Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1844-10-18
From the Richmond Enquirer.

we nave received Wllnin the last three
lays not less than three letters from IS the
Letter writer" One ofthese was
not intended for the public eye.
1t is the extraordinary private letter to G.
M. Clay. which we publish this morning,
with the scathing structure of the N. York
Democrat. 1t shows with what eagerness
the '.aspiring and moon-reaching Clay'' is
pursuing the game of ambition-how anx-
iously he watches the vane of popular SEN
timent, and seeks to accommodate his o.
pinions to every section of the country
1t is impossible for one, who has always
given Mr.. Clay some credit, amid all his
defeats, for moral frmness, and decided
characterize see the twislings and turn
ings of the political Proteus without aston
ishment and contempt. The I'd letter was
addressed to DR.. Moore of Georgia, partly
intended for the private eye of his friends,
but wrung from his correspondent by the
publications of Mr.. HoIsey. 1t touches
his former course about the right of Con-
gress to emancipate the slaves Of the Dis
trict-and Mr.. H. uses up this letter so as
to present Mr.. Clay in parallel columns,
in opposition to himself at different peri
DDS of his course.
But the letter Of all the letters is the last,
from the National Intelligencer. He
swears at last, that it is to be his last
tina. is, the last intended for the public eye.
He says, that he doubted at first the pro-
priety of answering any letters upon any
new questions-that he still doubts the
propriety- vows, that this is to be the
last letter he will write for the public eye.
We must. therefore, regard it as the last
strain of the dying swan-and unfortunate
Iy for the minstrel, it is not the sweetest,
but the most ridiculous and shameless of
all his notes. Pity it is, inded, for his
present prospects, and his future character,
that he has written so many letters, and
that this last should be SO open to excep-
tons. Better, indeed, if he had taken
much sooner the advice OF his friends in
New York. Far better, if he, too, had
had Committee, like General Harrison,
to conduct his correspondence, or refuse
all answers. But so anxious has Mr.. Clay
been to propitiate all his friends in all d.
rections. to remove all objections, to abate
all prejudices, aud to grasp the sceptre,
that he has been writing to all parts OF the
country, and presenting the most inconsis-
tent phases to North and South. One IN.
fortunate letter has led him on 10 another.
He writes letter with Northern aspect
TO please the Abolitionists. A Southern
friend informs him, that this letter is doing
mischief 10 his cause in the South. Out
then comes another letter, with more Of a
Southern aspect about it.-Mr. Cassius NJ
Clay goes forth as sort Of missionary to
win the AboIitionists. But his revelations
are so strong, as TO dissatisfy the Southern
palate-and out comes the ''anointed chief.
tain" with public letter, disclaiming some
of the public remarks of the missionary
but, for fear of Mr.. C. NJ. CIay's taking
offence at this public demonstration, he
addresses private note to excuse his pub
lie Ietter-teling him. that he had beer
obliged to gainsay his declarations, because
of the injury they were ''Iikely to infic
upon the Wing cause in the States often
nessee, N. Carolina, and Georgia" -anc
that they ''even endangering the State o
Kentucky" .5
We cannot trace the anxious and des
perate game which Mr.. Clay has beer
playing-his elec,ioneering tOur-his null
titudinous and various letters, all for ffecl
without losing that respec, for his NOR
al frmness, of which he had been cried uT
as 1.-The great Embodiment" Who now
can con6de in his professions. after wit
Messing the fluctuations which he has ex
hibited in his four letters on the Texas
question! What will the Abolitionists
think of his apparent versatility? Beshrew
us but we now believe, that Mr.. Clay
will retire from the campaign, not only
with defeat upon his banners, but shorn Of
that high character for insrepidity, and e
ven audaci,y, with which he entered the
contest. .
We lay this last Will and Testamen
before our readers. We have no room fol
the copious remarks, which it is calculated
to call forth. Ii places its author in mos
unenvlable and awkward position. NJ
one can mistake its character. 1t is inten
ded to win back, if possible. the Abolition
vote, which he tells Casslus Clay. in hi:
private litter. he III. Clay is ''afraid, hi
is destined TO lose. These letters Nos
/, Q and 81 he had written about the an
Inexa,ion ofTexas. Tire lst was intended
for the North. Nos. 2 and swere design
ed for Southern latitude, tossoiten dowi
- -, ...>-. -. L.. LII Io4larL He had 81