In 1827 Mr. Crittenden was appointed Attorney of the United States for the District of Kentucky by President Adams. In 1829 he was removed by General Jackson, and John Speed Smith appointed in his place. The same year Mr. Crittenden was nominated, by President Adams, to fill a vacancy on the bench of the Supreme Court, occasioned by the death of Judge Trimble. A partisan Senate resolved not to act on the nomination during that session of Congress. I give below two letters from Henry Clay on this subject; one written on the 6th of January, 1829, the other on the 27th of the same month, and letters from other friends: DEAR SIR,-I received your letter of the 27th with its inclosures, which I have sent, through the post-office, to their respective addresses. They arrived in time to produce all the good they are capable of effecting. Your nomination was made to the Senate, agreeably to the intimation I gave you in my former letter; it has ever since been suspended there, and its fate is considered uncertain by your friends. It was referred, I understand, to a committee, which is not a very usual thing with original nominations. The policy of the Jackson party will be to delay, and ultimately to postpone it altogether. I believe it is contemplated by some of our friends to move to have the committee discharged, and the nomination taken up in the Senate. Such a motion will probably be made in a few days. As soon as the result is known I will inform you. In the mean time you need not to be assured that I will do everything in my power, consistently with propriety, to promote your success. I remain, with constant regard, cordially Your friend and obedient servant, H. CLAY. January 27, 1829. DEAR SIR,-I received your letter of the 16th. I was not aware of the neglect of your friends to write to you. I do not think that you have any ground for apprehending that they have, in other respects, neglected your interests. I believe, on the contrary, that all of them have exerted themselves to get your nomination confirmed. Fletcher has employed the most active exertions for that purpose, direct and indirect. Should your nomination be rejected, the decision will be entirely on party grounds, and ought, therefore, to occasion you no mortification. I understand that the Senate is considering a general proposi tion, that they will act upon no nominations during the present administration, except perhaps in some few cases of great emergency. I need not comment upon the exceptional character of such a proposition. It amounts, in effect, to impeding the action of the whole government. If the Senate were to resolve that they would not, during the rest of the session, act upon any business sent from the House of Representatives, such a resolution would not be more indefensible. What will be the fate of the proposition I cannot undertake to say. There is no doubt that it is principally leveled at the appointment for which you have been nominated. Besides the general party grounds, there are two personal interests at work against you,-one is that of Mr. Bibb, the other, that of Mr. White, of Tennessee. If General Jackson has to make a nomination, I think it probable that the Tennessee man will get it. I wish I could afford you some certain information as to the probable issue of your nomination. I regret to be obliged in candor to tell you that the more prevailing impression is that it will be rejected. If the above-mentioned proposition should be adopted, it will not be specifically acted upon; but if the question shall be directly put on the nomination, I cannot help thinking, perhaps I ought rather to say hoping, that it will be approved. Tyler, McKinley, Smith of South Carolina, and Smith of Maryland, have all, I understand, been repeatedly spoken to. I had a conversation with Tyler and Smith, from which I concluded that they would vote for you, whilst a directly contrary impression has been made upon the minds of others by the same gentlemen. I was told this morning, positively, that Tyler would not vote for you! So uncertain is everything, you see, here. The best course, perhaps, for you, is not to let your feelings be too much enlisted; cultivate calmness of mind, and prepare for the worst event. I remain, with constant regard, your faithful friend, H. CLAY. WASHINGTON ACADEMY, May 22. MESSRS. WHITE AND CRAIGHILL, Federalists,—As all the news which I have to write will not, at the most liberal calculation, be worth more than the postage of one letter, I have judged it proper to address you both in the same epistle. I believe you were the last of the students who went away during the vacation. Nearly all the old students have returned, except the Archers, who, Richard Powell informs us, will not come back. Isaac Booth has not yet arrived, but I suppose there is no doubt but he will return. It is supposed the students will be more numerous this session than formerly; there are between forty and fifty here now, and I think if you two were here we should be a complete phalanx. All your old friends concur with me in wishing