The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-10-24
From the .laitonal ln.c!Sgeacer.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTiON.-No. y

PRESIDENTIAL ELECT1ON--No. u
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With pleasure having conludcd our observa-
,ions or the past and ascertained our latitude
we lake lonk ahead. Having determined in
our own mind that good GA National ship,
.iteiion, requires p ne %tich she was
nayigaied by her first great Commander (Rest
his noble soul in Heaven y we shall end the
task we set ourselves by presenting, our view
of the grounds on which HENRY CLAY of Ken-
tucky, ought to be called to the honorable
trust of President Of the United States.
Promising. that, as matters nov stand, Mr..
CLAY is emphatically the Candidate If tbs Peo-
pie, in opposition to the candidate Of political
managers, we say that he is recommended TO
that distinction bv his personal and mental quail
lilies, his public ser wees, and his long expert
ence in poiticaLliie
We are not about to inGi,e a biography of
Mr.. Clay His history, identified for nearly
ihc last thirty years with that Of his country.
his whole country, and nothing out his country,
is familiar to all our readers. As he rose TO his
present eiaincnce from humble beginnings, and
without any of the aids which sometimes
sreoih the path Of the aspirant, his success is
fae tribute 10 The practical excellence OF our
froa institutions.
Ills public, no less than his personal charac-
ter is distinguished by traits suitable 10 Re-
pGhcan statesman.
FRANKXEss is a predominant trait in his char
acter, Il is the quality OF a generous mind,
aud it is virtue in popular statesman. In
government like ours ii is important for the
Public 10 know the sentiments of their public
non on all interesting questions. Mr.. CLAY
never concea's his. There is no mistake in
in He cannot disse:ible if he wonld-he
would rot if he conld. He is not the man to
keep the word of promise 10 the ear, and
ivcak it TO the sense" We ka0Io when we
support him what principles we advocate, and
what cnIrse Of measures he will pursue
His character is also distinguished by SAGAc-
ITY, DECISION, and PRoNPrITuDE. The first of
these qualities conducts him TO safe results ::
the second averts the blunders of instability
The third leads to action, when action can alone
DO useful. If the limits of this essay would al!
t'w Of it, we would produce many illustrations
Of the first ard most valuable of these qualities
and especially in the fulGlment of ali his pre-
dciions on the tariff subject and in regard TO
S1n'h America.
Not last to be applauded and respected is
his lofty |SDEFCNDENcE. Though a dlstin-
gHished meisber of one Of the old parties in the
country. he da not immediate his conscience on
It's shrine. He sustained THE Navy for exam
pie, al 4 time ~hSai it was obnoxious to that
PUrry' RIO tisEed his popularity in doing $" I;
but he preferred the public good. Happily, the
whole Nation is now but one patty on that sub
jet.
DEVOTION TO THE CONSTITUTIONS AYD THE
LAWS have pre- omnen:lY distinguished him
through life. His reverence for civil authority
may be said to be interviewer with
The LOVE ~ LIBERTY AND FREE ISsTITU-
TONS, which has distinguished him equally as
the Champion Of American freedom from for.
eign sWay, aud the advou~>a of pfrsonal ,jy .ts
al rourr.
Not 10 dwell upon his KNOWLEDGE OF MI,
to which be has been trained by constan, in
tercoarse with his fellow beings, practical
and. useful quality in Magistrate, Ie. US con.
cirde our brief delneaton Of his public charac.
lef by saying that he is, above all. TRULY
Americas, in his origin his education. and
opinions, and in all his principles of Govern.
men. and of Legislation. He has no foreign
prepossessions He would humble his country
before no foreign potentate. tie loves his
country ardentlY, ana he loves IL exclusively
NJ foreign influence would dare TO approach
him. All Nations at peace with us would be
considered and treated by him as friends, but
not particle Of national right would be sur.
rendered by him to any one of them, either out
Of fear, favor, or affection.
Having rapidly sketched the leading traits Of
the character Of the Peoples Candidate, let US
lake a brief glance at the nature of his public
services and experience.
Mir. Clay touk his seat as a member Of the
iiouse OF Representatives on the 4th November,
ISL, and was on the same day, elected its |
Speaker This distn guished office he contin. |
ed to fill by reelection, nearly fourteen wears.
with b1t two comparatively short intervals the
nrst' while he vas abse on the Client mis-
son The second, during a retirement from
congress, made necessary by the state of his |
private affairs. His conduct as Speaker has
been universally regarded as fit model for i,ni /
iatlon. Remarkable for the prornptitude. his
decisions IN that capacity were equally charac.
terized by The sagacity we have already observ.
ca upon. In replying to vote of thanks of
The House, March 3, 1875, he says: OF the
numerous decisions which, have been called
upon TO pronounce from this place, on questions
oi.en suddenly started and of much dificnl,v
it has So happened, from the generous suonoyi
gwen me, that not one o. them has eoer been
'tosrsed oy the House advert 10 this fact.
not IN VAIN spirit of exultation, but as furnish,
i1g powerful motive for undissembed urati. !
lude. The Impression made by MIR CLAY's
manner o. Administering the Speakers Office is
further illustrated by the fact, that, whenever
he was candidate for it, there was little or
no opposition, bot that on other occasions. the
Speaker has been seldom elected but alter ar
dueus struggles.
In considering his services as public man,
we are NrSt struck with their
- hardly any question of public inheritance.
tcr more than twenty years past, with which
his name is not associated
!. Internal imProoemeRts. His first egeech
IN Congress on this subject was, we have heard
IN abe SENATE. during tho session Of 1867
and IN favor OF erecting the Potomac bridge
This effort tor branch Of Internal Imnrore.
ments he Afterwards followed I'D by sirenuoss
attempts to build up system on that subject
ne opinion was known not TO be favorable TO
The existence Of power in Congress TO effect
uate comprehensive system of Roads and
1anais' IL vas against the influence of the
Executive, therefore, that Mr.. CLAY had 10
contend IN his Speech delivered in March. 1913
in support of the mower. lilo succeeded in ,bo
contest by vote Of 80 to IS and NAV be said
10 have thus laid the foundation Of the system
itis iabors 10 consummate il were continued on |
alI suitable occasions, till his retirement from
congress Inc repeated recognitions of the /
prinelp'e winch hnve been made BY Congfess. |
and sanctioned by the People. had settled n 60
FAR az any question can be settled n, ia ..
narkahlo ihat after his foil success in sun,os,
d 'he system in Congress. oppositon tp !;
soohleu IN a great measure b, cease tbsre b,,
was resumed on his retirement