Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-04-22
HENRY CLAY.


I HENRY CLAY.
History affords but few examples of individuals
rising from the humble walks of life, to situations
of comparative eminence with that which distin-
cuisines Henry Clay. 1t is true that a Napoleon, a
Bernadottc and a Cromwell, have each fourished
in their day, filling the eye of the world with the
glitter of their achievements, and the lustre of their
actions, each enjoying the full measure Of glory and
renown, and each establishing by the force Of .neir
arms, rather than by the mishtiness of thor genius
a character and a fame which will exist as long MS
the history Of men shall be considered worthy Of
recording.
But the fame Of these mighty chieftaiu,, unlike
the fame Of Henry Clay has been forced amidst the
lishtnings Of ten thousand swords, and the thunder
ings of artillery, amid the cries and agonies of a
murdered soldiery, and the coniasratior Of cities
and spoilatiaps on peaceful society. But the Secre-
tary Of State, unaided blythe fostering hand of wealth
or the patronage Of the great, unattended BY the
engines Of war or the tinsel Of republican titles or
distinctions, has forced his way upon the world by
the operation and display Of his splendid talents,
and by dsvoting himself from early life to the best in
tersst VI his country, has arrived to the highest point
Of political eminence, and ranks amony the nrt,
the wiscst, and the best men Of the nation. As q
politician, fearless and independent, he has present.
ed himself before the people, on every occasion
when the interest, Of the republic have been called
in question, and boldly advocated her policy, no
matter how far his views might have differed from
those on the opposite side of the question, and risk
ed his popularity and his fame for the welfare and
safety of our right, and republican institutions.
Thirty years Of his life thus devoted to the people
in the deliberate assemblies of the nation, quietly
passed away, the breath Of suspicion not having
once approached him, but on the contrary every
assurance of the confidence Of the American peo-
pie was, in the most ~lauditory terms recorded, and
the world taught to believe he was the favourite of
the whole nation nor was it until he exercised the
Constitutional right Of giving his vote for an indi-
vidual for the chief magistracy, that any man dared
to doubt his political integrity. On the important
and critical occasion in allusion, himself with three
others, a candidate for the first and highest office in
the gift of the People, he ventured TO give his vote
and his influence in favour of the candidate whom
he as well as the great mass of the people had de-
cided was the most able, the most worthy, and the
best entitled to the confidence Of the republic /;
and for this he is charged with the foulest acts Of
iniquity and political corruption. But from whence
do these charges proceed From men who have
proved themselves honest and faithful to the Con-
s~titution or attached to the liberties Of the people
or the permanency of the union? Nay. they pro-
coed from a faction, composed Of political adven.
turers who wish to defeat all the honorable inten.
lions conceived by the President and his cabinet
for the benefit Of the nation. But they " gnaw a.
gainst a file" in vain they spit their venom upon
the Secretary Of State. Secure in the possession
of an approving people, who will not easily be made
to believe that he, who has stood firm and erect, and
baf1ed the political storms and tcmpe.ts Of thirty
years, and whose incorruptibility has been abun-
dantly proved to the world has at last forfeited their
esteem, merely because he gave his vote to a citizen
of Massachusetts,, in preference to the f~avourite OF
Tennessee.
lnc peOpic u tIo OHlte StutCsd " hui 10 De
gasconaded out Of their opinions, or induced to with
draw their confidence from Mr.. Clay by the raving.
ofJohn Randolph Of Roanoke, or his minions from
South Carolina and Virginia. 1t will take something
more than the reservations Of these ranting NAL
contents, to make them believe that a system Of
bargaining and sale, has ever been entered.into be.
tween the executive Of the United States and Mr..
Secretary Clay,fo the acquisition Of honours which
are not worth possessing when they are attained by
fraud or corruption, and which are forever robbed
Of their lnstre, when not awarded by the free gift
Of the people.
II there j, a man now existing who merits the
gratitude Of the American people, If there ever was
a man who honestly merited the attachments Of his
c~ountrymen, that man is Henry Clay Of Kentucky.
The face Of the whole country bears impress Of his
usefulness, the profundity Of his mind and the wis.,