“I have consented to go into the department of state, after much deliberation. They will abuse me for it. They would have abused me more if I had declined it. I shall carry into it zeal and industryonly. The other departments which are vacant by Mr. Calhoun’s election to the V. P., and Mr. Crawford’s retirement, remain to be filled, but I am not at liberty to indicate their probable incumbents.
“An opposition is threatened; but there is no danger of any, unless the course of the Administration shall furnish just occasion for it, which we shall strive to prevent. What is now threatened, is the offspring of chagrin and disappointment. What will they oppose? If we go right, that will not, is it to be hoped, make them go wrong. An impartial trial and a just verdict are all that is demanded, and that the country will render, whatever the hopes of faction may inspire.
“I am, with great regard,
“Faithfully yours,
“H. CLAY.
“ROBERT WALSH, JR., ESQ.”
“WASHINGTON, 25th April, 1836.
“DEAR SIR: I duly received your favor of the 18th inst. You do me the favor to desire an adequate notion of my services and views whilst I was in the department of state. I regret that the bad state of my health, and my various public duties here oblige me to be very brief.
“Besides the discharge of the current duties of the office, I negotiated various treaties. Some of these (those for example with Austria and Mexico) were agreed upon, but not actually signed, and were subsequently concluded in the name of the succeeding administration.