTED, THEIR NEXT CHOICE IS MR. CRAWFORD. This is we presume the only ground on which a charge is made of a coalition between Mr. Clay's and Mr. Crawford's friends."—And we would ask if it is not a sufficient ground? There is not one fiftieth part of the citizens of Ohio who would prefer Crawford as a second choice, and yet, by choosing Clay electors of a certain character, the Electoral votes of the state may be given to a man, who, of all others, is the most unpopular with the PEOPLE. That the Crawfordites calculate upon such a state of things, in Ohio, and upon the support of the state for their candidate, is manifest from the following extract taken from the same journal: —"If the Ohio Electors, finding that Mr. Clay cannot succeed, should eventually give their vote to Mr. Crawford, this would imply NO DERELICTION OF PRINCIPLE, and there is certainly a much stronger probability that the vote of Ohio should for this reason be given to Mr. Crawford, than that it should be obtained in any way either by Jackson or Adams."