The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-07-31
L GIG VIII 4IalgAlf.
LYNCHBUKG, JULY 81, 1896.

believe that We ever saw more disingpnu-
business displayed in the same space b, a.
ny writer, than by the Editor OF the Char.
lottesville Gazette, few weeks ago. in
commenting upon sentence extracted
from this paper. The sentence to which
we refer, is TIN -
VIII they fthe American pc plel per
nit the fame of Henry Clay. hitherto free
from stain, and Which has d. fined calnan,
and reproach, tn be sulhed with the I'M
! pntatlon II dishonesty and corruption, for
the commission If an act, whicn he could
not AVOID, hut AT the risk Of d. wing down
upon the country great r,ll, and upon
himself grtettr suspicion ~
The Gazette remarks that this question
has been a-ked with a tone of haugh v
defiance which innocence seldom speaks,
but which conscious guilt can assume a,
/ pleasure This is reversal of what 10.
had always understood 10 be the CASTE
We had been tausht To believe that inno-
cence was always bold, seeking the light
and darng investigation; and that IT was
for conscious guile IL skulk b had such
covert AS Il might find In conceal its de-
| tOrmltlrs FROM public view. Ii the Ca
zette" Is OF different opinion, we may at
attribute the difference between Us 10 that
same obl'qulty II perception in our mental
vision hch has so frequently led US TO
entertain contradictory views. More par
tlealal'y, we should suppose. would " ~
scinus guilt" attempt to screen i,scl. from
observation, IT, as the Gazette aflirms,
"Mr. Clay has flched his honors, with un.
clean and sacriegious haods from the
constitution of his country aod the will of
his conntrymen'-and if these "honors"
so uncleanly flcred from so sacred
source, only tended To render his dishones-
| ~ more conspicuous in itself, aud mole
worthy If uncompromising hate. Why
this sudden warmth of temper, exhibited
b the Gazette? II was won't express
lis opinions with candor, but with modera-
tion. All nj once, however, il flies Ito y
terrible passion, and "scolds like a ,er
drab" This, however, is the common
fault of the Jacksonians. They choose to
assume that Mr., Clay was corrupt in voting
for Mr.. Adams, and actually work them
selves into a belief that the assumption is
worthy of credil--and forthwith drnouncp
the deed. we suppose, to show their own
horror Of vice, as much as any thing else.
Now, we have not the least disposition to
interfere With the sef-complacency ot
these gentlemen. We ara willing To admil
that they care pure az ice and chaste as
snow'--but even they "shal not escape
calumny." 1t :, the common lot Their
experience, we should think, ought long a
go to have admonsbed them that when
men attempt to go beyond the act itself
which they deem worthy of cuademna-
tion-when they seek to trace u,d the mo-
tive-thcy ar travelling beyond their
sphere, ar re consequently liable to fall
into innumeralio errors. SO is il with
those, who, in this particular instance, not
satisfied with CONCERNING the rofe of Mr..
Clay, attribute il to desire of personal az
srandlzrment. Aud what ground have
they to stand upon? None, except the fact
that he was transferred from the Speaker
| chair to the Dep. of State. Those who
call thiS tran$fera sufficient compensation
for Mr.. Clay's vote and influence, Gf he
had been disposed to sch them must ac-
knowledge, at the same time, that he va
lued them at no high price. As Speaker
of the House of Represe natives, Henry
Clay was more conspicuous man than
he is, or than he ever will be, as Secretary
of State. His duties were less arduous -
his convenience and his interest better con.
suIted-his talents had more compre-
sensive and more suitable field in which
10 make dispay-and he could have
continued to make himself felt by his
opponents. In fact IN resigning the
Speakers Chair, we consider that he
threw away the handspring of his power.
In retiring to the Department of State, he
left field where his personal influence
could have been exercised incidentally to
bis advantage. And did he get any E.
quyalent for the surrender of these ad-
vantages ? II SO, we confess that we are
at loss to discover where and what it is.
He has accepted the most prominent place
in Cabinet which finds enlisted against il
the elpbittered feelings of personal enc
mies-the inconsiderate hostility of poIIti-
cal parlzans, fresh from recent deleat-the