The North-Carolina standard., 1840-03-11
"iCONFIDENTIAL.)


Dear Sir-The peculiar crisis IN which the
Whig party is placed, and the circumstance Of
nv connection, by means of an extensive polltl-
cal CORES pondence, with many of the purest and
most patriotic of our felloW-cltIZens IN other
States, induce me to address you at this time IN
relation 10 The Presidential question. And first.
let me avow myselfas the warm, devoted. per
sonaI friend of Mr. Clay. and an unqualified ad-
mirer of his talents and services believe he
deserves to be President of the u States, above
all our other candidates, and yet with al! these
admissions cannot bat consider his prospect at
present a hopeless one. We have lost three
wears in contests about mer, and the tide OF VIZ
tory carrying US no where, except into The eCdies
formed by opposing sections, oruPon the barren
beach of useless CONTROVERSY, seems ebbIng 10
leave us there. The Whig party being an intel
ligent and Intellectual class must necessarily do
its own thinking, and with thought comes Varie
ty Of opinions, and with variety want OF unity
and concord This is our predicament and our
danger. live were united, we should be for
midable to the enemies of our country; but, alas,
we are beaten in detail. Let US apply this fact
to the choice of candidates. MIR. Clay's political
course and long conflicts with portions OF his fell
Iow-ci,izens have rendered hi.u liable 10 warm
opposition, personal hatred, and unjust prejudice.
Is it the part Of gacous men to venture against
such odds? With majority Of the Stntes a
gairst US, is it prudent to risk every thing lett
US? Our party leaders want sagncity, or, as I
prefer styling it, philosophy. They act as if
mankind were always actuated by The best mo-
tIves, and that the holding up an abstract truth.
is the pledge of victory. Not so. Nations, like
individuals, often rush hindIy to ruin, from pas
sion, prejudice, ambition, and many other caus-
es Ii is in vain to oppose their will when they
take a particular bias. They who attempt 1t are
sacrificed. and thus history tells us with lis mon
tory page, OF the downfall Of patriots VaInly
struggling against their erring coun'rymen. and
finally of the downfall of the masses themselves
This IS the law of nature, and the will of Provi-
dence. Let also apply this fact TO politics
We cannot expect perfection in the people at
large; we can only rely on their general good
Intentions sustained by consciousness, that their
own interests, individually, are at stake with
those OF the mass When they are right in the
main it is rs much as we should expect. We
cannot hope that they will cease to be men in or
der to please u.s. In this knowledge consists the
tact of the administration party They studious-
ly seek 10 know the public will, and they follow
it long enough to profit by lts force and power.
How adroitIy they availed themselves of the
popularity of Jackson By bad measures they
have lost much of its advantage, and by prosecu-
Ting such a scheme as the Sub-Treasnry, they
will lose more But still they are strongly en-
trenched, and we must carry their entrench-
ments, or be doomed TO poIitlcal slavery l""
can this be done2 Only by uniting on the man
who has less opposition to him than another
Superior or splendid talents or exalted claims are
notthe questionsto be considered. What is any
man compared to the cause2 What have we TO
do with political rewards when our country Is
on the brink of rnn2 s.,. =.
Herein the friends of Mr.. Clay have made a
fatal mistake. In their love for him they forget
that a battle is to be fought. Enthusiasm Will
not always overpower superiority of numbers
If i. could. Mr.. Clay would have been President
long ago.
If Mr. Clay runs, he will meet with opposi'
ton from old party anita gonists, whose heads have
grown grey in political iniquity.
l. The old JACKSON MEN will oppose him
The ABOLITIONISTs, generally, will op
pose him. -..- s.-.. ..... =: -+s -''--
The violent Anti -Masons will oppose him.
The Irishmen, who have already denounced
him for his attack on o. Connel. will oppose hlm
The enemies of the United States Bank VII
The WESTERN sQUATTERs will op
pose him.
The Southern States Rights men will oppose
him. $50 say several leading papers IN n. Geor REQ
gia,)