Washington telegraph., 1845-01-29
Wednesday, : January 20, 1915
HEN RY CLAY.

recommended HENRY CLAY to the wings
of tho Union rs their candidate for the
Presidency in 1913. We think the noini-
nation hasty and premature. we MINK IL
too soon 10 select our men, and Il this were
even the proper time, we would mol DC
willing to see the name of this great man
before the people the fourth time. Let us
49,, s,me other man. These remarks are
not prompted by any thing like opposition
on our part to Mr. Clay, bot we are salts
fed he could not be successful. 30 lar as
we are concerned, Henry Clay was our
first. second. third and last choice for the
Presidency. Among the distinguished
wbirs of the Union, he has always stood
foremost and deservedly the most promi-
nent. That he has been shameiully treated
bv the American people is indeed true;
that he has done more for our country than
any living man, either whig or democrat,
is no less true ,and posterity will pronounce
sure AMI withering verdict upon his country
men for their ingratitude to their illuslrious
benefactor. To the historian Mr.. Clay
can only look for that full measure ofjustice
which his own generation has denied him.
For a series of years-indeed ever since
he entered public life-a rancorous war has
been waged against him by insincere poll
ticians, humbugging Office. holders and har
Il. II l.,-o IF tho
accursed weapons of calumny and detraciion
they have thrice defeated the man to whom
we owe larger deb; of gratitude than to
anv man living. His fate is a triumphant
exempliiication of the adage that ''rePublics
are ungratefIl." Ours has certainly been
SO towards Henry Clay. But what cares
he for defeatl With what public act can
he reproach himself and thereby embitter
his remaining daysl Towards his country
that warm attachment which characterized
the venerable founders of this republic. A
consciousness that he has never been un-
faithful to his country is reward enough for
Henry Clay. He can go down to the
grave with the proud satisfaction of having
been the unwavering friend of civil and
religious liberty, and of having aided his
country in earning a high renown and name
amongst the great family Of nations. Such
reflections as these will be reward enough
to such great and lofty mind as Henry
Gays. His name will live for generations
TO come; pos;erity will speak of him as the
greatest man of his times, while the names
of those who have loaded him with obloquy
will pass into the keeping Of forgctfhlness;
or, if remembered at all, it will be for the
bitterness and injustice with which they
assailed him.
Prior to the year of our Lord 1924, the
American people thought they beheld in
Henry Clay the true and unhinching patriot.
But he voted for John Quincy Adams in
preference to General Jackson, and for so
doing he was charged with bargain, in
frigue and corruption, The people be-
lieved it then, and believe it even yet, in
despite of all the developments of twenty
years, which ought to remove from the
minds Of the most skeptical the slightest
suspicion of his guilt. That one vote, the |
most judicious one he ever gave, has served
to thwart the destiny Of Henry Clay. The
American people, in their sovereign ca
pacity, pronounced verdict of condemna- |
lion, and the sentence stands unaltered, |
unreversed. Athens had its
great men and patriots-nearly all of whom |
were rewarded for their patriotism with
either death, banishment or some Infamous
The great Miltiades fought for
Athens and grew old in exertions to estab-
lish the liberty of his country; but there
was an envious man by the name of Xan-
Ihippus in Athens, who, out of his malice.
accused Miltiades of treachery, and the
Athenians believed it. They required no
'roof-'hey waited for none; but the ground.
ess accusation prevailed over the fair name
md innocence of Miltiades. He was con
emned to die, but the sentence beinp con,
nuted into one less harsh and rigorous. bis