Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1844-10-04
From the New York Evening Post.
RINGING THE CANDIDATE,

RINGING THE CANDIDATE.
Our readears may have been in the coun-
try when some farmer was compelled to
chain up an OK who had become trouble
some to other animals or to the fences
The process consists in throwing rope
ing him close up to staple fastened in the
ground. 1t is called ringing from the fact
that ring was formerly used instead of the
staple.
Well, it seems to us, that Mr.. Webster
and other wings are trying to ring Mr..
Henry Clay in this way. Mr.. Clay is a
person that has will Of his own, he is
somewhat impatient, or rather decidedly
impetuous, and by his recent movement
towards Texas. has greatly gored the sides
of Messrs. Webster, Choate, Seward, Cas-
sius Marcellus and others who were in
dulging themselves in loud denunciations
of the democratic parry because of its i'm
pute leaning in favor of that republic
These gentlemen had even succeeded, in
Western New York, and in some parts of
New England, in producing an impress
sion that Mr.. Clay was champion of ne
gro emancipation, and that no friend to the
southern slave could consistently with
hold his vote from him as a candidate for
the presidency.
But in the full tide of their success, Mr..
Clay took TO the business of letter writing.
In the first place, he told Cassius Marcel
lus pretty plainly that he was grossly mis-
representing the opinions of his namesake,
and that Clay the elder held to none of the
notions ascribed to him by Clay the youn-
ger. In the second place, Mr. Clay told
Messrs. Choate e. Co. that he had "per-
sonaI!y no obi ee tons to the admission of
Texas into the Union," indeed that 'she
should be glad TO see it," aud that the talk
aboutlts perpetuating slavery was all moon
shine.
These letters were dreadful blow to
the eastern wings, and accordingly at their
great meeting on Boston Common, they
determined to ring Mr.. Clay. The me-
thod they adopted was to insist that Mr..
Clay had "pledged' himself against an
nexation. This was the staple, and pre-
tended belief in his ''honor and principle"
was the rope by which he is to be tied,-
The exiIed Marcellus said in his speech.
81 take Mr.. Clay by his pledges-I hold
him to them, that he will not sanction the ad-
mission of Texas into our Union, unless by
no of ho CT
pose it. He dares not ignore them, he dares
not give his influence to the execution of such
an infamous scheme"
Here Mr.. Clay is regularly tied to the
bull-ring and de6ed to get away. Mr.. Web
ster, too, is reported to have said:
"Mr. Clay is against annexation, except it
can be effected with the common consent of
the whole country. He has said that he re-
CARDS the Union as grand copartnership, in
to which no new member can be admitted
against the will of any one of the general CO.
partners. And he holds himself bound to op-
pose annexation without that general consent.
Here is his pledge, and stand upon it. Ibe-
lieve in his honor and principle. A voice in
the crowd here exclaimed, we will take him
at his word.'l Mr.. Webeter resumed. We
will take him at his word, and he dare not for
felt it's
In the attempt to throw the rope over
Mr.. Clay, it must be observed, however,
Mr.. Webster has lost sight of his staple.
For he says that he for one will give his
vote to Mr.. Clay, ''among other things be-
cause he is pledged against the annnexa-
ton of Texas. He holds
and I hold distinctly that annexation must
and does tend to the extension, promulga-
ton and perpetuation of slavery"
This is downright perversion of MIR.
Clay's language, and looks like wiiful
deception. What Mr.. Clay said was
this. .-.. s-.
81 do not think that the subject of slavery
ought to affect the question one way or the
other. Whether Texas be independent or IN
corporated into the United States, I do not be-
feUe shat it tciH prolong or shorten the duration
of that institution. 1t is destined to become
extinct, at some distant day, in my opinion,
by the operation of the inevitable laws Oh pop
ulation. 1t would be unwise to refuse per-
manent acquisition, wnichwin last as long as