Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-01-14

,riate part in the SURFING sccnes vi ''''' ~
'o''' .to cause ofthc excitement that eve !"
~ where existed. No, they simply some Of
Of its effects and manifestations, possessing a a
certain re.acting power, to be sure, but having a
of themselves no vitality or efficiency, only as Il
they found a response in that deep seated pub "
lie feeling to which have alluded The meet n
ings, and speeches, andsongs, and festivities Of
that period were not so much attempts to pro- P
duce, or as the phrase is, TO get up excitement, G
as expressions of the excitement that already 9
existed. The finder was there, else the appli q
cation Of the match had produced no responsive ;
glow. The flint was there else the steel, though
applied ever so vigorously had not brough. fire.
The result was unavoidable, and that, too, inde-
pendent, to great extent, of the personal pop.
ularity or unpopularity of the respective candi.
dates. Had Henry Clay been nominated, he
would have been elected in all probability, just
as surely as was General Harrison.
So, in 1874, it was not any unpopularity of
our candidate that lost us the day. No man
was ever supported for any Office, in any coun-
try, at any time, with more ardor or enthusi-
asm than was manifested by the main body of
the Wing party, in support of Henry Clay in
| 1914. But the times were unpropitious. I'm
der the salutary effect of the few Wing meas
ures which the treachery of John Tyler dared
not forestall, the commercial relations of the
country had, to some degree, recovered their
equilibrium; and the feeling of ease and salts
faction naturally attendant upon such result,
induced certain degree Of indifference and APP
patty in the public mind in view of the approach
ing election, which, so far as it existed, was IA
tai to the success of the Wing party. But still
other elements combined for our defeat fore
most and most prominent of which, was the
treachery OF the acting President. Although af-
ter his betrayal of those who had elevated him
to power, Tyer's personal influence was insig-
nfcant, still the patronage he was enabled, as
the nations Executive, TO WELD "a patronage
never unimportantin any hands at such crisis,)
was by no means inconsiderabe, and it was all
thrown, body and SOUL into the Democratic hop
: per- OF what avail to the Wings was it that
the traitor met the fate of al! traitors, so long
as the treason was effective against us? OF
what avail to us was it that the traitor was con-
signed to merited infamy and universal con-
tempt, despised and detested by the very party
; into whose embrace he had cast himself, and
kicked and cuifed by all parties, so long as our
opponents eagerly and skfully grasped, and
successfully appropriated, all the possible fruits
, of such an infamous betrayal of political princi-
Il pies and party ties, such an abuse of Executive
2 power and prerogative, and such a perversion
l. and prostitution of Executive patronage as the
S official course of John Tyler evinced? The
g other elements of opposition to the Wings, such
as the false, irrelevant issues Of Abolitionism
y Native Anercanism, et ceterd, into which con.
I siderable numbers of our party suffered them
J. selves to be drawn, are too fresh in the
u mind of every one to require moments notice
It Against, and over such obstacles as these nc
man was better calculated to lead us triumph.
III antly than Henry Clay. But it was destined
that the heterogeneous forces of the opposition
should prevail, and it behooved us TO bow witt
;. such grace as we could to the public will, ex
pressed though that will was, in our judgment
ever so inadequately, and ever so unfairly Blu
:, under such circumstances, let us not, above al
-, things, be guilty of the inconsistency and in
gratitude of casting the burden of our discom
y, future upon the head of our nobe-hearted, high
minded, patriotic and venerable leader, nor hasti
=, " conclude that with another we might have
% succeeded nor that, because unsuccessful then
>. we must, as matter of course, with the SAM
e candidate, meet the same fate at any and ever,
;r future trial.
lc But what is the present aspect of affairs touch
81, G
r. so uniavorable, we barely missed of success il
a. the last contest, what is the prospect for tina
20 which is approaching Circumstances, as
ne seems, to me are again assuming an aspect whic
Threatens the overthrow of the national adm
to nisration of the dominant party. There is evi
IS IDENTIFY in the public mind strong and genera
tie feeling of disapprobation of the course of tn
nv party in power /; an indication of which ma
at be seem in the political complexion of the pre-
- sent House of Representatives, as compare
n with that of the last. The War with Mexico
a. with its millions expenditure Of treasure, and il
nd rivers of blood, the war upon our Internal Con
ot merce, the practical operation of the Sub-Tref
ur sury and the New Tariff lin spite too, of the az
81 diton to our resources arising from the late III
nj. exampled foreign demand for our Agriculture
h. products) and other obnoxious measures are pl;
i cling the powers that be- in noenviable positio
H. before the country. Vast numbers of the dem'
IN Gratis themselves are deeply dissatisfied and d
gusted with the mal-adminisration of their ow
J., party. In fine, there is strong if not alread
Ia general, desire for change, desire which,
ho not so deep-ielt that of 1910, seems neverth
IA. less rapidly tend ing to the same irrepressib
nor and irresistible intensity of feeling and expire
ar. sion. Under such circumstances, let Hem
IN. Clay again receive the nomination, and succe
re. is ours as sure the government shall contin,
in to exist. may be too sanguine, but veri
M, believe what write.
!, But, again, to turn the attention, once mo
NJ, briefly from view of the favorable circu,
md stances OF the present crisis to considerable
r., of the fitness Of the man, allow me to say that
NJ, his late speech, Henry Clay has renewe
l. strengthened and increased the obligations und
40. which his public career had already placed Il
do. Wing party and all true friends of their countr
in and added, also, in my poor judgment, to h
If power and availability candidate for {
in presidency. If his name was hailed with Q
thusiasm in 1874 il should excite still treat