The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1839-08-30
HENRY CLAW

there is not one who so much resembles
THOMAS JEFFERSON in the frankness and
honesty of his character as Henry Clay
Even Andrew Jackson, with all his affecta-
ton of the bluntness and fearless bearing
of the soldier, could dissembleand mistify
when he believed it to be his interest to do
so. On the tariff question, for instance, he
was claimed and supported by both the
friends and enemies of protection; while on
this question, as on every other, Henry
Claws opinions were known and understood
bv all. The man who ''would rather be
right than be PRESIDENT has never STOPPED
either to conceal or dssemble his opinions
and hence, although he has rendered grea-
ter and more distinguished public services
than any other Individual now living; his
claims have been overlooked, aud others ee-
waited to power as inferior to him as Their
sites 10 Achilles.
| 1t is not little remarkable, however, in
the midst of all this neglect, how invariably
his master spirit has been looked TO, both by
friends and foes, whenever any great and
imminent dlngeI has impanded over the
country. At the commencement of the last
war, he was the person selected by Pres-
dent NJ IdisOn to be commander in chief OF
the army, and he was not nominated only
| because the Government could not gel On
without his assistance in Congress, where
his powerful mind and great popularity ena'
bled him TO render services, the value Of
which it would not be easy now TO estimate
-cOnsummating all al Client, where, with
the aid of the other commissioners, he sue
ceeded in giving to his second war of indie
pendence an honorable, and, for us, happy
and fortunate termination.
! During the agitation Of the Missouri ques-
ton, when the best men and patriots in the
land desPaired of the Union-when the ship
of State was fast drifting on the breakers,
and he who had been placed in command
knew not what direction to give to the YES
sei-in that dark hour, was there any one
who would have placed at the helm either
Martin Van Buren, or r. NJ. Johnson? Mel
Their were thought of, but the eyes of all
turned on Henry Clay, and it was to his
hand that we were then indebted for safety.
And aglin, when South Carolina stood in
arms to resist the tariff, and President Jack
son talked only of the cord and the bayonet,
"HENRY Clay (sad John Randolph) is the
only MN in America that can save the I'm
iON;" and he did save it. Thus, at these
two remarkable epochS in our history, rem
dering services to his country such as it has
been the fortune ofno other citizen 10 rem
der and such as ought TO entiile him to the
gratitude of every man who has an Ameri
can heart in his bosom.
And now, when a mad fanataCism is
spreading through the land, which, nlider
the pretence of establishing certain rights,
would trample under foot others no less ST.
cred, and which, in pursuit of what Is
deemed rightful end, would resort to un-
lawful means, regardless alike of the evils
they inhict on Others, or those which must
inevitably recoA on IhemselVes-who is it
that has given so stunning blow TO the
monster abolition as HENRY CLAY? If these
were the only services he had rendered TO
his country, (Which is far from being the
case,) who is there thlt can be brought in
competition with him? What has either the
first or second officer of the Government
done in comparison, to entitle them to the
elevated stations they fill? When Henry
Clay was laboring with so much zeal during
the last war, to provide the means of raising
armies and equiPping fleets, how was Mar
tin Van Buren employed? What did he do
to preserve the Union when the Missouri
conflict threatened its dissolution? Where
then was TO be found the Northern man with
Southern feelings? A friend TO the tariff.
did be also, like Henry Clay, prove himself
friend 10 the Union, and the rights of the
States? Was he then active and prominent
in tanning "the roaring Lon" (whose kee
per, for the time being, he was said to 6e,)
when, in his rage, he would have burst a
sunder the ties that unite US, anl stained
our Southern soil with Southern Blood?
But the cIlims of this distinguished nj in
are to be put aside, forsooth, because be
entertaiHsj on some subjects OPP Mons AMI
views Of policy adverse to those Of m ljori-
ty of his fellow-cilizenS, and, knowing this,
has had the holiness 20 aVow them. If, like |
Gen. Jacks n, ION the occasion Of the de-
posites and specie circular, &c.) he WIS
thought capable of plying the tyrlnt, and
setting up his OWE judgment and opinion in
opposition 10 the known aud acknowledged
wishes of the nation, then certainly this Oh
lection would have weight. Bit none can
believe this of Henry Clay, (even if he did
not stand pledged TO a CONTRARY cOurse,l "a
he has ever shown himself prompt TO exe-
cute, and never to thwart of the pnblic will
OF unsullied honor and pure patriotism;
with nothing mean, selfish, or vindictive in
his nature-ihoroughly practised in the ci-
vii administration of the governmental
lome department ofwhich he has been serv-
ng for more than thirty years. his powerful
intellect, during this long period, employed
Il studying the theory and practical opera
ions Of our complicated system-there is
10 one whose political opinions and views
# policy (even where they differ from our
Dwnl are entitled 70 more weight and res
Than Henry Clay's. A
too, and co labofer Of Jefferson
nd Madison. We have al assurance that. ifl.