Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-02-01

er and nothing surely has more cmincn,ly dis :
iingushed the career Of MIR. Clay than bis con
slant and perscvcreng eifo,t TO restrain, and 10
provide new bikes and securities agaln,s the en-
largemcnt or abusive exercis of the powers of
the department Of Government. Judging them
then, by Mr., Van Buren's own definition Of pot
cal parties ms correctly laid down By him in SIS
but totally lost sigh, Of his suhseqnen, practice, let
the sober and impartial judgment o! the country to
decide which is the Fcderalis,s and which IS the
Republican.
1t is impossible for any rejecting man to con.
template the actual prospective condition Of the
country without seeing in it already the germ Of
new difficnllles and troubles which may, in their
approaching development, agiate our glorious
Union to its centre. The Oregon and Texas
question in our foreign relallons-at home, a de-.
ticent revenue. with all its ordinary sources pres.
sed up to their f,rthest productive limit, and some
ofthem. ihcre Is a reason to npprehend beyond
the tariff question reopcned, with all the conflict
ing interests and passions which never fail 10 be
awakened by ii; and, added to these, the re.
kindled fires Of the abolition exci,emcnt-each
and all Of them arc questions which carry in their
bosom the fearful elements Of civil dscord and in
testine strife The worst and most dangerous as
pect they present u.s. that all of them bring into i'm
mediate and opposing array, if not into angry and
hostile collision the sectional interests and feelings
Of the different geographical divisions of the con
,deracy.
Who at such moment is the master spirit tina
may have power to still the rising TEMPEST before
it sweeps with destructive fury over the face o
our yet happy Union; or should this prove hope
less and impossible, whose the commanding genlu
TO ride tho whrlwind and direct tho storm II
preside over the destines of a great republic. il
a crisis OF such complicated difficulty and peril
call for something more than the arts Of the mer
party politician 1t demands the highest mora
and intellectual qualities of the statcsmen-cour
age sefposscssion, elevation of character and elc
walton ofvicws "a nobleness and generosity of nj
turc that attracts confidence and can inspr
enthusiasm the spirit Of persuasion and til
split of command cobined Let the ar
. nails of the country, in some OF the darke'
e moments which have ever lowered upon its fo
tunes, be consulted, and they will answer whc,t
or Henry CLAY or Martin Van Barren is the INA
f for such crisis
, have thus,my Gear sir with the frankness du
to our relations offriendship, personal and polil
# cal, given you my views on the subject which
S soon to absorb so large portion of the public u
. tcnion, and in which no good citizen can be il
D different | fatter myself they will meet yor
d concurrence, and that of our republican frient
y who have acted with us in the trying scenes ,hr
d which we have past, bu, in any event, am sui
! they will be received by you with the kindne
:. and cordiality, in the spirit which | pray you
S believe me, most truly and faithfully yours
:. w. G. RlVES.
l. Col. Edmund Fontainc, Hanover.