The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-21
THE APREsIDENT's RESIGNATION

THE PRESIDENTS RESERVATIONS
In our last we promised TO show The manner
in which the Presidents resignation was TO he
effected by Mr.. Clay and his followers during
the past year. We now proceed to fulfil, in
part, that promise.
In order that we may be distinctly understood
in what we shall say, It is necessary TO compre-
bend first the exact political condition of things
at the death Of General Harrison and, to do
this, we must go back to the Harrisburg Con
vention, This great body of delegates assem-
bled in council AS the representatives of sepa-
rate and distinct party elements they meet 10 can
vass the claims Of all persons who shall be
brought before them as candidates for the Presi-
Dental Chair, and to make that selection which
shall be esteemed the most judcious. The
most prominent of these, il is known, were
| Messrs. Clay Scott, and Harrison. After
calm consultation and mature deliberatlon, the
choice fell upon Harrison. General Scott and
his friends could not do otherwise than acqui-
escc in this choice, nor could Mr.. Clay, though he
had most confidently expected the nomination. II
is true he was mortified, but the. thing was now
done, and it could not be undone. He felt deeply
this third refusal on the part of his countrvmen
to confer upon him an honor to which he had as
PRED for twenty years past: yet, experienced as
he was, he suffered neither feeling nor passion,
however deep and lasting they might be, to
cloud his judgment, and thereby prevent the re-
suit enuring to his ultimate benefit. That it
shall efectuay do this he publicly procalms
his determination to throw his weight into Har-
rison's scale and TO sustain him before the Peo-
pie His grand move has the desired effect
Harrison is elected and forglves him, as expect
ed, for all past attempts TO destroy his (Hari-
son's) reputation and consign him TO oblivion.
! The good mans generosity is excited and he
permits Mr.. Clay-the bold and selfish cdicu-
ldtor-to select fve-Sixhs Of his Cabinet Off
GERS. 1t is done-and, as matter of course,
the claims of all who represent any element Of
the Wing party except the Clay element, are
overlooked 1t is true Mr. Webster as the Re-
preventative of the great Eastern and manu-
featuring interests IS placed at the head oil the
State Department, but was he placed. Their at
Mr. Clay's instance, or in accordance even with
Mr. Clay's wishes This the country can rea-
Oily answer. Admitting though that Mr.. Clay
was not opposed to his appointment, and that
Mr.. Webster, unlike Ewing, Bell Badger,
Granger, or Critenden, was not Smorn friend
Of Mr. Clay, what could his single and solitary
voice accomplish or, how alter the course of
any public measure II will be seen then that,
if this state Of things had contnued-(we wnot
say that they would, for we have heard ''rumolS.'
that the Dictator had been told 81 there was a
Presidents on a certain occasion, when he
oveIleaped, in his zeal for self, the bounds of
prudence 1.-THE general patronage Of the Go
vernment would have been at Mr.. Clay's dspo-
sal, and the lever Of power in his hands, to be
used by him in that manner which would most
surely enable him to attain the object of all his
hopes-hs desres-his struggles and his in
trgucs--THE PRESIDENTIAL CHAIR. Under the
feelings Of security which these facts engender,
and imagining the scepre within his grasp al
ready, and the robes of Office preparing TO be
! thrown around him, how lofty does he bear
hims elf! How, with imperial grace, does he
rise, and now, in slowly swelling tones, utter
forth his oracuar mandates-now turning, and
with sneering smiles and bitter sarcasms, taunt
! his adversaries-and then leave his chair and
with authoritative air bestride the Senate Cham
Der. Il was an amazing sight thus to behold the
modern Caesar
NIB. ARNOLD, OF THE PEACE PARTY.
That our readers in Tennessee, may not be-
lieve the slanderous Wing sheets which insist
upon it, that Mr. Arnold has been misrcpre-
scented in Washington, on account Of his brutal
oslity to the President, and gross assaults on
this paper, I'VE transfer to our columns the fol-
lowing Card y from member of Congress
1t is in reply to a Card from Mr.. Arnold the
substance of which is stated by the writer:
A CARD.
In the National lnelligenceIp of this morning |
find note from THOMAS ID. ARNOLD, of Tennessee
in which he bestows few of his choicest epthes up
on me. am constrained TO say that his insnuatlon
that moved the previous question for the purpose of
preventing him from replying to remark of nine
which he considers personally insulting, is wholly
false. The House will recOlec that he made no eff
fort TO obtain the floor did he express any desire
whatever to make reply Ii he had exhibited any
such desire, should have PROFESSIONALLY withdrawn
the previous question.
THIS Arnold came here at the extra session with
the reputation of a "swaggering bully but he has
been found wholly deficient in the courage necessary
to sustain that reputation. In the House, well as
i 'he oou y, nc 10 lee"ueu ~ low, vulgar pacR-
guard, destitute of all honorable principle. He has
suffered his own political associates to call him
"blackguaid' upon the floor of the House. He has
permitted member from Louisiana with IMMUNITY to
asten upon his forehead the charge of base colodrd
ice. In short, he has been literally expelled from the
society of gentlemen; and but for his nerrup,ing me
in the heat OF debate coad not have provoked an in
suit from me. Such man excite any
other feelings in my bosom han those ofpty and con
tempt.
JOHN B. WELLER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, May II, 1912.
THE EXECUTIVE PRINTING.