The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-04-09
MR.. CLAY'S MANIFESTO.


Mr.. CLAY has been candidate for the Presi-
dency from the moment Of his return from Eu-
rope, at the close of the last war, up to the pre-
sent time, now a perlod of fve-and-twenty
years. Twice or thrice he has gone to the
polls, and once with the whole support of the
party to which he belonged. That he will con-
tinue to be candidate, till success or death ex-
tinguishes such condition, no one acquainted
with his character and his indomitable ambition
can doubt. Let us do Mr.. Clay justice let us
commend his virtues, and applaud his talents |;
let us praise him for all in him that is praise
worthy; and this the more cheerfully. as we do
not intend to extenuate his political faults, and
the fatal fatal consequences of his recent politi-
cal conduct. Without much literature, or any
great extent Of general knowledge, he has a
strong understanding, now good deal cult
waited by habits of business A good person,
fine voice, an attractive and commanding man
ner, fit him eminenlly for public debate; and
he loves to lamentable excess, what he
excels in His irritable temper brooks no
contradiction, and by far fonder of invec-
tive and retort, than of the influences of
soft persuasion, neither friend nor foe, who
opposes him in debate, can expect quarter. In
deed, on these occasions he treats his friends
worse than his foes; for while he, looks upon
the latter as enemies, in lawful war, he regards
the former as rebellods subjects who deserve
no mercy. To precise logic, or cool reasoning,
he has little pretence; but fos> the illustration
and enforcement of general principles, his re-
sources are respectable, and the skill with which
he uses them eyinces both adroitness and prac-
tice. He has other important qualities of dis
tngushed leader in popular assemblies. Heis
bold, fearless, ready, ardent, and when discom-
fitted and overthrown, as he often is, even in
good cause, by his imprudence and excess, he
can retire, beating such note of retreat never
heless, as still seem to have an air of triumph
in it. Excessively fond of admiration, as
public orator, and consequently studying effect
more than wise man should, he cannot, and
never could, forego joke, or a sarcasm, which
should bring applause from the gallery, though,
at the same time, it should plant dagger, or
create vulnus in,medicdbile, in another's
heart. The natural result of this temper has been
fully shown. While no man, in his speeches,
gains more general applause, no man infiicts so
much private pain, or creates so deep-seated
dislike in the bosom of his adversaries.
The history Of Mr.. Cay's opinions, since
1906, and of his steady enthusiastically in their
objects though far f.om steady in their means
must hereafter form topics of discussion. The
position in which he has now chosen TO place
himself, and the hostilties which he has com
menced, render this absolutely necessary, for the
purposes of lawful defence. At present, we
confine ourselves to recent occurrences.
Mr. Clay was candidate for the nomination
of President, at the Harrisburg Convention, in
December 1899. His sanguine and ardent
temperament would not suffer him to indulge
in the least apprehension of defeat. No friend,
nor all his friends together, could persuade him
that Gen. Harrison or Gen. Scott would be
more likely than himself to succeed against Mr..
Van Buren,. He would not believe ibid not
believe it-does not believe it now. AT this
moment, he is perfectly convinced, that if he
had been nominated, he would have been elect
ed; and the defeat of his nomination he i'm
putes to treachery and fraud. There are those
who preferred another candidate, and whom, for
that reason alone, he chooses to consider and de-
nounce as enemies and traitors, whom he has
since pursued, and will pursue, till they go to
their graves, or he goes to his, with implacable
resentment He has an iron memory for in
juries; and he is like other men who hate with
out cause. A sort Of consciousness that they
themselves are wrong, and that they have no
cause to hate, only leads them to hate the more.
A conscience, accusing itself of unjust resent
ments, often seeks to quiet its own pangs, by in
creased evaporation.
AS to Mr. Clay's apparently graceful with
drawal from the controversy, for the sake Of har-
mony, and the letter produced and read on the
occasion, there was nothing in all this but show
Mr.. Clay's friends never gave up their persis-
lance, their pertnacity, their adherence (to use
the strongest Parliamentary phrase) to Mr.
Cay's nomination, till he was beaten, thorough
ly beaten, Mrecoverably beaten, in the Conven-
ton. And then, an attempt was made, adrolt
enough, but such as deceived nobody, to turn
his defeat into withdrawal
But from that disappointment Mr.. Clay's
wounded spirit has never recovered. He soon
afterwards, indeed, endeavored to make the best
of it; to support General Harrisons election,
and to place himself in the line of succession
next to the General, who had declared his in
tenton of serving one term only
THE DYING FOX.