The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-08-22
MIR CLAY,S CHARACTER


The general subsistence of thar violent politca
feeling which has nsaed the country for many
years, will be fatal to the hopes of Mr. Clay. Tn,
great body the people are content 10 let wei
enough alone, and are therefore aversc to trusting
power to man, whose whole political life ha,
been history of schemes ami projects.
The people see no necessity for the changes in
national policy which he proposes. A national
bank, the distribution of The proceeds ofho public
lands, the abolition Of the veto power, and most
probably the assumption Of the State debts, are n
n'ong these changes Why encounter the hazards
OF them, when the country is well enough off as it
Isl Why dcviale from the safe, tried and settled
line of policy, which has been established by dem.
ocrdlc administrations and under viii ch we have
prospcred so long and so greatly?
Mr. Clay is rioIeM ANIL dangerous man. lie
has too much temper, 20 be n wise statesman. -,
Whenever he has got possession of power, he has
always abused it, and thrown public affairs into
confusion, lie was the master spirit of the dy-
nasty Of March I, 1871, and he rushed immediate
y into the most absurd measures. The extra ses-
sion Of Congress of that year, was his work. All
lis odions acts, executed and attempted were die
a,ed By him. 1t il mot possible that the country,
fresh from such a disastrous exp crience will a.
gain enrust him with the control Of affairs.
The annexed article from the Nladisonian, shows
the manner in which Mr. Clay brought about the
call for that famous extra session. and throws
much light, both upon his character and his style
Of political tactics. What would Washington and
Jefferson have though, of settling great question
Of public policy. amid the fumes Of the wine bot
tie, and the drunken shout of bacchanalians' Is
It safe TO enrust power TO man, who resorts to
such methods, and cheiishes such companons' Is
It really wise to place the affairs of great nation
in such hands,
From the Mulisonian.
FIVE recall TO mind the extra session Of the 9th
congress, and deliberate upon the feelings then
and there manifested, and their unavoidable ten
denotes, we shall find an apt illustration Of the
preceding observations. That session most I'M
necessary and impollllc, was forced upon the
country, forced upon the cabinet of General i!af.
son, by the imperous will the iron energy Of one
individual, who was determined to use the casual
majority he found subservient to his wishes in fur
therance Of diseased ambitious views. So conf
dent did he feel of the realization of his hopes bv
the exercise of the power he would WELD over
that Congress, that during the last session of the
18th Congress, he had arranged most satisfactorily
the plan Of his operations and had appointed the
agents by whom they were TO be carried out. lie
siiutted in the consciousness Of his irresistible
influence, and he boosted of hs attached and
unhesltatng followers. Ana when, early in the
session, his party were exchanging congratulations
upon their triumphant ma critics, aad gliding their
hopes with the ciories of meridian power, in all
the abandonment Of sympathetic joy, with an
alrogan, and exultant voice he exclaimed, we
were told, OBJ! tins is my thunder, aud
will use il for nv purposes The Recording
Angel shed no tear upon the oath as he registered
it in the book of fate and there it still stands,
and will forever stand, a record Of the vanity
Of human foresight, and The worihlessness Of
human power.
We might descant at large upon the rlehod
by which reluctant assent was finally extored
from the dominant party, TO the proposition Of
an extra session. the fears of some, the passions
Of others. and the hopes Of many, by subtle man
ageneni, were all enlisted. II is a well known
fact, that he moderate and hest advised Of the
party objected to its expediency. II is equally
well known that General Harrison, for some
time, strongly opposed It's call. But he, though
a man, too, of some nerve, quaed before a su-
pcrior energy.
TO some of our readers il may be qualification
to be informed Of the peculiar agency, The mode
Of proceeding, through and by which resolution
to advise an extra session was successfully ina