The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-09-06
MIR. CLAY.

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 period OF sM-and-tweh'y
wears. Twice or thrice he has gone to the
polls, and once with the whole support OF The
nar,u To u,h,eh hs h. lanosd H.. 81 "n con
tinue TO be candidate, till success or death ex-
tinguishes such a condition, no one acquainted
with his character and his indomilable 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 cheefully, as we do
not intend to extenuale his political faults, and
the fatal fatal consequences of his political con-
duct in 1S41 Without much literature, or any
great extent of general knowledge, be has Il
strong understanding, now a good deal cult
waited by habits Of business. A good person, a
fine voice, an attractive and commanding man
ner, fiji him emnenly for public debate and he
loves, to lamentable excess what he excels in.
His irritable temper brooks no contradiction,
and by far fonder of invective and retort than
of The influences Of soft persuasion, neither
friend nor foe, who opposes him in debate, can
expect qudIttI. vi 'ueoc oSCdsiouS uc
treats his friends worse than his foes ; for while
he locks upon the latter as enemies in a lawful
war, he regards the former as rebellious subjects
who deserve no mercy. To precise logic, or
cool reasoning, he has litle pretence; but for
the illustration and enforcement Of general prin-
ciples his resources respectable, and the skill
with which he uses them evinces both adroilness
nd 10 hoe 9th oualifi.s
of distinguished leader in popular assemblies.
He is bold fearless, Ieady, ardent, and when
discounted and 0verthrown, as he often is, even
in a good cause, by his imprudence and excess,
he can retire, beating such note Of retreat ne
vertheess as still seems 10 have an air Of triumph
in il. Excessively, fond of admiration, as
pnblc orator, and consequently studying effect
more than wise man should he cannot, and
never could fnreon inla -
should bring applause from the gallery 'housh,
at the same time, it should y'~nt dagger, or
80 r,,Iu,s imp -.rca6iie, in auother's
-, Thon,,.--rresult OF this temper has been
IN. H. .. " lille no man, in his speeches,
as more general applause, no man inhicls so
much private pain, or creates so deep-seated a
dislike in the bosom Of his adversaries.
The history Of Mr. Clay's opinions, since
IS 06, and of his steady enthusiastically in their
objects, though far from steady in Ii cir means
must hereafter form topics of discussion The
position in which he has now chosen TO place
himself, and the hos,ililies which he has com
menced, render this absolutely Necessary, for the
purposes of lawful defence. At present, we
con6ne ourselves TO the occurrences in '39, 40.
Mr.. Clay was a candidate for The nomination
of President, at the Harrisburg Conve ntion, in
December, 1889. His sanguine and ardent
temperament would not suffer him 10 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 10 succeed against Mr.. Van
Buren,, He would not believe it'd not be-
Geve it-does not believe it nov. At this mo
meni, he is perfectly convinced, that if he had
been nominated, he would have been elected
and tie defeat Of his nomination he imputes to
ir, achery and fraud There are those who pre-
ferred another candidate and whom, for that
reason alone, lie cboos,s TO consider and de-
nounce as enemies and traitors, whom he has
since pursued, and " i'll pursue, ill they 90 to
their graves, or he goes TO his, with implacabe
resentment. He has an iron memory for niu-
res and he is like other men who hate without
cluse. A sort Of consciousness that they them
selves are wrong and that they have no cause
to hate, only leads them to hate the more A
conscience, accusing itself Of unjust resent |
ment often seeks TO quiet its own pangs, by
increased exaspera,ion.
As to Mr.. Clay's apparently graceful with
drawal hom the controversy, for the sake Of bar |
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- |
tcnce, their pertinacity, their adherence Ito use
The strongest Parliamentary phrase) to Mr.. |
Gays nomination, till he was beaten, thorough |
ly beaten, irrecoverably beaten, in the Conven |
ton. And then, an attempt was made, adroir |
enough, but such as deceived nobody, TO turn |
his defeat into Withdrawal
But from that disappointment Mr. Claws
wounded spirit has never recovered. He soon
afterwards, indeed, endeavored to make the best
of it; to support General Harison's election.
and TO place himself in The line of succession
next to the General, who had declared his in.
tention Of serving one term only.