Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-05-13
NJ, c,.v,s NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Distinguish

Mr.. CLAy's RETlREMENT.-The Distinguish.
ed Senator from Kentucky, after having an
nounced his intention to retire 50 often that his
warmest friends grew weary o. the rePetition:
is at last really about to relinquist the joys and
the care Of public life. He quits the United
States Senate, to take up his residence IN ASH
land. 1t is fitting time to cast our eyes back
over his past career
There IS no statesman this country has pro-
duced. whose history impresses US with more
profound and melancholy interest than that OF
Mr.. Clay. It's full Of an Instructive and mont
tory wisdom.
His course has been splendid faoure:
Coming lntn notice at an early age, possessed
Of striking person, brilliant rhetoric, and
dashing and generous qualities OF department,
his prospects glowed with promises OF honora-
BILE fame.
Al the close Of the war in 1916, no man bid
| fairer for future of ensiable and exalted dis
trcton. His position furnished powerful IN
centives to good, and had he given the rein to
| the nobest purposes. he might have founded a
| GRAND renown on the benefits he had achieved
| for his country. But that same posllon was
also beset with false alurements and dazzling
meteors of ambition. II was in his choice TO
| have placed himself al the head OF the great
party of progress, become the representative OF
the liberal spirit Of his age. and have long since
enjoyed, along with the homage Of his country
men, that magnificent prize, which seems to
have been the goal of all his wishes, and the
loiiier reward Of an unsullied reputation. Alas!
the mist Of selfshness obscured his sight. he
welded himself to narrow systems. He fell
| into devious and doubtful ways; his hopes
have been disappointed ; his character tarhsh-
/ ed his plans defeated; and his old age sad
| dened with painful recolleciions.
The defect Of Mr.. Clay's policy-aud the
same may be said of his eloquence--has been
the want of thorough integrity OF mind. He
is utterly deficient in those strict, accurate,
sound methods>of thinking which mark the
well-balanced intellect. He never sees things
as they are in ,hemseIvs, but as they appear
under the excitement Of ambitious and person
al feelings, for the time. Without always
meaning to be false-,hough we do not entire
w acquit him of charlaniry-he suffers himself
to be imposed upon by his mag ina,ion and
sensbilities. Thus he is forever catching,
not at the true and permanent. but the plausible
and pleasing. What he advances at one time,
he condemns at another; what is right for him
to-day, is wrong for him to morrow; what he
loves at this moment, he will hate at the next.
The world has seldom seen more signal per-
sonifcation Of the merely expedient.. His ar
guments are only expedents, his actions are
only expedients, his whole system has been a
conglomeraton of expedients. At no period
has he elevated himself above temporary and
transient effects. His most splendid achieve
ments have been nothing more than seasonal
BILE successes. His lofiiest instances of self
forgetfuness and devotion, have been timely
compromises. Nothing of heroism, nothing
of sacrifice, nothing OF unfrended, silent un-
complaining endurance, has illustrated his
course. Whenever he has exhibited strong
adherence TO the right, it has been when it was
popular to be right. Admiration, public APP
plause, political consequence, have had stron-
ger weight with him than all the dictates Of
conscience. AS an ardent democrat he began
j life: as defeated and disappointed whig, he
will end it. In the vigor of his faculties, the
generous feelings Of youth led him to the pop
ular side; in the maturity and decay Of his
powers, aspiring feelings have misled him to
the other extreme; for, ID both periods. his
poIe.stars have been, less his instincts or con-
victions, than his possions and policy.
II is thought by sc.ne hat Mr.. Clay will be
/ again brought forward as candidate for the
Presidency. Wehave no such opinion. There
is remnant of friends, it is true, who will
still cling to himl-his brilliant qualities strong
ly attach his admirers-yet HE day for men VI
his order and complexion is passed. The
policy of this country is in state Of progress
sion, and can never 90 back to its old elements.
Schemes five times defeated, in the person OF
their most accomplished advocate and repre-
sentative, cannot now be revied. They have
always been more or less iniolerabe to the
peopIe-they are likely to be completely SO
for the future. The law Of social existence is
progress. In theiide ofpoi,ical reforms, there
are Stacks, but no Gibbs. Mr.. Clay is behind
his generation. A new race Of political think
ers has sprung up since he began--a race Of
young men, of broader sympa,hies and more
elevated aims than the exclusivness of his theo.
~ of government can embrace. These are his
sworn foes. They confess his skill, they adj
+, mre his talents, they respect his age-bnt they
abhor his sentisaeuts. Such an opposition he
will find invlncibIc.
We would urge him, then, to seek. as he
has often expressed it, in the shades Of prva
cy, the comfort which he has not always found
in the blaze Of official station, there TO dedicate
the remainder Of his days to the contemplation
of higher ends and nobler philosophy than has
; heretofore moved hin. Helnay thus strength.
. en- the fondness Of his friends, and conciIiate
. the forgivness Of his enemies. Further than
that, let him not hope; for, we repeat, his day
is past.-N. Y. Evening Post.
WHEN ARE THOSE Coop Times Com,NG p
We should like to see little Of the ..con6.
', dence and good times" promised by the feder.
al wings before election. On the 4th Of July
. 1910, in his speech at Hanover, Mr.. Clay
said
s.The fact Of General Harrison's election
will of itself powerfully contribute to the securi
ty and prosperity of the people. Cohdence
will Immediately revive, credit will be restor.
ed, active business will return, and the price