The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-08-26
VIRGINIA ABUSE or HENRY CLAY.

VIRGINIA ABUSE OF HENRY CLAY.
While, since the advent of Jacksonsm, Henry
Clay has been the theme of abuse wherever jack
sonism existed. it is singular that in Virginia, his
native State, this abuse has assumed, for twenty
years past, the most malignant type, and trans
cended in excess, ilberaty, and venom, all that
was said against him throughout the Union, save
by Amos Kendall alone, who as he was under
The deepest personal obligations to Mr. and Mrs.
Clay-obllgations which he had neither the means
of repaylng, nor the honest sincerity to acknow-
ledge-made him hate Ohe custom of proud and
lgnoble natures , the man who had placed him
self in position of superiority, and mortified his
vanity, though it was by humanity and eeemosy-
nary kindness
Why Henry Clay should be vilipended in Vir-
gina, with an acrimony no where else equalled,
except by Amos Kendall who owes him and Mrs.
Clay the debt which would be sacredly regarded
by an honorable splrit--that of saving him from
starvation and deatll---hut which gloomy, bigot-
ed, and diseased mind like his, looks upon and
resents az degradation and humiIity-why Mr..
Clay should be the subject of the most untiring
and merciless tladucton in Virginia. his native
S ate, is no secret here, whatever it may be else
where The weakness, the vanity, the despicabe
egotsm of poor human nature, account for it all.
Slashes Of Hanover, of poor bu' honest and en-
Iightened parents. He was actually and literally
the MILL BOY of his fathers family. 1t is in
estimation his chefest glory, amidst halo of
glories that enclrcles his history and his name,
that, by the vigor of his intellect and, above all,
by his unconquerable energy and perseverance,
he emerged from that humble position to occupy
the proudest rank among the Statesmen and In
tellects of the nineteenlh century; nor is there,
in rhn IncIa nF nr lin thnr
example in the history of our country, which so
nobly illustrates the superiority, the justice, and
the benefit of Republican Institutions, in throwing
open the honors OF the country and the rewards
of virtue TO ALTO the poor the oppressed, the
humble, as we'll as to the rich and educated
Every poor man who has children to rear-every
widow who clasps her orphan boy in her arms,
ought to revere Henry Clay, for showing pract-
cally, to his countrymen and countrywolnen, hoy
poverty may throw off its shackes by energy and
good conduct, and how obscurity, even MILL
BOYS obscurity, may rise into fame which fills
the world, by that secret of all excelence-ToIL
AND EXERTIoN.
For ourselves, we honor Henry Clay for less
for what he is, topping as he does his cotempora-
res, as Saul did his, by head and shoulders, than
for that continued, that persevering, that noby
and generously ambitious toll, by which MILL
Boy has won such renown and such glorious dis
to honor and love him for: for which all mankind
should revere him, since all mankind are inter-
ested in knowing what effort can effect: and all
Republicans especially, who ought from their
theory of Government and Human Rights to be
delighted TO see the Peasant Boy, rising by his
almost unaided exertons to station and emf
nence unmatched in the World-and that by no
Jack Cade means-by no compliance with vicious
popular humors-by no disregard of the laws and
-
all times, manly, frank, magnanmous, and ecorn-
full of acquiring personal favor at the expense of
his country and its institutions. The poor man
and his sons-the widow and her orphan-they
upon whom, from whatever cause, present adver-
sity has fallen, should look TO HENRY CLAY as a
beacon aoatch-to,cer, mispah, and learn from his
example the great and salutary truth, that man is
The maker Of his o,Un fortunes. and that success IN
all things, If sometimes assisted retarded by
fortune, yet IN the main depends upon ere,tion-
upon himself!
This great and glorious truth Henry Clay h;
illustrated beyond any man of the aye, and for 1t
we claim for him the respect of his country, and
the admiration and thanks of all who desire TO
elevate themselves and their children 10 supe-
rlor condtlon-!o emerge from penury and OF
security. Henry Clay has pointed out the way.
lie ought to be for this alone their "white
plume their Henry w., whom they will follow
"i'io nc iolioWs lHe pdtTlollc course lie mas
adopted.
Why Mr.. Clay is rancorousIy abused in
Virginia above every other State they can I'M
derst"nd who know human nature He came
here mill boy-a s'riping-and in this city, in
the jousts of the debating societies of the day, an
uneducated country lad, like David with his sling
and stone, overthrow those whose weo had been |
educated at William and Mary He came here
in 1920 and rIdculed "VrgInia distractions
He wen, to Kentucky, and has eclipsed the fame
of all rival and educated contemporaries. The
F." Mill Boy" of the Slashes is regarded with en-
nifty by the aristoeracy Of education and blood
who hate the excellence they could not rival
Richmond Wing.
IMMENSE GATHERING IN New JERsEY.-On
Thursday afternoon the Wings of Vncentown,
N. j. and all the adjacent districts, assembled to
the number of 1000 or 5000, in the woods about
huff nnrtb Of Vuranta,un for bo |