Richmond Enquirer

House of Representatives,

December 9th, 1823.

Dear Sir—I in compliance with the request contained in your note of the 8th, I submit the following statement: During the first session of the 19th Congress, you informed me, that Mr A. Stevenson had, on the morning of the first Monday of December, 1825, proposed to you, that, if the House of Representatives would elect him Speaker, he would support the Administration. The precise time at which you gave me this information, I cannot now recollect, but believe it was near the close of the session.

Very respectfully, yours,

J. LAWRENCE.

Honorable John Sloane.

Washington, December 10th. 1823.

Dear Sir—I have received your note of the 9th, in which you state, that it is your impression that you communicated to me the observation which you have alleged Mr. Stevenson made to you in December, 1825.

Near the end of the second session of the 19th Congress, and I think during the debate on the resolution of Mr. Saunders, relative to the printing of the Laws, you stated to me, in the Hall of the House of Representatives, that, at the time of the election of Speaker, in December, 1825, Mr. Stevenson, of Virginia, was very anxious for the place. and told you, that, if the friends of the Administration would elect him, he would support the Administration.

I am, very respectfully, yours,

DUDLEY. PEARCE

Honorable J. Sloane.

House of Representatives,

December 11th, 1823:

Dear Sir:—Your note of the 10th instant is received, and I embrace the first moment to answer its contents.

You say that you have an impression that you mentioned to me the substance of a conversation: between yourself and Mr. Andrew Stevenson, on the first Monday of December, 1825, relative to the election of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

This impression is well founded, an you did state to me, on the first Monday of December, 1827, or shortly thereafter, in a free conversation relative to the revolution of parties, and the somersets of individuals, that Mr. Stevenson said to you, on the first Monday of December. 1825, a few moments before the House proceeded to the election of its officers, that, if we would elect him Speaker, he would support the Administration.

I am, with great respect, your ob'dt servant,

JOSEPH VANCE.

Honorable John Sloane.

Washington City. Dec. 6. 1828.

Dear Sir: Your note on the subject of the controversy between Mr. Stevenson and yourself in reference to the choice of Speaker of the House, is received. In reply I have to observe, that, after Mr. Clay was known to have determined to leave Congress, it was understood Mr. Stevenson would be a candidate for the chair of the House. I boarded with Mr. Stevenson a part, or all of the session of 1824-5, thought well of him; and being inclined to support him against several persons named, I used frequently to make to him jocose remarks upon his prospects.

During the first session of the 19th Congress, and I think as early as January, you mentioned to me that Mr. Stevenson, had spoken to you about the choice of Speaker, in nearly or quite the same words contained in your note to the public of ..- - last. You were led to inform me of this remark, by some expression of astonishment made by me as to the character of Mr. Stevenson's opposition to the Administration. Your friend,

J. C. WRIGHT

Hon. J. SLOANE.

[From the National Intelligencer.]

Washington, Dec. 15. 1823.

Gentlemen: Since the appearance of your daily paper of this date, containing my reply to Mr Stevenson's address, copied by you from a Richmond paper, I have received the following Letter, for which I request a place in your columns. hoping that herewith this controversy may terminate.

Yours, &c.

JOHN SLOANE.

FRUIT HILL, Nov. 20th. 1828.

Dear Sir: When your favor of the 1st inst. came to Chillicothe, I was absent on a short surveying tour, and having taken a violent cold, returned home much indisposed, which has prevented me from answering your letter until now.

It was with regret that I observed, in the newspapers, the controversy between you and Mr. Stevenson. And although I feel myself in duty bound, when called upon, to make any statement of facts within my knowledge, which would render to you, or to any other gentleman, an act of justice, yet to me it is an unpleasant duty in the present case; and I do not know that. any conversation which I ever had with Mr. Stevenson can, have any bearing on the controversy between you and him..

I became acquainted with Mr. Andrew Stevenson soon after I took my seat in Congress. From his free and easy manners, I was pleased with his acquaintance. We had free and frequent conversations (they were by no means private or confidential on the subject of the Presidential Election. They were generally in the House, and but short." And although I well recollect their substance, I cannot, at this time. pretend to. give the precise words of Mr. Stevenson in any one of them. At the commencement of the contest, I distinctly understood him to say. that his. first choice was Mr. Crawford and that his, second was Mr. Clay. Mine was precisely the reverse—as I first preferred Mr. Clay and next Mr. Crawford. But after the election came to the House of Representatives, and Mr. Clay was excluded, I then understood Mr. S. to say that Mr. Adams was his second choice. He did frequently say to me, that neither himself nor the Virginia Delegates, could in any event support. Gen. Jackson, or vote for him; as they considered him, in every respect, unqualified for the Presidency. After Mr. Adams was elected by the House, he expressed to me his entire satisfaction as to the result—acknowledged that he thought the State of Mr. Crawford's health such as would- most probably render him unable to discharge the duties of President',

Mr. Stevenson ever declared to me the. greatest friendship for Mr. Clay, and his entire confidence in his integrity, and ability to discharge the duties of Secretary of State. It certainly appeared to me that Mr. S. applauded Mr. Adams for offering the appointment of Secretary of State to Mr. Clay, and approved of Mr. Clay's accepting of it. If such was not the case, I confess that I greatly misunderstood Mr. Stevenson.

Shortly previous to the adjournment of the 2d Session of the 18th Congress, Mr. Stevenson, in his familiar & easy style, asked me who the friends of Mr. Clay would support for the next Speaker; to. which I answered, that I could not inform him, as I would not be a member of the next Congress and asked him. in turn, if he would not himself be a candidate. He answered that he would, if Mr. Clay's friends would support him. He then went on to state some of his pecuniary embarrassments and to mention some large amount that he would be compelled to pay, for having endorsed, or for having been security for some friend; which was the only inducement that he had for wishing to remain in Congress. I said that I hoped that they would support him, and elect him speaker. After which, he added, in substance, " That he thought they ought to support him : for they could not support a better friend to both Clay and Adams than he was." This last conversation, I think, I communicated to Gen. Vance, and yourself, shortly after wards. I cannot but think that Mr Stevenson was, at that time, sincere in his statements. He will, doubtless, recollect them: and, I think. will without hesitation, admit that they are, in substance, correct.

Altho' thus hasty scrawl i- not drawn up in order for publication; you are at liberty to show it to your friends, and to the friends of Mr. Stevenson or to use it as you may deem most proper

Yours, respectfully,

DUNCAN McARTHUR.

Hon. John Sloane,

Representative in Congress,