Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-12-20
POLITICAL.
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alton. We shall show estimate Of its quail ~
y by assigning 1t TO the most prominent place In
,ur columns, with the full conviction that it will a
lot fail to arrest the attention of true hearted u
Wings in every quarter of the Union. AS clear
statement of the causes which resulted in the de- P
eat of Mr.. Clay, and calm review of the past p
md present condition of the Wing party, it is a.
Dove all praise while for purity Of sentiment ele
pated patriotism, and classic elegance of style, it
has been eXcelled by no political document that
has fallen under our notice since the election On
one point ony-we refer to the writer's remaks OIL
the Naturalization Laws--w any Wing dissent
from the views so forcibly and eloquently express
sed.
But enough The Letter shall speak for ITSELF
BALTIMORE, Nov. 81, 1874
DEAR Sir: / have received your note of the Both
ult. informing me that had been unanimously cleo
ted an honorary Member of the Young Mems Clay
Association of the city and county Of New York.
desire that you will express my thanks to the AS
ISOLATION for this compliment and assure them that
set the highest value uDon their esteem so kindly
rendered Inc by your letter.
This manifestation of the good opinion Of the
Young Wings of New York, is not the less CRATE
ful for reaching me at q moment of most unexpec-
ted disappointment to that noble party OF which 1t
is our pride to be members. We may all gather
consolation in this disaster, from the generous aac
rty with which every true Wing in the land re-
news his vows of devotion to his country in this
her roment of peril We have lost our battle, it
is true. Our present hopes have been crushed in q
great national calamity but the spirit of the Wings
has not been crushed; and we look steadily for
ward to the dawning of a brighter day when the
still persevering energy of our friends may retrieve
the shattered fortunes of the Republic. The whole
land, not the Wing party Alone is likely to suffer
under the scourge of the recent election. The
tribe of demagogues may rejoice; few political
leaders may rejoice; some chosen seekers of office
out of the thousands who hunger and thirst for gov
eminent emoluments may rejoice; the tens of
thousands who have been duped may rejoice, per-
haps for a little while; but the great body of the
American people, even those who have won, as well
as those who have lost the victory, will mourn over
a triumph, that it will eventually be found, has
struck down the integrity and the prosperity of the
Nation. 1t will turn out to be triumph only gain.
ed by the temporary alliance of discordan factions
who can come to no reckoning with each other OF
the true issues for which they strove, without a
mutual scorn for the DISSEMINATION by which each
has deceived the other.
In the midst of this general sorrow which per-
vades the ranks of the Wings, we are not without
topics of Joy and congratulution. We have joy
full pride in the consciousness that the great mas;
of the worthy, the patriotic and the intelligent o.
the land are united, strong and true to our cause,
the more united, stronger and truer IN this ITS adver
sity. because they feel that now 1t lnvokes n still
more earnest proof of their attachment to the coun
try. Never has there been more visible demon
straton of the hazards to which popular represen
tative government is exposed, than that exhibited
in the election of Jas. X. Polk with all the imped
iments of his undstinguished history, and his equiv
ocal principles, which no zeal of investigation has
been successful to explore, over Henry Clay, the
most eminent of living statesmen, the purest ant
brightest ornament of the Nation--that man who
OF all others, has most Thoroughly Identified hi
name with whatever, in the public annals of hi
lei, boc made our n nOWprtul
community. When such man as the first Is de
liberatey preferred TO the latter, we may cease t
boast of that distinctive excellence in our schem
of government which attributes to the selection b
suffrage the certainty of an ADLER Chief than h
who succeeds to Magistracy by the accident c
birth. The history of this canvass has proved t
us, that in an unhappy emergency, men of renowr
| of known service, of accumulated honors and
/ long avowed political sentiments, must needs b
thrust aside for one whose whole strength is foun
in his destution Of all these, and in the unexplo
cd mediocrity of his fame and talents. In the al
tagonsm between these two opponents the wise
and the better has been overthrow. What tru
a lover of his country would not count it a create
: honor to fall with Henry Clay than rise with sue
n an adversary? To fall with all those who ha,
. striven to promote the great American aims embl'
zoned upon his banner, than rise with the shlflin
). equvocatons which on the opponent flag, hay
n hutered in the not less variable breeze to which
. its conceaments and its dscords, Loco Focols
h made no proclamation 10 the people of its design
Its May Convention pracuced the ruse of appoln
ing Committee TO prepare an address OF expos
-. ton of principles, but November came without tn
, document. No committee had the hardihood
4 venture upon the ordeal Of such procamation.-
:. The labors of the canvass found to be mo
probably directed TO the coinage OF local tenet
q adapted to prevailing local opinions, and still mo-
effectively, to the task OF eliminating, by the bf
f sest compost of fasehoods the most ustrious ma
;. of the Republic. BY such arts have we lost Il
q day. Glorious defeat, honorable disaster Ho
|. much more proudly may we take its burden upc
!. US, than suffer the blight of victory which has We
# nothing but the day
- Happily it is not often our lot to witness poll
Il ical contest which leaves behind it more than r
o membrance of its excitement. II is the misfortu
= of the late struggle above all others that our cou
!, try has been engaged in, that the victory leaves
space for the Cancellation of the good will OF u
vanquished. If the strife had been to establish
system of administration which was opposed FRO
re difference Of opinion as to its value; If the
IN cendancy of one set Of statesmen has been conte
ed against the effort 10 elevate another set; 1t
ls had been, in any point, war OF conflicting PRIME
n. pies, the popular judgment might and would ha
er challenged Difference and respect, and all asperl
n would have subsidized with the subsiding ardor
IN contention. But this has not been the character
I'd the fight Our opponents have found motives
: exasperate the public mind against the Wings
d. sharper devices than arguments. They have {
er sailed, as have said, with unparalleled maligni
IN the honor and virtue of that great name whom
IL had chosen to represent our cause they have ma
e, their chief labor to convert the name into the fol
n, est rcproach which can be heaped upon the ln(
"a infamous; they have essayed to strike down tn
IN precious fame, which, earned in a long life OF
III votion his country, has become rather the pro
erty of the nation than of its personal subject.
The insult we resent and must ever resent. 1t Is
mt rare compliment to the virtue of Henry Clay tn
they who are so expert in the use of the weapo
IN of SANDER should find it necessary to supply thu
IN magazine with so much freshly distilled venom, a
to tax their skill to such unusual eo is as they ha
We employed in this contest In less degree, I
n. whole Wing party have been made the object
rs similar assaults. They, too, have been hckly .
It. sailed with ISLANDERS poignant as the arrow III
feth by day. and as insidious as the pestllen