The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-09-11
MR.. CLAY.

We spoke, Yesterday, Of The benefits likely 10
enure TO himself aud The country from Mr. Clay's
election TO the Presidency, should such thing
occur We have now a word or Two 10 say
about the probabilities of such an event.
We must premise, by once more advering TO
the fact that Mr. c.. has now been regular |
candidate for five elections, and defeated, either
by the People, or In convention, In every one
Under whatever favorable auspices the Wing
party began the canvass, with whatever advan-
tage of position, whatever popular feeling and
excitement in its favor, whatever apparently
well found topics of complaint against Its OPP
ponents, the adoption of Mr. Clay, as candl-
date, has royed invariably fatal 10 their cause.
The inscription of his name on their stand
ard has been the signal for general dispersion,
and the harbinser of total overthrow
Like the Ca.mach Dell TO the McIvors, Mr..
Clay's appearance to the Wings has been the
cerSan presage of impending destruction.
conviction of this Boron Upas like property of
his, was The poten, cause Of his REIMBURSEMENT
by The Harrisburg Convention. All felt that to
sustain him was TO court defeat.
In 1887, '39, and 80, curious scene was
passing in this country. Mr. CLAWS friends were
Gas now moving heaven and earth to make him
the Wing candidate for the Presidency but they
were not The only persons DESTROYS of bringing
about that state of things In different way,
and under the operation of far different motives,
the friends Of the late administration necessarily
labored 10 produce the same result. Mr. Van
Buren, spared no means which he could employ,
and he is man who can work by many lndl-
reclions, to keep Gen. Harrison out OF the field,
and 10 reduce the controversy TO contest be-
tween himself and Mr.. Clay. The late Mr.
Grundy, gentleman of great shrewdness, and
Mr.. Silas Wright, man of shrewdness also,
and whose self-possession has enabled him, in
the Senate, more than once, TO foil the great
Wing leader of the last Congress, are known
10 have desired nothing, and 10 have sought no
thing more than, that Mr.. Clay should be the
Wing candidate nor did ever any thing inspire
gentlemen of their politics with such thorough
fear aud dread, as the announcement from Har-
risburg, that Mr.. Clay was not the candidate,
and that General Harrison was From that mo-
ment and never before, alarm spread itself
through the Van Buren, camp.
And so, at the present day, the belief that Mr.
Clay is to be the Wing candidate, is inexpres-
sby gratifying to some of Mr.. Van Buren's
friends.
In Short the sober truth, of which Mr. Clay IS
friends can never be convinced, and of which
he is less likely than they TO be persuaded,
is, that with no inconsiderable striking reputation
and always put forward by MS jealous friends,
he has yet no hold upon the confidence Of the
great mass of the community. More than TWEEN
ty years have proved this. The People of the
United States, not undertaking. his talents and
abilities for certain Objects yet do not see in
him that mild, moderate guardian and parental
character in which they love 10 contemplate the
Chief Magistrate. Mr.. Clay is dogmatical,
opinionaled. Between him and his friends,
even the most attached, there is no intercourse
of independent mind with independent mind
there is no mutually of respect and difference
nothing like confidence upon equal terms
Y ears have not softened these repelling quail
ties, and when his supporters approach him, he
expects and will admit nothing but fatty and
homage. All this is not said loosely and incon-
sIderalely. There is not one Of his friends who
will not admit its truth. With these chnrac-
teristlcs, however he may draw admiration, he
cannot inspire love and confidence The feel
ing is general, and it is true, that he has no
sympathy with the great body of his country
men, but that he builds his hopes Of success
upon brilliant achievements, on p ,litical mannu-
vres, on compromises, of which he has as ma
ny, and is generally as successful in them as
Sir Hugh Evans in the Merry Wives of W ind
sor, and on the unscrupulous devotion Of his up
holders and partisans.
Even, then, if Mr.. Clay were TO be supported
now again for the sixth time, by the Whiq
party, there would be, there could be no hone of
his ultimate success, unless, indeed, within the
last year or two he has himself wholly changed
for the better, or new lights have broken in upon
the People. OF the fate of the Wings should
they put Mr.. Clay's name forward, let tie recent
events in twenty of the fu,an'ys-sis Sa~.~- .~ii
THE -e,y suspicion rbat he is to be the candi-
date, joined to the knowledge of his movements
in the last Congress, and his conduct during his
retirement, has been sufficient to change ui-
umphant Harrison majority, in twenty States,
into well-beatcn Clay minority. In 1914 the
result will be the same.
To raise Mr.. Clay is impossible To sink
with him, If the attempt be made inevitable
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LOUD VOICE OF THE PEOPLE,