Stanley Henkels

public domain

If Henry Clay had heard of the "viper" remark, he would've mentioned it. If Hezakiah Niles had heard of the "viper" remark, he would have written about it. The National Intelligencer was a pro-bank, anti-Jackson propaganda sheet, yet they didn't hear anything of "viper" or "rout" either; not in Washington, not in Philadelphia.