Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-11-21
From the Richmond Wig.
"WHY ART THOU CAST DOWN,
o MY SOUL ~

Nv H1 AK l1OO C5Sl DON ~
o MY SOULf
Not because a mere question OF men
has been decided adversely TO our expec-
:alions, our hope, our convictions Of right.
| Not b cause Henry Clay, a msn who has
done his country service, has been r,Ject-
ed By the People, and James x. Polk,
who hos done none, has been preferred.
/ Not on account Of that which our oppo-
neuts make So much account u, that the
I 'sSpoils" are transferred 10 hostile hands
-No-ths wretch who, 81 such mo-
ment, coulI think Of "Spolls" at oil. is
one with whom we q lin and vii acknow-
ledge no sympathy: Not because our
Party is defeated and the antagonist par.
I ty is victorious, Fer none OF these eau
ses do we feel that depression of spirit
which the psalmist, inspired by God
himself. so iouchiugly yet so simply de-
sctibes We're il az ordinary contest OF
contendng factions, such as every Free
| Government which ever existed or ever
can exist, is necessarily exposed 10, we
should not regard the result either way,
or any way, 90 OF lasting and momentous
consequence. Whether the President be
A. b. OF G.. OF whether his officers, those
through whose agency tho machinery OF
Government is carried on, De OF this opin-
ion on the questions Of the day, or that,
is really and practically Of small conse.
quence Nor is il so Indispensable, how
ever expedent for the pecunlary interests
OF the people, that the sound Wing doc.
trines of Political Economy and lnteIna-
iional Policy for which the Wings con.
tend, should be instantly enforcedi This
County always produces bread and meat
enough for the consumption Of lis People,
and there is no fear Of starvation here =
We can, therefore, wait awhile for a
wise Governmental policy, without the
fear of famine before the eyes Of the PEG.
pie
1t is then asked why We do ieel so me.
lsncholy depression at the result oil the
late great struggle We answer frankly
and promptly : 1t is at the popular spFh
which the contest has revealed: 1t Is be-
cause a majority, or claimed majority,
Of The American People have manifested
SO rreconclable hatred 10 the man who
has hes: deserved Of them, next to Wash.
ington undoubtedly, in real and substan-
tial service 1t is because Henry Clay
has been voted against, not for his opn.
ions - not for his principles but because
he aras Henry Clay, the first in service
and the first 10 renown! 1t is because
our countrymen, in their verdict, have
clearly and unequivocally exhibited thai
base and unworthy envy of excellence =
that disposition 10 pull down what is bet.
ter than themselves and TO put up what il
inlerior-the spr, Of that Athenian who
voted 10 Danish Aris.ldes because he was
no, only called but acas the just-which
has beer the destruction of all Republics
HENRY CLAY has been defeated, NOT
because he was not worthy 10 lead his
countrymen, for no man ever pretends
that he has an equal-but because he
was Henry Clay and the first in service
TO his country, as the first in a celebrity
which extends TO every climate Of the
civilized world
THIS is the point Of view which will
present itsel 20 the informed mind, in.
structed by the past experience Of the
world as the most important and the most
fatal. the enjoyment of power for tour
years, III a nations aye, is of the least
consequence 1t is the incapacity tojndge
and to act wisely: 1t is the hatred OF pre-
eminent merit: 1t is the preference for
congenal litleness and ignobihty: 1t is
the spirit to pull dozen instead OF the spirlt
Of elevatlng superior merit; which to the
mind acquainted with the transactions OF
past Republics, is not merely hateful for
ITS meanneSs, but fearful for lis ON, H.
Ii is the raven which croaks dlsappoint-
m, Mt to the fond hopes of the Republican
who wishes for liberty to I'M versal man.
kind--and to the christian aud phlanlhro.
pist. who are prone TO h4ter themselves,
that the world gets better and advances
IN perfeclbiIity, as it advances in age.
For Ourselves we can see no dHle renee
at all in The popular and vulgar envy OF
lluslrIous merit winch has rejected Hem
nv Clay, and which refused "A statue t.
The younger Cato. The events are at the
distance 1000 years apart, but they read
precisely the same moral, tell the same
criminal tale against poor human nature,
and announce the same fate to Repuhllcsl
Mir. Clay has been cast out because he
was the greatest and best deserving, and
MIR. Polk has been elected because to
elect HIM, mortified no mans self love
TEXAS-lMMEDIATE AMNEXA-
TION.