North Bend 4 Novr 1827 Dear Sir The statement below relations an occurrence which took place in the Senate was some time ago directed to a friend at Washington to be published. It was returned to me a few days since with a request that I should publish it here. I did not know how to bring it out so well as in [illegible] of an extract of a letter to some friend who might be supposed to have desired the information it Contains. I have therefore to request that you would publish it in the Scotia Gazette as an Extract of a letter either to yourself or to "a friend," without giving your name as you may choose. "A Day or two before the Nomination of Mr Clay [inserted: to the office of Secretary of State] was acted on by the Senate[.] I was requested by that Gentleman to move for a Committee of enquiry into his conduct in relation to the then recent Election of President if any thing should occur to make it in my Opinion necessary. Mr Clay repeated the application on the day that the nomination was taken up by the Senate with great earnestness & obtained a promise that I would comply with his request. From the position which I occupied in the Senate Chamber being somewhat in the rear of [struck: that illegible] of Mr. [John] Branch I did not distinctly hear [2] the greater part of his speech in opposition to the appointment. Fearing that I might have misunderstood him & not wishing to rely entirely on my own judgment in a matter [struck: where] in which an other was so materially concerned … It appears to me that I should neither have Consulted the Public interest nor the Honour of Mr Clay in Calling for an enquiry when the accuser (if accuser he can be called) declared that he had no proof to offer but what each member of the Senate & every [struck: body] [inserted: one] else possessed. On the day that the nomination was acted on by the Senate or on the Succeeding one I informed Mr Clay that nothing had passed in the Senate which made it necessary to move for the investigation … [3] I should Communicate this observation to Mr Clay & knowing the pleasure it would give to the latter [Clay] to find that he still possessed the esteem of his old friend … I will set out for Washington about the 15th by water if the river keeps up of which there is every probability … W.H. Harrison Honble W. Creighton Jr. Esqr [docket] Gov. W. H. Harrison Recd 9 Nov. 1827.