Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-03-04
RICHMOND, VA
Tuesday Morning, March 4.
TpE PAST AND THE PRESENT


TIE PAST AND THE PRESENT!
With all his sagacily, the ablest man isa very
blind animal. aI.ands he can measurc-ierms
and tides presagen-but in most other respects, ne
is as blind as a mole He can calculate The mo-
lions Of the largest bodies in The Heavens. ne
can foresee Eclipscs Of the Sun and Moon. ne
can even sometimes prognosticate The COURSES "
the cratic Comel-but he cannot toresee the poll
cal movements Of his own species IN most OF
their mos, important elements. Upon The resui's
OF the late election, for instance. The wlsesi OF Us
has been unable 10 see scarce beyond his nose.
! View the landscape, as 1t appears 'iis '''hI :
twelve months ago. The Wings were sure OF
The election of Mr. Clay. He had just been TO
i New Orleans where lie had addressed his sangline
/ followers. and assured them that the signs were
BRIGHT and almost decisive in every quarter OF Inc
4 Heavens. Eew was about 10 commence his grand
4 Southern cleciionecring tour, TO make assurance
\ doubly sure. AL his friends symp ..lzed win
his feelings They believed the clsclion was dc-
cided, and that lie only wanted The forms oil me
Constitution, to declare him the President OF inc
United States On The other side OF the picture
behold The Democrats divided among various
candidates buchanan, Cas-. Johnson, all mad
warm decided friends. In Virginia, the struggle
was going on with great spirit between The friends
Of Van Buren and Calhoun. But look aloit, and
YOU see little "Lone Star" glinmerng ieebiy on
The verge OF fhe horizon. Many regard ll-but
no one is able 10 estimate The irresistible influence
which as il wheels on in lis solitary course, II Is
destined 10 exert upon the election, and, IN lac',
almost 10 control il.
4 Trace Mr.. Clay on his mad and elcc,ioneerns
career He arrives al Raleigh in April. lie has
reached an important Pc nj IN ms Journey WHICH,
4 as Rousseau SAYS ofPvrrhus, was only conducting
q a - ~, which DESTROYED
life Beware, Sir oihal illslarred question, which
is 10 be yourrun Take not the advice ofihe unior-
tuna,e councillors, who are lhrongins around you
\ from Virginia and Washington. lie listens mol
| 10 the warning of truth! He writes that ominous
letter, which is to prove his ruin he has, IN an
evil hour and contrary 10 his own solemn profess
sions in his speech of 1920 touched The spring.
which puts into motion the tremendous machinery,
that is TO crush all his prospects. The Mercu-
~, (Green) bears his celebrated anii-Iexas
/ Raleigh letter 10 his anxious friends al Washing
| ton They as blind as himself send it forth, and
il returns, like curses upon his own devoted head
In vain, lie Struggles against il. In vain, nc has
sought To propiliaic the Abolition vote. in VAN,
does he then write letter after letter, first 10 remove
the impressions in The South, and then to revive
them in the Norh-ihe mischiefis done-and the
rising hurricane drives his barque 10 pieces upon
the shores of Texas
/ On the other hand, far more eminent am
cooler statesman writes one of the abest documents
Of the age. He demonstrates in letters oil light
The eonsulionaity Of the acquisition Of Texas;
but unfortunately hesilates about The Practlcabi-
lily OF its immediate annexation. The same ire
sistible influence operates upon his destiny-and
/ al Baltimore where Mr.. Ciay was but few days
before taken up amid the acclamations of the
Wing Convention as their candidate only 10
be deieaed-hc Mr.. Van Barren, worthy OF a
better fate is superseded By another indivi-
dual, taken up without his knowledge with
out even expecting il, and, "a il were, from The
bosom OF the people. We shall not paint the
violent struggles which ensued; and the shock Of
the conlending hosls-We shall not describe The
blindness and idolalrv, and infauaion Of the
Wings, who had not the courage 10 change their
leader but followed him like Will-o-lhe- Wi>p,
through all his blundeis. We shall not pursue
them through all their arts through all their iollies.
through all their humbugs-ihrougl all The in
famous tricks and amid al the thick darkness
which obscured their vision. Nor shall We
describe the glorious struggles otthe Republican
pariy-lher attachment 10 principle, their con-
tempt Of humbugs, and their unflinching devotion
TO the fortunes of the Lone Star.
/ The results OF the last twelvemonths events are
written in The proceedings OF this day. Who
could have loreseen them Twelve months ago -
gifted as prophet as predict on the 9Th March,
| 1874. what should take place on This iih day oi
March, 1915; and who is this day 10 be honored
/ by The first office in the wordl .Mcmor0blc
dau! Shift the scene 10 Washington on this
remarkable occasion. What do we see J
Only on Friday last, The "Lone Star" of Texas
has assembled 10 The zenith, and unies in all her
I glory with the American constellation. On the
very next day, Saturday, the lst of March,) two
other new States, Iowa and Florida, rise, like
twin sisters to the rank and dignity of foil men,
| bcrs OF this glorious confederacy Of hrcnty-ninc
I States. And now. on this day, behold the further
consequences OF the powerful will OF a free peo-
/ pie. Behold that immense multitude who are
crowdins the area in front of the Eastern Por,ico
of the Capitol of the Union. Behold that bril-
liant procession which fills the Avenue, bearing
10 the platform OF the Capitol the modest. unas-
Stunning and able man, whom the people have
drawn from his retirement TO place at The head of
| the nation. No one now asks, "Who is James Il.
Polk :" The oaths OF Office he is now taking
| from the lips of the Chief Justice Of the United
States declare him 10 be the President His friend
and colleague at his side is Just installed The Vice
President Of The U. States
| Behold, then, the sublime lesson, which is thus
taught by free government and an enlightened
people "lf you wish 10 be happy, be free people.
! Repudiate all hereditary, pampered monarchs,
whose mojesty, when stripped Of It's cxternals, is
! bu, "a jcA"-and choose your own rulers Tor
yourselves. Let that choice he determined BY
| principle, ond reason; not by hnmbugs and ap-
peals 10 the senses and lei the events OF this day.
which consign one distinguished citizen 10 The re-
lirement OF Ashland, and raise another (but mo-
desl feow-ci,izen) 10 the White House at Wash
inglon teach all future aspiranls M0t nojtc ends
arc onivio be adhered 5y no5le means"