Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-04-23
Mr.. BottS's Letter

=
Clay Festival Association has been pub.
lshed. 1t is ia every respect CAPITAL.
We are free to own that Mr.. Botts's resis.
lance to the nomination Of Gen'l Taylor
for President placed him rather uniavora-
bly, upon our books, bat this letter, and
the right-heartedneSs that speaks out from
every line and word in it, have set him
again perfectly rectus IN curia. All good
as it is, some parts are SO excellent and
well-timcd that they deserve printing and
preserving in letters Of gold. We refer
to his noble appreciation of that browning
feature in Mr.. Claws character, moral
courage, and TO his manly, nay glorious
sentiments as TO what constitutes true
greatness in public man. Speaking Of
Mr.. Clay he says:
"In him is to be found at all times, and
under all circumstances, that fearless IN
dependence, that freedom of thought, that
unrestraincd habit OF saying what he
thinks, readiness TO resist and combat pub
lie opinion, when he thinks public opn-
ion in error, that indomitable self will and
determination TO do what he thinks right,
without calculating the consequence TO
himself, that first attracted my admiration, =
then won my confidence aud finally COM
handed my services. This quality which
so much admire, is know by many mis-
taken and condemned for imprudence, in
discretion, or in political "parlance' for
"mpOLicy." To my mind, no truly
great man ever was what is now under
stood to be imam of policy" for policy
in political life means management, man
agement means cunning, and cunning
means hypocrisy. Now surely no man
doubts that Mr.. Clay has capacity enough
to become managing, cunning, intrigue
ing hypocrlle, or in other words "man
Of policy" fine choose to bring his min
to as low level. If one is bold and
manly in the expression of his opinion
touching the public interests, especially
where they run counter TO the public
mind, he is regarded as rash and impolI-
tic, but if he withhoIds his opinions, and
by so doing practises deception on the
people he is at once esteemed man OF
"pOlicy" if not of wisdom. Who lh'n
could not be a man Of policy if he choCsH
Is it not easier to withhold an opinion,
than TO give it form aud utterance The
smallest men and the most unprincipled
demagogues, are for the most part regard
ed as the most polite great mind des-
pises all such artlice, Mr.. Clay disdalns
it, and honor him for IT,"
Again he asks:
"When did M. Clay stand back, and
wait for the development Of public OPin-
ion, before he spoke upon question IN
volving the interest, the honor o" the hap
piness of his cOuniry : Was il upon the
Mexican war. which was the result Of the
annexation Of Texas or, was it just now
when vuur Union was threatened with
dissolution. upon a question brought about
by annexation and the wari
On each Of these occasions "POhcy,"
might have directed different course
from that he has pursued, and if he had
been master Of what is generally esteemed
the .Stafesmans FRI. he would have
waited for The popular current, thrown
himself upon its bosom and thus have a.
vOided that seli-immolaiion TO which he
has been twice subjected in the last six
wears"
In the following extract Mr. u "a
presses opinions precisely the same as we
have ourselves been privately compelled
10 hold, but would not give wind -, lest
,hey might seem 10 he offensive to poItl-
cal friends and fellow laborers. portion
of the Richmond press. and a larg, pof-
ton too, have evidently stood in awe Oh
The Enquirer, but with the least possible
reason. for even at this distance we have
not failed to perceive that no moons dera-
bic amount of the confident brayado Of the
ENQUIRER since it's commiltal TO Sou bern
Cor venti, fism has been the same a that
which influenced the boy who, in pa sing
a, night through chureh.yard,
Whis,led aloud to keep bis courage u.
'"Thea Rath simply told is tils. Il Tie
South HE Democratic press, and teS arg