The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-10-17
CLAY AND WRIT


WhIle the qualifications of Henry CLAW 70
Inc Fresidency-his long and thorough ac
qualntance with our foreign relations and do
mestic politics-the intellectual power which
has enabled him to turn all his advan,ooes :,
'he pest account and thus to make himself on,
OF the most accomplished statesmen of the ao,
are acknowledged by all, except those wb,
never confess any excellence in a political on
ponent, yet the constant theme of comnlain,
urged against him by his opponents at all times
ana on all occasions, is, that he is puEr1Isr
lie objection is a serious one, and we have no,
one word TO say in extenuation of it Coulo
any other man be presented with nearly emma
claim on The score Of qualifications, and with
equal chances of success against the presen,
incumbent, and yet free from the objection, we
would most gladly avail ourselves of the o,nor.
luhity Oh supporting him. But unfortunately
MS competitors are, to use homely, but ex.
PressiVe phrase, as deep in the mud as he is in
the m're. Gen. Jackson is not only duelIis,
but is notorious for his stree: and tavern hrauIs
where the pistol and dirk are unccremonionslv
resofted 10, without even the forms Of what ara
mls-caed affairs of honor William Writ. too.
whose claims to preference on this score are
so much dwell upon by his supporters, is aIso n
dneHist. Many of those who advocate his eloc
ton, and yet declaim against Henry CLAW on
thus account, are, we doubt not; irnor,ntof Tho
fact. because, having never engaged in noIi,ic,,
lie-the school in which men are on,li6ad o.
manage, with judgment and skin The ,f.,,s
OF the nat'on-he has escaped tina, scrutiny in.
TO his private life and chara cier, TO which Hon
ry CLAY has been subjected by his prominen,
stations, and the collisions into which the eo,c.
OF circumstances almost necessarily brings all
men Of commanding talents, who engage &C.
lively IN tho turmois of political life. But
these, Il they will take the trouble 10 make the
inquiry, may satisfy tn emselves of the far, vs
nave stated and thus avoid the inconsistency
of any longer abusing Clay for that, of which
their own candidate is equally chargeabe.
BY reference to TIE Massachusetts SIM. of
Dec 70, 1878, to the Centinel of the week he
fore' and to the othor newspapers about that
tlme' 1t will be seen, that shortly previous. a
quarrel took place in Court at Baltimo,e be.
tween Writ and William Pinkney. Writ made
some statement about the practice in ENGLAND
IN relation to the admission of evidence. Pink
Rey, In reply, said, in substance. such is M,
the law in England, and yon (Mr. Wirn know
1t, or IT you do not, you ought to know it." and
added something about Wirt's giving himself
airs Immediately after Court for this heinous
offence, WILLIAM WRIT challenged Pinkney
to fight duel. Pinkney accepted, but sent
word back by the second, that " he had no in.
tention to wound Mr.. Wirts feelings" but that
this remark was intended only for him. This
did not give satisfaction, and Writ insisted on
fighting. Pinkney thereupon said, he did no,
wish the apology confined to Wirt-that he had
no intention to wound his feelings, and that he
was sorry for what he had said The seconds
then published that the affair had been honora.
bly, settled.
Here, then, is case which fixes the charac-
Ter OF due'llst on Mr.. Writ most decisiyely,
as challenger too, and that in case where
the offence was trivial compared with that Civ
en- by Randolph to Clay How many more
cases might be found if his life was INQUIRED
into, we know not,-nor is it important. One
such case as this, fixes the character as conclu
slVely as thousand. Hereafter, then, we hope
10 hear less said about supporting duellist,
Tor office, by the supporters Ct William Writ