The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-10-30

| CaHfeT might de IN order tnat MI clay hiSht i've
Though they protested to believe the charter all
essential, and necessary to the vital interests oflht
country, yet we heard their mouth-pieces in every
direction praying for the Presidents reto which
they deemed more essential and necessary to the sue
cess of Mr. Clay. They actually rejoice in the sac
rfce, not Of Mr. Clay at the public alter, but ac-
cording TO their own views of a Bank, of pubic
good al his shrine!
The fact is as disgracefu as notorious, we say
that though Mr. Clay and the party in the opposi-
ton acre in favor Of the bank, yet they prayed for
the reto, and though they prayed for the rctO, yet
they dared the President to exercise it, and vaunt-
ed and hectored in the challenge! But was Gen.
Jackson daunted, overawed, perpexed or cOnfoun-
ded' Did he hesitate in such case to consider
of himself, and the comparatively petty issue of
his election? To the honor of the President and
of the Nation, we proudly exclaim, Mo- And his
tory will record it as the greatest and most patriot
&c deed of his long life of distinguished service,
that ,rhen moaied corporation became thu. formi-
dable tool Of corrupt party and threatened the
President in the crcnt Of his refusing ii the aid Of
his office and the sanction Of law to violate the
Consiituiion-hca acted upon independent opinions
of his DUN mind and the scruples Of his enlighten-
ed conscience, upon his DUN responsibility, and
fearlessly exercised the high prerogatre Of his Of
fetal reio Which The Constitution has itself pro-
ridvd, for its opn preservation"
Reviewing his course upon the Tariff, Mr. Wise
thus breaks out upon Mr. Clay about the well known
Compromise Bill:
"IIe was hypocrite at first or hypocrite at
last, and the truth is, he was hypocItc both first
andl last. He employed all his address and talents
to retain every odous feature of the Tariff, and
seemed determined, with The very irony of conccs-
sion and reconciliation, to madden the South into
sudden opposition to the laws of Congress, for no
other purpose than to bring disastrous troubles upon
the country, coniemporaaeously pih hckson's
administration. Witness the effect his course had
upon part ofthe Representatives ofSouth Carroll
ma. Immediately upon the adjournment Of Con-
gress, they addressed letter of complaint to their
constituents, saying, in effect, that insult had been
add ed to injury. Ifcivil war must come, and it is
but too certainly to be dreaded now, its torch will
be lighted by a SET of spirits chafed by the meas
uroa Of Mr. Clay md tho Tariff majority, in press
ing the Protective sysiem,' to an unconstitutional
and oppressive length, beyond the endurance of
those who feel the injustice of its operstion. The
majority in both Houses Of Congress has always
been against the South since 1916, and It's only
hope has heretofore been in the Executive depart
ment. And now, fellow citizens, with these stub
born facts staring us in the face, we put it to the
candor of every patriot to say-whcn all the cxcr-
tons Oft Union party in s. Carolina directed by
the moderation and wisdom of such worthless ms
Drayton and Blair, can scarcely restrain civil war
under the administration Of a President farora-
bic to the modification of the TaG and to The
wishes Of The SouM-whcther Union could sur
rire The election of Mr. Clay"
These are awful "reminiscences to Mr. Wise and
the wing party. They speak volumes for the
President, and not little against the efforts now
made by Mr. Wise and his associates to make Mr.
Clay as white and chaste as the driven snow
They may be brought 10 bear against Gen. IIarri-
son, too, who il sought to be elevated TO the Pres
dency in lieu of Mr. Clay, but endorsed by him,
Sergeant. and Daniel Webster, all Of whose opin-
ions are ura-Fedcral.' There are one or two
points worthy of note in these extracts. Mr. Wise
then thought our hopes lay in the Executive; he is
, bo atr,l, tha MT ncI
the constitution, and tells his countrymen to look
to Congress for protection. Mr. Wise then oppo-
scd Bank; he now says, the People will cry for
one like frogs for rain after dry season., and sup
ports man who believes one unconstitutional
lie then feared the elevation Of Mr. Clay, on ac-
count of his Tariff policy, leading to dissolution
oftho Union; he is now supporting man, not on
y endorsed by Mr. Clay, but if possible even more
ultra than Mr. Clay. Ifthese extraordinary contra
dctions of opinion, and revolutions of principle,
do not shake the confidence Of the people in Mr.
Wise's judgment, what cam There is surely no
thing more remarkable, than the prodigious incon-
sistencies here set forth. How MIR Wise can rise
before the people of his District or elsewhere, and
ask them to follow him through the maze Of such
gross Inconsistencies, we are unable to tell Or,
how can ,hcs flaming wings think Of inviting to
the Capital of Virginia, to give the good people Of
this Commonwealth lessons on politics, a man,
1--WE speak, Of course, Of Daniel Webster,) whom
Mr. Wise declared eish, years ago TO have lent
bis aid to the reasonable schemes of the Hartford
Convention p When, in the presence of this proud
people, Henry A. Wise and Daniel Webster shall
stand in the capital of Virginia, side by sidc like
Castor and Pollux, cooperating in the holy office
of throwing dust in the eyes Of our yeomanry, to
put down man whom Henry A. Wise pronounced
to be sound States Right politician after his own
heart, in order to put in a ati,udnous Construc-
zionist, Tariff man, Bank man, and wlthal the
favorte candidate of the fell Abolilionists, with
what establishment and disgust will not the People
Of Virginia view this monstrous amagamaton !
Wb,c Moot;nu l,st evnninOw( Md hIup