Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-08
Elom the Monthly Magazine
Mr.. CLAY.

most say thei, positive power and inhuehce, oe
mend little on The possession oil othce more
striking proof Of The truth oil this remark heea
not be wished, than is furnished IN the case OF
him whose ZANE we have placed al the heau oil
this arti:le in The FIVE and twenty years du>
ring which MIR. Clay has been occupied IN poo-
lie offices, there has never been momen', IN
which SO great portion Of pno'ic respect anc
regard seemed 10 attach 10 him, as al me pre-
sen, when party calumny& parry ciamour'haVe
driven him and his associates, in the executive
government, of our country, from their stations
/ When The third rate men, whom circumstances
and fortune have placed in power, as one is al
most tempted to think, by way Of Jest upon
our elective system shall have passed away, leav-
iagno track thanihe slightest cloud leaves in the
sky. over which it passes, the name oil MIR Clay
will BE- connected with memorials OF ,arn' and
evidences OF patriotism which VIII emhody his
name and char acler in he history OF his coun-
| try.
| 1t is not our purpose, however 10 pass enco
NUNS on this dis 'iugulshtd man, MOI Is II even
our Object To rndeavur =" attract public alien
ton ,owarcs him. This las' purpose, lnored,
would be qHite su2erilu"us. In this part OF the
counuy ainly, we hesitate no to say that he
is al THIS moment an object OF highcr and more
G, ne al regard han ary other pubic man Ad-
miratian ior III, talents and respect for his prin
cipIe, arc acc ompanied very generally, lhrogh
out y, Engand al lea,l, with the conviction
tina, he hes suffered grea, injustice, and most
unmrrit,G abuse. The time may come or IL
NAV nor, when il shall BE- d'emrd proper 10
give expression, in the most Eff ctual manner,
| "a these sentiments Of attachment. But in the
mean time the truth thai 'hey exist, deep and
strong is 100 obvious for any :hing but fa',rh"od
or folly to deny Mr.. Clay las himself not ire
qurn'ly visited New Ens nd. He has been
| seen but nv few of h'r citzrus; and OF his ac-
coun, malnly, we have thought lev observa-
tons in regard 10 himmig rot be unaccept-
| able % our readers.
| In PERSONAL appearance Mr.. G. is rather above
she ordinary height, well made though some
| wha, 81 ndcr, and If striking and manly car
riage md depor'ment. He n,ay now be, we
suppose. SIS years face. Fort e last xor sew
en- years, his heath has been deli a,e aud orca
,lly fe bic; but recently i, is unders God TO have
much imp, owed and now to give promise Of
ru,ie r.slora ion and confirmation. 10 his or
J d,narv intercourse Mr.. e. is snciabe. sccessi-
| r.c ard interesting. ne trarkness Of his char
ace oy- flor> nj. manners. and in soois! as
well Us IL palm life, he he. { ind som"'imes,
that gene osiy aud unsuspecting Co iidenct
lave bit .yed him i"io 'he power Of E,en Of
more cunning Than principle, ulore seliishness
lhan homo. He possesses the rue spirit Of con.
yersa'ion. Ii il NOT, with him. an OCCASION Tor
a Sc, AID formal srsech; nor yet one co"ined
| 10 in, eroga,ious arG answers on mere topics ii
course Re convsrses with ease and progriety;
his dist"urs l. ,ufficirnt!y swee! and vouble,
AID i, indicate, L tn same Time. a man OF
"oseanJ charac,er; using he word IN its sense
# ndiv duality. His Information is vsrions
and general. espec ally in relation to matters Of
business and politics; with more Ut learning
ami Of literature, lhan ne nature Of his educa>
ton and The employment Of his life would lead
US [" expect
Mr.. Clay weut cary from Virginia TO Ken
lucky 10 70 low his for,nr, in the md open
ing world Of the West. His profession With
not onl, sharpens the intellect, and strengthens
the understanding, bur, BY The stimulus Of
cons an'iv present and active competition, as
well as bs lis connection with he means of po-
lirical ad' ancrmrnt, in government like ours,
naturally awak ms, in arden minds S rong
paintings of ambition. Mr.. Clay reached i'm
meoia'-ly nigh Standing il his profession, and
fou, d hims''f also at an early period member
OF the l. ri ,ia!ure Of the State. From the
chair Of tn popular branch of that body, he
was elected sena or Of the U. S. in 1910, il
err not in The dac. He remained not long
in hi, 81 ustion, perceiving no doubt, that tn.
capitol had another theatre better fitted for the
part which he was Likely 10 act, He resigned
ii sea; in the Senate, we believe, after having
fill d il but single session, and was returned d
member Of he National House Of Representa-
tive, from the Lexington District II is an oc-
eurrence without a parallel that the first dsv he
icok his sea, in the Honse he was elected its
Speaker. The event justified this confidence
in advance. He hlled chair IN which before
or since, Sedgwick and TrumbuIl, Macon and
Cheves have sat, with an ability il may now
W II be The proudest hope of any successors to
equal For thorough and exact knowledge of
parliamentary usage and Tie rules Of he House |
for clearness Of PERCEPTION and promp'itude OF
decision, il would BIT pr"sumptuous, we sup.
pose, to expect soon to sre his superior. When
having been out Of Congress he returned 10 i,
again III 1928. 'wo thirds Of the membt rs con,
CURED IL placing him once more in the chair,
:lfhO' The tero IF rersdinu |