Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-10-08
Menry Clay and General scott.

To tie Editors Of the Baitimole Patriot:
Fencrati0n and respect for the character IF
Henry Clay, impel me- in this public manner,
10 vindicate his memory from the aspcrsion
and calumuy cast upon it by the Baltimore
Daily Argus, in the leading editorial article
Of that paper Of the 9th of September,
Among other broad and gfoundie8a asser-
tions, the editors Of that paper say: " If MI.
WebSters name should be withdrawn as Il
candidate, he must cast his vote for Pierce
and King, if he votes at all; and were Henry
Clay now living, lge are certain he would vote
the same way. We have good and iHdiSpnta-
bic authority for saying So"
In the face OF the ,t9ctS which have been
published to the American people, respecting
Mr. Clay's opinions Of the nomination Of
Gen. Scott for the next Presidency, upon
what "authority" the editor of the Argus has
the assurance to DECLARE, that 81 he is certain
Hcnyy ClaY II ao,0 liojag, ,rou5d cots for
Pierce aud hmg," | do not care to know
From personal knowledge, derived from Mr.
Clay IN the last fer days Of his precious life
on earth, hRolc the GsSlrtiQas Of the editor Of
the Argus respecting Mr. Clay, which have
quoted from his editorial of the 9th inst, are
djSputable and are caIumRjously false; and a
gross and u most offensive SANDER upon the
loved character and cherished fame Of the inn
mortal Patriot and Sage of Ashland.
During the last ten duHs Of Mr. Clay's i'll
ness, [ had my lodging at the National House
in Washington, where he was, and had daily
and almost hourly opportunities to learn and
know duccjly from his lips, his opinions and
sentiments upon political subjects and nation
al affairs. On the day Of his death, stood
near the door of his room. | stood near the
door Of his room where he expired. ] saw
the glorious light of mGtciiesS genius, whose
splendors have Illuminated the world, and for
half 4 century lighted the pathway of free
dom and constitutional liberty, extinguished
by death and go out IN the rayless night Of
the grave! From faithful one, who stood
at his bedside when he breathcd his last, re-
ceived Mr.. Claws last diving words, and the
minute particulars of his death scene, and
arithin tire minutes after his decease | wrote
them down, and also his opinions and sonti-
ments expressed few days before respecting
the nomination of Gen. Scott by the Whig
National Convention, and | transmitted the
facts thus written down exactly as they trans
pired to my personal knowledge to the New
Orleans Bee, IN which they were published.
After the close Of the Wing National Con-
vention, Of which / had the honor to be a
member, l returned to my lodging at.the Ma
tional Hotel, at Washington, and Immediately
sought and obtained Mr.. Clays opinion Of the
nominees and doi1gs Of the Convention. In
his characteristic frank and truthful manner
he expressed his entire acquiescence IN the aciS
dom and choice Of the Contention, in the selec-
ton of Scott and Graham as the standard
bearers of that glorious Whig and Union
banner, upon which.his patriot eyes were now
" turned to view for the last time," as it
faunted proudly in the suspicious breeze of
fayoring Heaven. His dying eyes saw en-
blazoned on its radiant folds, rs it floated
over the glorious Union for whose preseroa-
ton he had, by his last matchless efforts upon
the compromise, sacrificed his life, the names
of tco tried and .taithtal ,eh&gs, who had from
the beginning and throughout the compromise
struggle, stood firmly by his side nor g fall
tered once to meet the blast when hardest it
beset them" In General SCOTS devotion to
the Union and the Compromise, Mr.. Clay ex-
pressed implicit and mistaken confidence,
and in his integrity to the whig principles
and the great National Wing cause. After
thus expressing his entire acquiescence in the
wisdom, and his satisfaction in the choice Of