The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-04-14

/ 4~--4-"Ae Aoi ING pfrsdency OF The United States
The letter which we this day copy from the i" Bal
tmore Sun" received yesterday by the telegraph from
CINCINNATI, and conveyed IN less than two days from
Ashland TO Washington all doubt upon the sub
lect With great affected reluctance-indeed, with a
strong original disinclinahon" to aceept-wth a
positive " determination" once formed to announce
ms disclaimer 10 the public-wih painful and EN-
oarrassng struggle between his private wishes and
his public duties-hs duty 70 himself and his du-
~ 10 the country-patiotism has triumpbed over
ms wishes, and he Is once more willing to become
martyr for the public good! Extraordinary man We
will not De dscourteous to the "whg Embodiment.
as TO charge him with mposture; bur we must saw thar
Mr. Clay had better study the ancient maxim. "know
myself" Is there impartial man in the country Who
will give HIM credit for this Acknowledged Is there
one who will believe in the anxiety Of Mr. CLAY to de-
cline the object OF all his aspirations for nearly thirty
years Or Is he playing the part of Richard who most
reluctantly consented TO have fortune bueked on his
back
The narrative OF has struggles indeed amusing enough
He leaves Ashland in December last with determine
ton to decline the honors Of the chair He determines 10
seek some suitable opportunity refue the crown" He
knew that some of ms friends had turned to another
IDOL under the persuasion Of his strong ndsposion 10
run for the Office. They had become committed 10 Gen
Taylor and they passing him off upon the people as
the most GUuitGble candidate for the wing party With
these feelings, and in this condition of his party Mr.
Clay sets out has travels on his ''Pgrs progress
He visits Washington. He punges 10 the midst of the
excited atmosphere of the metropolis He confers with
ms friends He consus with them notwithstanding the
determination he had formed to retire before he takes
the hnal and decided leap He finds many OF them COM
mltted 10 the military cheftan. He doubt finds some of
hls ancient friends cold and averted towards hm-evoed
and enthusiastic in their preference of Gen Taylor They
consider the hero OF Buena Vista as the available candi
date, and not the farmer OF Ashland Yet what does Mr.
Clay He listens the burning appeal and ardent wishes
OF his other more devoted friends They beseech him to
continue in the field they demonstrate against his with
drawa they appeal to his principles and his patriotism
they represent his prospects the hatterng terms
they carry him up the top Of the mountain and point
out the great States Of New York Ohio, and Pennsyva-
MIA, mot Virginia prepared TO support him He
leaves Washington, and visits the great cities of Bat
more, Philadelphia, and New York; he throws himself
in the way OF temptation. and adoring crowds follow
his footsteps the selfish politician and the enthusiastic
people surround him and that no measures OF seduc-
hon may be spared and incense refused to his senses
mated crowds The spell isupon him His determine
ton 10 retire is shaken-indeed overcome las be saws
and second determination TO offer himself MARTYR once
more is confirmed by the opportunities Of his friends and
the caresses of the crowd With mind made I'D to
throw himself upon the stormy wave of politics. he
returns Ashland deliberate on the best mode of
announcing his change of purpose and throwing himself
upon the surages Of his party Such the brief history
Fl, IL. r IL -
gles and his final determination present his claims 10
the wing convention of June next
Ii is no part OF duty to NEEDLE with the intrigues
and contests OF the wings They must manage their own
affairs IN their swn way But we must ask the great
body OF couHuymen what they think OF the profess
sons OF this candidate for their sufrages Three times
defeated in his ambitious aspirations, he is
willing to trust the fortunes Of the battle not for his own
sake certainly not9 but for the good Of his party and
the advancement Of his federal principles He is again
willing TO thrust himself upon many OF his reluctant
friends for the honors of the chair He calculates upon
the vote Of New York (aai il this startling appeal Is
sufficient bring our democratic friends in the Empire
State their and hush the storm Of civil war; then
they perfectly infatuated and medicine
them their senses He calculates upon Ohio who viii
give her vote candidate residing slave State,
Dull 70 himself he Is even Infatuale1 enough 10 hope
for the vote OF the keystone State in the very face
Of her triumphant democratic vote Of 5000 All this
sufficiently amusing; but what shall say of the
adro and insiious address with which he throws him
self upon he free States and appeals to all the preu
dices of their fanatic abooniss and wayward provso
lists No liberal American can listen TO these sec
ronal appeals without Indignation; no one can even
bear with complacency the style in which he speaks
of he free States" and ''the slave States" instead OF
calling them 'eslave holding States and ''non-slave
holding States"
Let not our readers misunderstood As party men,
we have no objection to the letter, which we publish
from the pen of Mr. Clay We read in the tocsin of
in his own party. We see in it the frebrand cast
nallyinto his own camp. We see m it the antpathy
OF the friends Of Gen. Taylor-the additional fuel which
thrown into the fame of their discussions We trace
their national convention, and we see in il the con-
fusion which viii prevail in their councils, and the agita
ton which win convuIse their Sanhe1rim For mere
party purposes would rejoice this movement; but
for our country. lament the sectional appeals which
MIR Clay living himself in savehoding State, himself
stakeholder is about to make the peindces OF the
fanatics, the encouragement which he is giving them
and the distraction which his coming course calculated
to produce Mr. Clay must calculate, doubtless, upon