The New York herald., 1844-09-23

anti Texas question the great issue ia the present
contest And in this letter, from which we have
quoted, Mr.. Clay expresses only the sentmenisand
opinions. which were presented by him in the let
ter 10 his friends intended for publication in the
National Intelligsncer on his nomination by the
Baltimore Convention, but which was returned to
him with request 10 modify the passages relative
to Texas.
Let US now turn to the speech Of Mr.. Webster
on Boston Common, which we give at length on
the first page Of this days paper We there find
Mr.. Webster affirming that Mr.. Clay is pledged to
60 against Texas, and that Mr.. Clay holds as he,
Mr.. Webster holds unqpestionably, that the an.
nexation Of Texas does tend, and will tend, and
must tend to the existence and perpetuation Of Afr
can slavery, and the tyranny OF race over race on
this conusnt and, therefore, he will not go for H."
And Mr.. Webster goes on to argue against annex
alton, chic fly on the ground Of It's being equivalent
to perpetuation Of slavery-employing The very
argument which Mr. Clay had so pontedly con.
demned aud reprobated as inappropriate and inap-
picable, and that, too against me asure the adop-
ton oil which Mr. Clay had said he "should be glad
to see." Now, what does all This mean Z Its mean-
ing ls, we think, very easily discovered. Mr. Web
ser is only prosecuting his original policy. He re-
fers significantly aud proudly 10 the position he
has maintained for seven years" on this subject.
He has no idea OF moving one hdlr's-breadth, al
though The fortunes of Mr.. Clay should be involved
in destruction. There he, Daniel Webster stands,
aud from that position he commences the move
m-nt Tor the succession IN lS4S. This Is ihr mean
lug OF this extraordinary speech which is endorsed
In the manifesto or address issued on the same oc-
casion, and which will also be found on our first
page. thus early, does Mr.. Webster commence h
position to Mr. Clay, and the division in the wing
army is complete.
Meanwhile the panic spreads. The abolitionists
denouncipg Mr. Clay as can incorrigbe robber
aud tyrant,' are working with almost superhuman
activity. Their vote in this State will be enor-
mously increased at the next election We have
seen how il has swollen in Maine So also it will
be in this, and all the other free States. Already
the wealthy wings ale drawing their purse-strngs,
and the canvass all but abandoned to the Violent
the fanatica, the ofce.see kers, the Webster men,
and the Fouriertes Thus has brilliant prospect
been obscured For at period in this cam
palgn. Mr. Clay's chances did, indeed. appear most
promising. And had the canvass for him been
conducted in the free States with discretion judg
ment, and sincerity, his defeat would have been
difficu-perhaps impossible to accomplish. Now,
however, the is certainly changed, sadly for
tn worse This last effort of Mr. Webster must in-
evitably increase the lukewarmness, the oppressive
and d.shearening sense OF dsunion, the uncertain
~ and alarm which had before, unfortunately,
begun to be manifested in the wbig ranks What
may be done to avert the calamity now threatened
ia so many quarters, we know not. We shall
await with great deal of curiosity and anxiety,
the proceedings at the mass meeting on Thursday
next. What it is contemplated to do on that Occa-
sion, we have not yet distinctly learned. But
whatever form the movement may assume, then,
it will Influence, to great extent the general pro-
gress of the remainder Of the campaign through
out the north One thing, at all events, is certain,
we are now in the midst Of the very crisis Of the
contest, and the fortunes OF Henry Clay are trem-
bling In the balance.
The PANIC.-The whig papers are full of all sorts
Of ialyng cries. Our repeated declarations OF the
necessity of bringing out the full strength of the
wings at tine polls, appear TO be producing some ef
feet AS specimens Of the tone adopted by the whig
organs throughout the country, and in order to H.
ustrate the alarm which pervades the ranks of that
party, we annex two raying cries, the one from
a Maine paper and the other from one OF the lead
ing wing journals ol this city: -
lFrom the Portland (se) Advertiser1
The other practical fault here, the obvious one
that did get out BY any means, the whole number
OF lawful wing voters This great iant any where,
likely occur at any time. But under the cn
instances Of the present canvass lSahle to pe
culiar mistake Of trusting much pub
lie gatherings mass meetings and preliminary shows Of
streneth We believe tha every mass meeting held by
wings in Maine advanced our cause but did
nlly perform the other part Of the bnsnessto bring
every wing voter to the polls The public meetings pu
off our guard 9 forgot the whg voters who were
al home We thought too much Of the voters who
out and did not aks all the pans should have done to
bring those hon business or inhttentlon had Kept
away from the public gatherings, aud those who were
inng but ct Undecided towards our cause Wings
iii liable TO the oversight Public
meetings are the oroer Of the day They are good to
reasonable extent But there is tme preceding every
election when they should give way for The
nticn, sections and DISTRICTS 10 single
hg 10 H. at he to the work Of voting
Il plan from the returns, that thousands OF wings IN
Maine did not vote Ii because they did NOT gen.
orally the OF the party, any thing like
that but simply from the omission Of that pains taxing,
which all Shows necessary with the beet
o, causes aud with the most patriotic Of We ask
leave 10 remind our friends abroad to be warned by our
omissions"
From the Courier and Enquirer.]
The mistake OF trusting 100 much to public gatherings,
etings and preliminary shows Of strength, n
prominently among the Causes OF our defeat! This IS
precisely reck which the wings are liable to la in
Jher States and we have endeavored, therefore, i'm
upon them the absolute necessity Of using other
md nor, direct Of getting strength and
n 4kng from the ranks Of opponents Never
i any party possess Cause SO capable oi being made
popular BY reasoning with the people Our principles
are such ~ every intelligent and honest knows
important for the welfare OF the country and just so
certainly the Of our people honest desi.
of voting righ just 10 certainly have il in
power their sursges u we will but meet them
to face and reason eooy and deliberately upon the
great questions pending before the country.
Every voter every town in this and other States,
houId be personally called upon between this and the
lection and whe the wbigs should hsve fully i'm
ed upon them the necessity of voting opponents
.houd be With and regard to the
Importance o preserving Tariff for Protection and win.
heating the National fsth by refusing to rsb Mexico OF
fexas Rely upon II this is the true way to insure
srss aud although we have objections to meet
ags VI friends ial into the
ssnin.t which prophetlcaly warned by the
,ult in Maine There, every thing was abandoned to
ass meetings; and after dpai Of noise and giorfca-
ion behold beaten by friends stayi ing at
because they were not called upon and urged 20
mi vote Lev the mass meetings proceed bu. let
be taken to secure the presence at the polls