Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1844-12-19


DEAR SJR: have received your note
OF the Both ultimo, informing me that
bad been unanimously elected an honor.
airy member OF the Young Mems Clay
Association Of the City and County o
New York. desire that you will expires.
my thanks 10 the Association for this com
pliment, and assure them that set the
highest value upon their esteem, so kind.
ly rendered me by your letter.
This manifestation Of the good opinion
Of the Young Wings Of New York is no
the less grateful for reaching me at mo
men! Of most unexpected disappointment
to that noble party Of which We have the
honor TO be members. We may all ga.
tber consolation 10 this disaster from the
generous aiscrity with which every true
Wing 70 The land renews his VOWS of de.
volion 10 bis country in this her moment
Of PERI. We have lost our battle, il j.
true. I Our present hopes have been
crushed ina great national calamity bu!
the spirit Of the Wings has not been crush
ed ana we look s,eadfastly forward to
The dsYnihg Of. brighter day, when the
still pc evering energy Of our friends may
retrieve the shat cred fortunes Of the Re-
public. The whole Iand-uo: the Wing
of me fee lksly . Ie suffer under The
OF demsgogues may rejoice; few po-
lIlical leaders may rejoice; some chosen
seekers o! Office, out Of the thousands
who hunger and thirst for Government e.
molumsnts, may rejoice: the tens Of
t6ousaods who have been duped may re.
ioice, perhaps. for little while; but the
great body of the Americsn people, even
those who have won, as well as those who
have los. the victory, will mourn over a
triumph that, will eventually be found,
has s,rnck down the integrity and pros
peri,y If the nation. II will turn out to
be triumph orIy gained by the tempo
rary alliance Of discofdant factions, who
can cotie 10 no reckoning with each 9th,
er OF The true issues for which they strove
without mutual scorn for the dissimuls
ton 5y which each has deceived the
other.
In ;heS midst Of the general sorrow
which petyades the ranks Of the Wings
we arelnot without topics Of JOY and con.
graduation. We have joyful pride il
the consciousness that the great mass o
the worthy, The patriotic, and intelligen
OF The land are united, strong and true Il
our cause, the more united, stronger AMI
iruer 10 ibis our adversity, because they
feel tlist nov il invokes a sill more earn
est proof Of their attachment TO Me coun
try. Never has there been a more visi
bic demonstration OF the hazards TO which
popular representative government is ex
posed Than that exhibited in The eley a
tion Of James K. Polk, with all the i'm
pediments Of bis nndisiinguished history
and OF bis equivocsl principles, which NJ
zeal OF investigation has been successful
to explore over Henry Clay, the mos
eminent Of living statesmen, The pures
and brightest ornament Of The nation
lthat ian who, Of all others. has most tho
roughly identified bis name with whaiev
er, 10 the public annals Of bis lime, hs
madesour Union a powerful and 4happl
community, When such man as til
first is deliberately preferred TO the latter
we may cease 10 boast Of that distinctly
excellence 10 our scheme of Government
which attributes 10 The selection by sui
frsge The certainty of an ADLER Chief thai
be who succeeds 10 Msgisiracy by ID
accidsnt 81 birth. The history Of FIJI
canvass has proved 10 US that, in an IN
happy emergency, men OF Eenown.
known service. Of accumulated honor
and Of long asowed political sediments
must needs be thrust aside for one who's
whoIs strength is found in bis desiiiu'iO
Of all abese, and 10 the unexplored med
ocrityl Of bis fame and talents. 10 the an
iagonism between the two opponents lh
/ yiserisnd The better has been overlhfown
| Wha.;irue lover Of his country would nc
couneil a greater honor 10 fall with Hen
Inv CRy than to rise with such an sdyeI
sary \ To fall with al those who has
Istriyeh 10 promote the great America
\ aims enblsxooed upon bis banner, tina
10 rise with the shifting equivocaiiol
which, on she opponent flag. have Auitel
I ed insthe moi less variable breeze to whic
la has been fungi Asbamed Of lis falls
4 prefences, lis concealmenis, and its d.
i cords: Locofocoism made no prOclamailo
10 ibs people Of lie designs Its Ma
I Conse6iion praciised the ruse Of appoin
ing Committee to prepare an address /
exposition Of principle. but Novemb'
came without thai document. No con