Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-07-09
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 0, 1880.
KENTUCKY

WHICH ne treated the friends of Improvement. md Tho
SoPhistry ne uses IN his message to justify his course
anu cohceai MS real opinions. Prescription ia also de-
hoohced' In terms of Indignation and reprobation
"hlch 't SO well deserves. Vhe flag of Henry Claw is
uhiuried' and the friends of Improvement, of domestic
industry, OF freedom of opinion ann of suffrage. of M.
hticai liberation and of Union, are invited to rn,lu
around ii. !" i"hy
At would be affectation to pretend not to a that
the contest has now really commenced. and TINT the
name OF Henry Clay, by the act of his neiahbors and
'eiiow citizens, is fairly and explicitly. beeore tho ,o,-
pie OF the U. States. as a Candidate for the preside,-
cy. The probability, nay the certainty of tbi. evert
aas long been fcreseen; but there was a lust and -
per desire TO postpone 1t as long as possible. q tho
excitement OF political struggles, bears proportion 70
their duration.
For ourselves, we need not declare our nred;lec-
tions. Differing from Mr.. Clay, on the single no;nt
OF the consttutionality of Internal Improvement. bs
superiority In talent, In experience, in mansion md
general iiberality and tone of character, is in onr
view so incidentally immense, that difference ~
opinion on a single, though important point, is less
than dust in the balance. There w;l, .,a h...
ought TO be. differences of opinion in a free Gov.,n-
ment, and the man must be a bioot or n bloclh..a
VINO considers honest differences of opinion az a dis
tJSSNo "hu uOc6 q
entirely Conform to his own views. The earlv
period of life at which he manifested hi. o,;n.
IONS on the question of Internal Improvements.
and the inflexible s~teadiness with which h.
has adhered to them, without refere,c. %
~ni93ordses or n,inorities, prove the sincerity oe
Mr. Gays conviction. Coming into Congress. soon
after the passage of the act authorising the Cumber-
land Road, he found Mr.. Jefferson and the wbole
1Sepubilcan Party, its advocates and originators. The
highest authority supported his views. He has mr.
yer equlVocated, never shufled. His opinions arc
known TO every man in the U. States. Even if ,orone.
IN them, is ne; such a man more trust WORTHY. than
ne who DISCUSSES his %sentiments under siudicious' 1
Phfases-than he who has one set of opinions f,y
pennsylvania, another for Virginia, and when of last
ne Is compelled to act, finds himself placed bv HIS
oouo'e dealing IN so extraordinary a situation, that no
Is under the virtual necessity of confessing, that he
mas duped one or the other half of the nations, Nor
would the election of Henry Clay have any influence
upon the ultimate fate of the question of Inferno,
Improvement. 1.-THE people are for having the now
er exercised, 1t will be exercised-if against il. il
will not be exercised, let who will be President
NO men have ever had stronger motives to chance
an opinion, than have we, to change our onin;on az
the unconstitutionality of Internal Improvement
We have had no credit from either side. Our nol;ti-
cal friends mostly differed from us--our foes would
not allow us to be sincere, because we did not swal-
low all their dogmas, and resign ourselves ,o
ait their views. Notwithstanding, we have hold
fast to what we believed the true and most
sale construction of the constitution. fortified
by a general principle from which we have never
s"erVed, to withhold from all Governments.
every power not indispensable to their success.
ful operation. We believe however, that there
are many more important questions and principlea
unsettled and continually arising, than whether the
government shall or shall not, maze roads; and in re-
gard to all these, our confidence in Mr.. CLAY, is firm
and nndoubting. Is it not ridiculous, when we sec
tue citizens OF a free land prescribed for the character
OF their opinions, and the mode in which they exer.
cised suftrage-when the Press, the bulwark of lib
crty, Is subsidized by power--when modest worth,
experience, capacity, are universally set aside in IA
Vor OF bawiing part.zans-when ~petticoat ~intrigues
are seen and felt in important State afTairs-wben
such men as Amos Kendall, are paid by Goyernmen,
to write away the regulations of American citizens.
and when the Government makes itself a party N
the disgusting and degrading contest--is it not Sill.
premely ridiculous, to affect 10 consider the msk,no
or not making a road, as involving more vital princi.
pie than these?
We do not think so, and we therefore simmer,
Henry Clay, with entire and perfect consistency.
-,
Show us the man in whom is concentred the sana
long experience and splendid abilities, the same Re-
pubhcaDism of habit as well as of sentiment. rho
same IIustrlous actions, the same personal ro,on,-
nimrty, the same liberal and tolerant BEARING toward
Toes and differences OF Opinion--show us such apofbor
man. ''Ao IS opposed 10 Tie road-making po,ocr, and
him viii we support.
But IN the cordial, conscientious and earnest sup
port which we are prepared to give Mr.. Clay, we
arc resolved to imit ate if possible. the forbearance
ana moderation which have solwsys characterised
MS politics. Personal enemies have already insinu-
ateo' that we expected Office from Mr.. Clay. We
neither expect nor wish any such thing. We arc
content with our lot, humble as 1t is Thus much