Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-07-30
AN ELOQUENT EXTRACT.

Regardless of all imputations, and proud
OF the opportunity of free and unrestralned IN
tercourse with all my fellow-citizens, if it
were physically possible and compatible with
my official duties, / would visit every State,
20 to every town and hamlet, address every
man in the Union, and entreat them, by their
love of country, by their love of liberty, for
the sake of themselves and their posterity-in
the name Of their venerated ancestors-in the
name OF the human family, deeply interested
in the fulhlment of the trust committed to their
hands-by all the past glory we have won
by all that awaits us as nation if we are true
and faithful in gratitude to Him who has hith-
erto so signally blessed us, to pause-solemn-
, " pause-and contemplate the precipice which
yawns before US. If, indeed, we have incur
red the divine displeasure ; and if it be neces-
sary 10 chastise this people with a rod OF ven
geance, would humbly PROSTATE myself be-
fore Him, and implore Him, in his mercy, to
visit our-favored land with war, with pesti-
lence, with famine, with any sCourge other
than military rule or blind and needless en-
thusiasm for mere military renown'
Such were the sentiments of man who ut
tered them as the sincere convictions of his
mind. He prayed that pestilence or famine
should be sent upon his country, as less of a
curse than to sub eCt her to the administration
of President who was eminent only in mill
tary life. OF course it is not expected that
the sentiments of this extract should receive
any attention, or meet with any concurrence
from the whig party. Their feelings certainly
could not harmoniZe with them Neither can
1t be expected that the speaker ever was a
member of that party while entertaining such
wishes. Happy, thrice happy, would it be
for the wings if all this could be as we have
supposed. Most fortunate would it be if it
could not be found upon record that these SEN
timents were uttered by Henry Clay, upon the
nomination of Gen. Jackson, in 1928.
1t is astonishing to see how much ill-luck
Details the wing party. If they elect Presi-
dent, he soon dies If their leaders avow a
set of principles and the party adopt them,
they soon become " obsolete IDEAS If their
most honorcd and respected statesman con-
dennis course of conduct as a curse to their
country, they, through some waywardness.
are soon found adopting this very course, and
hurryng on the predicted national curse. Al
the same time the prophet is continually re-
gardel as inspired, and his subsequent speech,
cs and letters are received with as much rev.
erenCe as the words of the oracle of Delphi
The apparent respect pail to him is intended
TO soothc his mortified feelings at seeing his
cOunses treated so summarily. This is way
of buying off peculiar to the wings.
But the i'll fortune that befaIls Mr.. Clay is
still more inexpressible. Arrived at that eX.
trcme period of life when his strength and feel
ings will no long suffer him to take an active
part in the severe labors of public life, anc
nature forces him to retire to peaceful scene:
where the shades of evening are beginning tc
- ;,f 4bo4 h. H.,
has been the fruit of his life, what has beer
the influence of his example, and what is tht
effect of his opinions upon his fellow-c citizens
Like the old Roman statesmen, sitting in thu
entrance of their houses, he would desire Il
drink in deep satisfaction from such reflections
But how bitter to him must be the draught
If his thoughts turn TO the great measure O
his life, g the American system,'' he sees i
rejected by the nation as false in principle
and fraught with ruin in practice. If the gold
en- vision of a bank rises to his view, the vol
Ces of his friends declaring it to be an &c obso
letc idea echo in his ears. If he attempts Il
scan the actions of his fellow-citizens, tn,
conduct of his own friends spreads over hin
n frozen chill at the prospect of that frightfu
curse, more terrible than war, pestilence ant
famine, which they, in defiance and contemp
Of all his admonitions, are striving to brln!
upon his beloved country. Unfortunate man
He has out-lived his times. He has not KEEP
pace with the progress of even the wing par
~. He survives monument of desertion-
cast aside by his friends, as the worshipper
of craven images becoming weary of subser
viency TO the same old statue, throw it asid
AS useless log. Well may he now exclaim
blow, blow, thou winter wind''
~ Y Erening Post