The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1844-02-17

his administration, and fully exposed nt IN,
time, to augment Executive patronage dis
cre'lon aud power, and nothing surely has
more eminenlly distinguished Tho career O
Mr Clay than his constant and pcrscvcripp
efforts to restrain, and provide new dyke,
and securities against tho enlargement o.
abusive exercise Of tho powers of,hat de.
parlment of the Governmont-Ju Judging
them, then, by Mr. Van Buren's own defini.
ton ofpoliiical parties, as correctly laic
down by him in 1898, but totally los, sigh,
of in his subsequcn, practice, let the sober
and impartial judgment of the country de.
eide which is The Federalist and which the
Republican.
1t is impossible for any rejecting man TO
contemplate the actual and prospective
condition of The country without seeing in il
already the germ of new difficulties and
troubles, which may, in their approaching
development, agitate our glorious Union 10
lis centre. The Oregon and Texas que s,
lions in our foreign RELATIONSHIP home, a
deficient revenue, with all its ordinary
sources pressed up to their far,hesi produc
tire limit, and some of them, there is reason
to apprehend beyond; the Tariff controver>
sy re.opened, with all the conflicting inter.
ests and passion which never fail to be
awakened by it; and added to those, the
re kindled fires Of the Abolition excitement
each and all Of them are questions which
carry in their bosom the fearful elements of
civil! discord and intestate strife The worst
and most dangerous aspect they present, is
that all of them bring into immediate and
array, if not into angry and hos.
'ile collision, the sectional interests and
feelings Of the different geographical divi..
ions Of the confederacy.
Whose, at such moment, il the master
spirit that may have power to still the rising
tempest, before it sweeps with destructive
fury over the face Of our yet happy Union:
or should this prove hopeless and impossible.
whose the commanding genius, "ro ride in
the whirlwind and direct the Storm" To
preside over the destinies of great Re,
public, in crisis Of such complicated diff.
Guilty and peril. calls for something more
han the arts of the mere party polsticiax
/ demands the highest moral and inteIec.
uaI qualities of The statesman courage,
elevation of character and
elevation of views; nobleness and gene.
osl,y of nature that attracts confidence, and
IAN inspire enthusiasm; the spiri, Of persua
ion and the spirit Of command combined,
Let The annals of the country, 10 some of
he darkest moments which have ever low.
red upon its fortunes, be- consulted, and
hey will answer whelhe. HENRY CLAY or
MARTIN VAN buren, is the man for such
crisis.
have thus, my dear sir, with the frank
less due to our lalions of friendship, per.
onal and political, given you my views on
subject which is soon to absorb so large
portion of the public attention, and to
'hch no good citizen can be Indifferent. / !
after myself they will meet your concur
ence, and tina, of our Republican friends
Tho have acted with US in trying scenes
trough which we have passed, but, in any
vent, am sure they will be received by
gu with the kindness and cordiality, in the
pirit of which pray YOU to believe me,
los. truly and faithfully, yours. n
w c. RlVES, =
Col. EDAuND FoNTAINE, Hanorer. 7,