The Arkansas banner., 1844-10-30


 ing at Taunton, Massachusetts, over which he was called to preside. There are 6 or 7 of these Nos, or '.Essays," as he calls them They all appear to proceed from the hand oi master:
 From he Madisonian.
 CHARACTER OF HENRY CLAY.
 ATTRIBUTED TO DANIEL WEBSTER.
 ESSAY NO. 1.-(REPUBLIcATIoN)
 Mr. Clay has been candidate for the Presidency from the moment of his return from Europe, at the close of the last war, up to the present time, now period of six and twenty years. Twice or thrice has he gone to the polls, and once with the whole sup port of the party to which he belonged.- That he will continue to be candidate tlll success or death extnguishes such condi- ton, no one acquainted with his character and his indomitable ambition, can doubt, Let us do Mir. Clay justice, let us commend his virtues and applaud his talents; let us praise him for all in him that IS pralseworthy; and this the more cheerlullv as we intend to extenuate his political faults, and the fatal consequences of his politial conduct in 194l. Without much literature, or any great extent of general knowledge, he has a strong under standing, now a good deal cultivated by habits of business. good person, fine voice, an attractive and commanding manner, fit him eminently for public debate and he loves, to a lamentable excess, what he excels ill. His irritable temper brooks no contra diction, and by far ionder of invectlve and retort, than of the influences of soft persua- sion, neither friend nor foe, who opposes him l ipHnoI np these occasions he treats his friends worse than he does his foes; for, while he looks upon the latter as enemies Ill lawful war, he regards the former as rebellious subjects who deserve no mercy. To precise logic, or cool reasoning, he has little pretence; but for the illustration and enforcement of gen. eral principles, his resources are respectable, and the skill with which he uses them evinces both adroitness and practice He has other important qualities as distinguished leader in popular assemblies. He is bold, fearless, ready, ardent, and when discomftted and oyerthrown, as he often IS, Ill a good cause, by his imprudence and excess, he can retire, beating such note of retreat nevertheless, as still seems to have an air of triumph in it. Excessively fond of admiration, as public orator, and consequently studying effect more than wise man should, he cannot, and nev CT could. forego joke, or sarcasm, which should bring applause from the gallery, tho at the same time, 1t should plant dagger, or create vULNUs IMMEDIcABLE, in another's heart. The natural result of this temper has been fully shown. While no man, in his speeches, gains more general applause, no man inActs more private pain, so deep-seat- ed dislike in the bosom of his adversarles.
 The history of Mir. Clay's opinions, since 1906, and of his steady efforts-steady in their objects, though far from steady in their means-must hereafter form topics of discus sion. The position i'll which he has now chosen to place himself, and the hostiities which he has commenced, render this abso- lutely necessary, for the purpose of lawful defence. At present, we conine ourselves to the occurrences in '39 and 40.
 Mr. Clay was candidate for the nomina- ton of President, at the Harrisburg Conven- ton in December, 1889. His sanguine and ardent temperament would not suffer him to indulge in the least appreciation of defeat.- No friend, nor all his friends together, could persuade him that General Harrison or Gen eral Scott would be more likely than himself to succeed against Mir. Van Buren. He would not believe it-did not believe it-does not believe itnow. At this moment, he Is per fectly convinced, that if he had been nomina- ted, he would have been elected; and the de- feat of his nomination he imputes to treach- cry and fraud. There are those who pre- ferred another candidate,* and whom, for that reason alone, he chooses to consider and de- nounce as enemies and traitors, whom he has since pursued, and will pursue, till they go to their graves, or he to his, with implacable resentment. He has an iron memory for in- iuries, and he is like other men who hate without cause. sort of consciousness that they themselves are wrong, and that they have no cause to hate, only leads them to hate the more. A conscience, accusing itself of unjust resentments, often seeks to quiet its own bangs by increasing evaporation.
 As to Mir. Clay's apparently graceful with drawal from the controversy, for the sake of harmony, and the letter produced and read on the occasion, there was nothing in all this but show Mir. Clay's friends never gave up their persistence, their pertinacity, their ad- herence (to use parliamentary phrase) to Mr. Clay's nomination, till he was beaten, thoroughly beaten, irrecoverably beaten,in the Convention. And, then, an attemptwas made, adroit enough, but such as deceived nobody, to turn his defeat into withdrawal.
 But from that disappointment, MT. Clay's wounded spirit has never recovered. He soon afterwards, indeed, endeavored to make the best of it; to support Gen. Halrison's elec- ton, and to place himself in the line of suc- cession next to the General, who had declar- ed his intention of serving one term only
 Daniel Webster we suppose.