your return. I should have written to you long since had it not been for lack of something to write; but surely the same excuse will not do for you, who should have written us certainly whether you would return or no, and likewise change of place would have given you an opportunity of seeing and hearing a great many things. I should like to know how you employ yourselves; for my own part, I am studying belles-lettres and mathematics, which occupy all my time. Nothing hostile has happened of late between the students and their enemies. I hope you will be regular and faithful in your correspondence. Although it is not my custom, however badly I write, to ask forgiveness for my inaccuracies, yet this letter will need your utmost partiality. Adieu. P, CRAIGHILL AND J. WHITE, Yours, J. J. CRITTENDEN.* *This letter Mr. W. N. Craighill found among his father's papers, in 1844, and sent it to Mr. Crittenden as a pleasant reminder of his college days in Virginia. CHAPTER VI. 1829-1832. Congratulations-Testimonials of Confidence-Invitation to "Old Logan"-Letters -Criminal Trial in Frankfort. IN N 1829 Mr. Crittenden was removed from the office of District Attorney for Kentucky. At the time congratulations and testimonials of confidence and admiration poured in upon him from every quarter. The following letter came from "Old Logan," where he commenced his career: DEAR SIR, The undersigned, a committee authorized in behalf of the citizens of Russellville and Logan County, invite you to a public entertainment during the summer. A visit to this quarter of the State would insure them heartfelt satisfaction. They cherish with pride and exultation the recollection that in the town of Russellville and in the county of Logan those attractive and endearing qualities of the heart, candor, sensibility, and generous magnanimity, and those powerful, diversified, and commanding talents that seize upon the mind and sway the human soul, were first felt and properly rewarded. Here you began your practice at the bar, which has since been to you a field of honor and renown; here the citizens of Old Logan took you by the hand and sent you to the legislature, where your genius and eloquence won for you the brightest honors of the statesman. The people of Logan rejoice that your talents and impassioned eloquence, and your private and political virtues, commanded and still command the affection and admiration of the people of Kentucky. Their motive, however, for wishing to give a marked expression of their kind feelings on the present occasion is not limited by the sentiments of respect and love which they cherish for you,—they are influenced by views of a more general nature. They have learned with indignation that the hand of arbitrary power has reached you, that you have been rudely hurled from the office of Federal District Attorney, conferred by the disinterested patriot Adams, because of the virtues and qualities you are known to possess, and for the necessary, prompt, faithful discharge of the duties incident thereto. The reason of your removal is obvious to all who have noticed the signs of the times and the wanton abuse of power. You had the independence to think and act for yourself and your country, and voted for that distinguished and much-abused statesman, John Q. Adams. You had a heart fitted to appreciate and a mind to acknowledge and generously sustain the private worth and public virtues and patriotism of your persecuted friend, Henry Clay. This was offense enough in the eyes of him who now guides the destinies of these United States,—a sin never to be forgiven by him, whose desperate acts evince a settled determination to destroy the liberties of this country, to fetter the human mind, and to bribe and corrupt the press by official largesses. A new standard is introduced to decide qualifications for office. The question is not now, as in the days of the republican Jefferson, "Is he honest? is he capable? is he faithful?” No! the only questions now propounded are, "Is he a true Swiss? did he vote against my competitor? has he fought for me? has he echoed my slanders against Henry Clay?" You did not suit the powers that be, hence your dismissal from office. Your friends here are anxious to declare to the world, in a suitable way, their estimation of your worth and their detestation of the wanton outrage committed against the spirit of our institutions by your removal from office. They believe you to be incapable of an unworthy act, they know you have always had an eye to the public good. With these views and feelings, they invite you to this festival. In the event of your acceptance, will you please advise with Mr. Clay, and let us know the time agreed upon? With sentiments of personal regard, respect, and esteem, we remain your humble servants, THOMAS RHEA, JOHN M. SHIRLEY, A. R. MACEY, ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, This tribute from "Old Logan" was more grateful to Mr. Crittenden than any other he could possibly have received. Mr. Clay and Mr. Crittenden accepted this invitation, and |