The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-08-21
MIR CLAY
ESSAY No. I.-TRrrus1icAnOSl

ESSAY No. IL REPUBLICATION
Mr. Clay has been a candidate for the Presidency
from the moment Of his return from Europe, at The
ose of the last war, up TO the present time, no"
period Of six-and-twenty years. Twice or thrice
he has gone to the polls, and once with the whole
support of the party TO which he belonged That he
will continue To be a candidate, tl success or death
extingushes such condition. no one acquainted
with his character and his indomitabe ambition can
doubt. Let us do MIR Clay justice let us commend
his virtues, and applaud ms Talents LET US praise
him for all in him that is praseworthyi and this The
more cheeriully, we do not intend TO extenuaie
has political faults, and the fatal, fatal consequences
of his political conduct in lS4l. Without much lite
nature any great extent of general knowledge he
has strong understanding, now good deal cult
waited by habits of business. good person, hne
voice, an attractive aud commanding manner, ut
him eminenty for public debate and he loves, to a
lamenable excess, what he exoells in His irritable
temper brooks contradiction and by far fonder OF
invectye and retort than of the influences of soft
persuasion neither friend nor foe who opposes him
in debate, expect quarter. Indeed on these oc
casions he treats his friends than his ioes Tor
VIII lie he looks upon the latter enemies, IN law
full war; he regards the former rebelious subjects
who deserve no mercy. To precise logic. or COO
reasoning he has little peence but for the illusra-
ton and enforcement of general principles, his re-
sources respectable, aud the skill with which he
uses them evinces both adroitness and practice lie
has other important qualities Of distinguished leader
in popular assemblies. He Is bold, fearless, ready,
ardent, and when discount ted and overthrow, as he
often is, even in good cause, by his imprudence
and excess he retire, beating such note Of re-
treat nevertheless still seems 10 have air Of tr
umph in it, Excessively fond of admiration, as a
public orator, and consequently studying effect more
than a wise man should, he cannot and never could,
iorego a Joke, or a sarcasm, which should bring APP
pause from the gallery, though, at the same time it
should plant dagger, or create pu,,ts inmedicabe
in anohers heart The natural result of this temper
has been fully shown. While man in his speeches.
gains more general applause, man niicts so much
private pain, creates deep-seaed dislike in the
bosom Of his adversaries.
The history of Mr.. Cay's opinions, since 1906
and of his steady enthusiastically in Their Objects
though far from steady in their neans-must herea-
Ter form topics of discuss on The position in which
he has chosen 10 place himself, and the hosti-
necessary, for the purposes If lawful defence. At
present. we confine ourselves to occurrences in
80, 40.
Mr.. Clay a candidate for the nomination OF
President at the Harrisburg Convention, in Decem-
bel, 1889. His sangune and ardent temperament
would not suffer him to indulge in he least apprehen
sion Of defeat No friend nor all his friends together,
could persuade him that Gen Harrison Gen. Scott
would be likely Than himself To succeed against
Mr.. Van Buren,. He would not believe ibid not
believe it-does not believe 1t nov. At this moment,
he is perfectly convinced that if he had been nomi-
mated, he would have been elected; and the defeat OF
his nomination he imputes 10 treachery and fraud
There those who preferred another candidate
and whom, for that reason alone, he chooses to con
slider and denounce enemle. and traitors, whom he
has since pursued, and will pursue, till they 90 to
Their graves, or he goes TO his, with imp aclbe re-
sentiment. He has iron memory for Injuries; and
he is ike other who hate without cause. A sort
of Consciousness that they themselves are wrong and
that they have to hate, only leads them TO
hate the more conscience, accusing itself of I'M
just resenmenls often seeks 10 quiet us pangs
by increased transportation.
As to Mr., Clay's apparently grace'u l withdrawal
from the controversy, for tie sake of harmony, and
the elter produced and reld on the occasion, there
was nothing all this but show. Mr.. Clay friend.
never gave up Their persistence, their pertinacity
their adherence 90 the strongest Parliamentary
phrase 10 Mr.. Clay's nomination, till he was beaten
thoroughly beaten, iuecoverably beaten, in the Con.
venuon. And then, an attempt made, adro,
enough, but such deceived nobody, to turn hls
defeat into a Withdrawal.
But from that disappointment Mr. Clays wounded
spirit has never recovered. He -con afterwards, in-
deed, endeavoIed make the best Of it, TO suppor,
General Hauison's election, end to place himself in
the line of succession TO The General who had
declared his intention of serving one tenn only
'Daniel Webster, suppose.