The Arkansas banner., 1843-12-09
From Me Mndisoaien.

pensity to draw largely on the future. and to erect gigantic superstructures on pigmy foun- dailons. Whether in politics or currency. their governing maxim is to do a Iarge busi- ness on small capital, and to issue twelve or fifteen, ill promises, to one in means of re- demption.
 The recent elections have lifted them aoain. TOT while, from the abyss of despair to the Pihhacie oi hope Forgetting that the whig party Is not MT. Clay's party, and forgetting 'lle "1xed iact," already placed beyond doubt, oi decided and overwhelming Republican majority throughout the country, and in the popular branch of Congress, they seem 10 ,hinK that casual victory in Georgia. Mary lahd, NC, puts the issue of the approaching Presidential contest beyond a doubt.
 IL seems churlish to endeayor to hold LID blanket before these occasional glimpses of sunshlne-"few and far between''-whieh visit the prospects of the Clay party But we cannst help expressing doubt whether any sensible and clear-headed friend of Mir. Clay (if, indeed, he has any such friends, } thlnks any more highly of his chances for the Presidency now, than he did year, or two years, or even . quarter of century aco. when Ills ehaee after the ignis fas,u,s--the mrdge of the desert first commenced
 In truth, every man acquainted with the nature of our government. and the character oi our people, and knowing any thing of Mr Ciay's individual character and history. must perceive, that there IS barrier between him and the Presidency which cannot be oyer thrown until our frame of government is ready to fall with it.
 When Mir Clay commenced public life, l HIS prlnclples were sound and correct. He was disciple of the Jefferson school of poli- tlcs; and his native talent enabled him 10 de- scant. eloquently upon the doctrines of that school, and to apply them correctly--as wit ness his first admirable speech on the Bank of the United States. But as his principles were the result of a lucky choice of model. ra- ther than of sober judicious reflection, and were not confirmed by time and experience. they soon gave way before the seduc,ions of more brilliant and attractive school of poli- 1 tics. 1 lie visited Europe at time when the di- vine right of kings, and the doctrines of le- gltlmacy, had just acquired signal triumph. ana when every thing which savored of de- mocracy and public liberty was banished rom pollte society He was stru ind dag zled With the splendor and power of the go- yernments of Europe. Appearing in aa ex- alted pubic capacity, he became personally acquainted with, and was treated with dis tnction by their greatest living statesmen. and the renown of their illustrious dead. was brought forcibly to his mind He returned from this visit a changed man; not, perhaps, with diminished patriotism, but with ncreas- ed ambiiion-with views and principles who'll ly unsuited to the character and government of our people-and beftting only one who aspired to wield the energies of a monarchic- al government, and who envied the fame of Rcheleu or Chatham.
 l What these views and principles arc, the whole country now well understands-too well, fortunately, to leave much room for ap- prehension that they are likely soon to be carried into execution. His American Sys- tem-his stupendous plans of Internal im- provement-his project of welding the tax Ing power of the General Government so as to interfere with and regulate every branch of domestic industry, and subject every mans property indirectly, but most etIeetuallv, to the arbitrary control of goyernment-his mammoth national bank, and stubborn adyo- cacy oi paper currency, not subject even to Inc checks which experience has shown 10 pc absolutely necessary-the more recent I project of his friends, for subjecting the peo- 1 pie of the whole Union to an assessment of two hundred millions of dollars, in payment of debts contracted with foreigners by specu- lators and projectors in certain States-the realization of these and other magnificent | SchpfnFS. yvb .i State Rights, nor, in the end, of popular li- berry, IS now well known 10 the people to be the inevitable result of Mir. Clay's accession to the Presidency. We look upon it, there fore, as next to impossible, that that event can be brought about, unless by sudden popular delirium, of which we see no symp- tom, and which Mir. Clay is not the kind of man to excite.
 MT. Clay's individual character and tenn per, not less than his political opinions, have created another formidable obstacle, hitherto always fatal to his success with the people. The people of this country acquire their Knowledge of public men, not merely through the newspapers, but through the rcpresenta- lions of those who arc styled leaders of pub llc opinion-members of Congress, and oth- CTS. There are few of these, belonging to
 
 the whig party, with whom Mr. Clay has ever come personally in contact, whom he has not managed to alenate or offend by his lnsupPortable arrogance. He does not hesi- tate moment in inacting wounds on the self respect or vanity, of others, which his own vanity flatters hlms may De healed at any moment, by an occasional display of fascina- ton of manner on his part, but which never theless, rankle, however well they may be dissembled His personal popularity is little or nothing and hence the facility with which he has been so often "whistled down the wind," and made to give place to others, who had less exalted opinion of them selves, or more regard to the feelings of oth- CTS. Always ardent, impetuous and over bearing, every fresh public display, which he makes of himself, shows that age, instead of having taught him the mastery of his pas e;oos hoe r;van fh em increaeeJ ~trenr,L .,,I