Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-06
From the National Journal.]

and especially on the generous V1rglnlans, Oy
MIR. Clay's speech at Lewisburg, has been SO
powerful, that the Opposition prints, unable to
resist, are endeayoring to elude it. The effort
of writer, O. B. in the Maryland Gazette, TO
diminish the force of this unanswerable Adj
dress, is so ingenious, that 1t well deserves the
gratitude of party whose style OF reasoning
seldom transcends the standard OF the COM
menta.y on the second section Mr. Clay
had said, speaking of the office of Secretary OF
State, 81 would willingly have declined IT from
an unaffected tlistrust Of my ability TO perform
it's high duties, ifI could have honorably de-
clined it," "This," says O. B. sis strange Ian
goaee for man to use who aspired to the Pre-
sideneg. Now, if MIR Clay did really doubt MS
ability 10 perform the high duties of Secretary,
why did he, by becoming candidate for the
Presidency, strive to draw upon himself the
discharge of the still higher duties oil the Presl-
dent Of the United States! II he doubted his
ability to 6ll the Former station, he could not
have believed himself capable Of filing the lat
ter" A mind unenvenomed by faction would
have viewed Mr. Clay's observation as express
ing a sentiment natural 10 a patriot who duly
estimated the responsibilities Of the Office which
he was invited to administer, and as ilustrat-
ing laudable modesty which, though general
ly the associate of genius, is entirely consiS-
I. tent with its proper confidence in its powers
Indeed, citizen accepting any high office in
our government without previous hesitation,
and severely examining his fitness for it, might
Justly be charged with gross ignorance ofits ma
tnre, and with the most inflated presumption.
The hesitation alluded to BY Mr.. Clay, was in
strict keeping with his patriotic and ingenious
character. Had it resulted in conviction OF
his incompetence for the Office of Secretary of
State, his acceptance oft would have deserved
ly subjected him to reproach; but fortunately
forthe Republic, i, did not thus result in AIDE
probation of his abilities, which even 80. B. -
must admit would have been unjust. 1t is "a
greed on all hands that the Department OF State
has never required the exertion OF more pro-
found talents, and more unwearied assldulty
than during the incumbency of the present Sec
rotary, and that its "high duties" have never
been more promptly and ably discharged. 1t
is, indeed, gratifying TO American pride, that a
ci.izenl who had before exhibited, in his own
example, that union of Parliamentary with Fo-
rensic eloquence, which is rare in the United
States even, and almos: unknown In England,
should lately have derived from his labors in
the closet, new tide to the gratitude of his
country, and to the admiration Of the world.
But though"O B." has given his censqres
most Inappropriate direction, case exists to
which they are quite applicable. General
Jackson has had not merely ''a distrust OF his
ability to perform sundry "high duties, but has
repeatedly ayowed his incompetence for them;
Jan opinion from which no man dissents, except
the Speaker-of TIE Tennessee Senate, whose
fame with posteriiy will rest on his discovery
that the General is ian able ciUiLian" My friend,
Mr.. Ritchie, is am sure, entirely OF General
Jackson's way of thinking on this subject, for
in 1924, some editorial essays appeared in the
Enquirer, SO conclusive as to render the confess
sion superfluous act of can6our. The Editors
information was derived from official, and in
some instances, from private correspondence.
from public documents, from oraleyidehce, and
last, though not least, from biography of Gen.
Jackson, written by one or two of his special
admirers These various authorities, disclosed
among other important particulars, the sum to-
tai Of his political and other civil services 1t
appeared that he had once been Attorney Ge-
neral for Tennessee, and afterwards a member
Of The Convention for framing It's Constitution;
that in 1897, he was chosen member for it OF
the United States Senate, which situation he
"greU Tired of" and resigned IN 1899; that inn
: mediately alter, he was appointed Judge OF
the Supreme Court of Tennessee, and IA a
short time resigned that situation, being SIM
pressed ,oh The great injury he might do 10 s,titors
by erroneous DECISIONS and that his services in
the Senate and the House of Representatives
OF the United States, previously to the year
1925, were restricted to period Of less than
fus months in the former, and of three months in
= the latter. And as TO his last election TO the
Senate, we all know how long he remained
there, and how much he did.
On the strength of the foregoing facts and
admissions, and of other confessions mace by
General Jackson of his incompe,ency for civil
Offices, MIR. Richie and l have right 10 re-
quire that 90. b. should transfer his censures
\ from Mr. Clay to Gen. Jackson. We might
then ask the General whether, after (not "doubt-
ing his ability" butt acknowledging his ina
bility 10 fill 'sformer stations" she can believe
himself capable of filling" the station of 9resi-
dent OF the United States? We might also re-
quest him to forget for moment that he apires
to that dignity, and tell him that the Legisla-
ture of Tennessee had recommended him as a
proper person 10 be Secretary Of State! Would
ne no. consider the suggestion as supremacy
riuicu'onss and is there MAP, woman, or to-
ieraoiy taught child in the Union who would
not laugh at the idea of General Jackson's be-