Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-11-18
HENRY CLAY.

II In n maxim with the advocates o 1.-THE "ai-
vine right Of Kings that !" Republics are I'M
grateful - and the history Of four country may
sso far, perhaps, TO strengthen its force. Ger
tain it il, that in the heat Of partizan warfare,
the services men render their country are Oft
on FORGOTTEN or overlooked, and it is lett for
pos,erity to discover their true merits, and
render 10 their memory that justice, which
while living, they claimed in vain. ~ Fl
or the many Patriots, whose names adorn
the pages Of American history, but few have
enjoyed, during their active participation IN
public affairs, an uninterrupted sunshine Of
popular favor. BY far, the greater number
have, sooner or later, been found to witness
the decline OF their popularity, and permit
some more successful aspirant to grasp the
reward to which they were, perhaps, eminent
" entitled. Yet, we are not without lnstan-
ces of redeeming brilliancy, to dlsprove the
maxim above quoted. and the names of MApI.
SON and CLINTON will long be remembered
as furnishing instances, pregnant with PROOF,
of the ultimate triumph {. truth over error,
andthe positive tendency OF our institutions,
to reward the Patriots services with the
highest objects Of the Patriots ambition.
We believe the time has now arrived, when
the American people, actuated by those mo-
tives, and impolled by those noble impulses,
which sometimes move the mighty mass as
one man, are about TO vindicate the character
of their institutions, aud furnish to the world
a sublime moral spectacle. to prove that !" Re-
publics are not nngratetul."
Among the many candidates in the coming
contest for the presidency, there is one who
in the position lie occupies before the coun-
try, is, in many respects, unapproached and
unapproachable. Whatever character may
be assigned him by the future historian of his
country, there is not a page OF her history
since he first entered her Council Halls, that
does not glow with a brighter lustre from the
impress of his master spirit. Catering heI
service at the hour of her darkest trial wher
goaded and oppressed by an ~insolent ane
powerful foe, the lofty tones of his voice were
heard pleading "trumpet-tongued" for hel
insulted Flag, and her violated honor. And
after they had both been nobly indicated, he
went forth bearing the Olive branch o
peace to the Lion who had been bearded in
his den, and received from the naughty mis-
tress of the seas the reluctant admission, tina
the stars and stripes of his country were {
sufficient protection on every. ocean and II
every cline. The ardent and enthusiastic
friend of Liberty, his sympathles have beer
restrained by no narrow limits of kindred O
country but wherever her children have ap
pealed from Tyranny to God" it has met
response from his bosom. The classic shores
of Greece, and the mountains of the chill
dren of the Sun" have echoed his praises, ant
the noble spirits Of a BOLIVAR and a BozzA
RIs have Weakened to higher and holler feel
ing, as they caught the thrilling tones Q
his inspiring eloquence.
At home, he has labored for the ultimate
gool and permanent happiness of his country
with an untiring assiduity. With a firm an
mistaken confidence in the ultimate trump
of right, he has never sacrificed principle to ex
pediency preferring rather the postpone
ment of success to the abandonment of truth
Firm and uncompromising in The advocacy 0
measures believed by him to be essential t
the welfare of the country, be has Away
been the first to arrest the fury of partIzal
strife and, more than once, has he stood a
it were between the living and the dead, aut
stayed the spread of the contagion which
threatened the existence of the Government
itself. .as8
Ii he has been fortunate in attaching 4
himself, more personal and dislnterestet
friendship than falls TO the lot Of most public
men, he has, also, been most unfortunate il
being made the object of relentless perseeu
ton, the bitterness of which is only equallet
by h baseness of its motive. A giant amone
giants, he has made the weight of his battle
axe felt, wherever welded, and has ever re.