The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-12
Now that Mr.. Clay has thrown off his m.

| Now that Mr.. Clay has thrown off his i'll
worn disguise, drawn his sword, set up his
standard, sounded his Trumpet, and taken the
field in open war, for sixth and last campaign,
-''victory or death"-it may be well for the
American People, before they rally under his
command, to make themselves sure of the pre-
else objects they expect or desire to gain by the
success of such leader. Indeed we would like 10
know what "crowning glory" the great "Hany"
himself anticipates as the final reward of his
last contest. Is it merely the Presidency That
one fond object Of twenty-five years of long de
ferred hope, which for this quarter of century
he has regarded with the same admiration as the
Persian looks up TO the sun, and which, as il is
about sinking from his sight forever, CLEANS yet
brighter, and surrounds itself with yet more
gorgeous and golden hues? Ay, the Presi-
dency, the Presidency. And now suppose it
were attainable by Mr.. Clay, does he think it
will reward him for all the strife and pam and
labor Of SO many years? Is he to find it, what
no one else has found it, balm for every sor-
row and sure recompense for every toil2 Is it
to give him permanent and undsputed power2
Is it to silence exasperated foes, and surround
him with disinterested friends? Will il protect
him from assaults without or the cravings of
more deadly foes within2 Will it gid his name
with unsupported purity, or elevate him above
the reach of scorn2
1t is no less strange than melancholy to see
an individual now so far advanced towards his
journeys end, still struggling, with more than
the ardor Of youth, for bauble by the way-side
when he should be looking towards another goal
and striving for more lasting reward. Sup
pose him President, and suppose that Others, the
friends Of his youth and friends for thirty years,
should fall upon him, strike their fangs into
him, denounce him as false and treacherous,-
treat him, in short, as he treats the present in
cumben,, would he find himself reposng on a
bed Of roses2
But if even to Mr. Clay his success in the
coming struggle is to bring SO little real and sub
stantial good how much less is to enure to his
country
We may form some idea of the blessings Of
an Administration of his, from the conduct of
the present Congress, which has been subslan-
italy his, and governed in most instances by his
counsels
| MIR. Clay came to the extra session OF this
9th Congress with Wing majortles in both
Houses of Congress-. He himself was put at
the head of the most important committee OF
the Senate, and was known to have been con-
suited in the formation Of every other commit
tee. His personal and political friend was made
Speaker of the House, and Of course his voice
was decisive in the arrangement of all the House
Committees
The Congress may be said to have been pure
y his, and indeed great part of the Cabinet
too Thus armed with more than regal power,
what has Mr. Clay done for his country? What
has he produced as the result Of his power and
his skill Dust and ashes! dust and ashes
upon every interest and every occupation in the
land.
The extra session of Congress, under Mr..
CLAWS direction, passed Bank bll-the first
Bank BILL While that was in one or the other
of the Houses in its successive stages, various
other most important measures were maiured,
such as the Bankrupt bill, the Land bill, the
Loan bill, and the Treasury Note BILL and had
been passed by one or the other body. Mr.
Clays Bank bill was sent up TO the President
While in his hands, all business in either House
was substantially suspended till the Presidents
decision on that bill should be known.
1t was returned with objections. What
then, was Mr.. Clay's plan, and what his re-
solve Simply this-to attempt nothing more
TO pass no other bill-no other measure of the
many fayorite Wing measures then before
Congress, but because the Bank bill was vetoed,
because his favorite, and has fdrorite only had
not become a law, to do nothing at all for the
People. We could, without fear, appeal TO any
candid man then at the seat of Government, and
ask if this was not so, and If it was tby other
counsels prerdiLing, by other adrice being Ia
ken, than Mr. Clay's, that any further progress
was made in the business of the session. For
the Bankrupt BILL the People owe no thanks TO
Mr. Clay. 1t was passed in spite Of him, For
the Loan bill and the Treasury Note bill the
Government is not indebted to Mr.. Clay. lie
would have been glad to go home without ap-
propratng one cent for the Government,
For the Land bill, made nugatory by It's own
provision, and the Compromise dct, Mr.. Clay
NAV take what gratitude he can get
And what has Mr. Clay's Congress done at
their second session
What measure of relief for the country have
they passed
What measure is il certain that they ~"l
pass
-Four months
| F." Four Grabbed months have soured themselves TO
deahh-
and not one single great measure has become
law.