The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-08
Gen. webb - Gen. 0estt- Wr. Clay and
Con. GayS0r.Very Iassres0nG.


ain Of the hosts Of Israel. And 90, on the first
opportunity, the King said to Amasa, "God do so
me, and more also, il thou be not captain Of the
lost before me, continually in the room Of Joab"
But Joab heard Of it, and by mastery comp d sat
made short work Of the conspiracy to supplant hun
There was rebellion among the Israelites-a CON-
mon thing during David's administration-and Joab
and Amasa were despatched to quell the revolt.
The two generals were walking along together, and
j Dab said, cart thou in health, my brothsrr aud
Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand,
to kiss him. but Amasa took heed to the swerd
that was in Joab's hand he smote him there with
in the fifth rib, and he died -
That was q shocking piece Of treachery; but We
fear there is something very much like it in the
present attidude Of General Webb towards GsnerL
Scott. The whig party have promised to make
General Scott captain of the host IN civil us we'll
military affairs General Weob protested gainst
it., before and after the thing vas resolved upou.
And now like Joab We find hin, in very friendly
way, walking along with General Scott, and asking
him, Art thou in health, my brother!' and stab
bing him under the fifth rib. Here, as in the case
Of Joab, there is rebellion 10 the whig party-and
at such time there should be harmony in the king
ranks What motive, what object, but downright
assassination, can there be in bringing to hgnt tho
following extraordinary letter OF Henry Clay, III
reference to General Taylor's urtness for the Pre-
sidency. 1t is tho sword Of Joab, applied under tha
fifth rib of Geneneral Scott. Only read this remark
able letter.
EXTRACT FROM LETTER WRITTEN BY HENRY CLAY
TO THE WING EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THIS
CITY.
ASHLAND. September 20. 1873
Acd lAcfon t,ptf
that would communicate my This shall do
bri. fly and frankly but with reluctance and regoet
''Concuring entirely with you, that The peace pros
pery and happiness the United state, pen
rally preseIvai Of Wbig pr'ncioles houd De
most happy if more clearly than do that they are
but | cannot help thinking that the Philadtlphis
Convention bumihaed itself and a. IA; as it coaid
placed the Wbig party i'll ds1 AIDED coalition General
Tay or refused to be its candidate He proiessed indeed
10 be wing; but enveioped himself the drapeey
Of qualification anu conditions that 1t remedy It
heut 10 discern his real politics lie and YET Is
willing toIeceive any and every nomination no matter
from VIII, qu;I ght proceed. Iu his tie
Richmond Rep biean OF the p tn of April last he de.
clared his purpose remain idae.
pomin nation might be made by the Wing Convention
know what said by the Louisiana delesa
ton in the convenient but there Is veil aoou tnls
matter hich bave not penetrated The letter from
him. which stated of that delegation pusesssi
has ben Published: AID letter the sub
ject addressed The iudep party o. Maryland
has, OF bis been withheld from public H.
quite natural that afer receiving the nomination be
should approve the means by which nc oos.ined IL
Is,
declaration in The Richmond Republican letter before tae
n imitation made
On tie great leading national measures which have so
long divided parties if he has fixed opiaioas tuey
net publicly known. Exciusiyclya litary man
without The least experience IN civil a0iir--oget
and always living the mp. with bis sword OF Ei.
tide. ana his uejtes ais euierst Is Proposed
transfer him from his actual position OF second ia
n,and If the army the Chief MagisIracy
great model republic =!
II out in the active support Of such
candidate hope that those Who know any thior of nv
deliberately ted v
Will To those opinions sh al adhere. with
in stead of dioinished confidence ana thtok
that my friends ought to be recorciled he silence
which have mposed myself from differ ence to th.ln
well rs from strong objections which enertsin 70 the
competitor of General Taylor. l wiSh to lead mis-
lead one but TO leave all TO the unbiased dictates Of
their own Judgment
know. and feel all that can be urged in the actual
posture Of The present contest
entertain wiih you the strongest apprchersions from
the election of General Cass but do enough
OF hope and confidence in that OF General Taylor 60
stimulate my exertions and animate my z-al deeply
fear that his lead the for arion of
personal party There is indeed he may
give the country better administration of the
tive government than his competitor would but IL
such chance as can arouse my enthusiasm or induce
to assume the responsibility Of recommending any
course or Offering any advice to others.
With great respect your friend and obt servant
H.CLAY.
To James Lynch. A. II Bradford, Charles Chamber.
lain. Henry U. Merritt. &C. sc.
Was there ever any thing more pointed, more
deadly, and more terrible written against Gen Tay.
lors nomination and his pretensons to the Presi-
dency than this Did Mr.. Clay himself ever write
anything or say anything possessing such prophetic
iagacity 1t is astonishing. And how remarkably
his apprehension were verified. 1t was wise pre-
caution on the part of the Wing Committee to with
hold that letter sacredly from the public in the
campaign of '4S; but what else, we repeat, than
the stabbing of Gen Scott under the fifth rib can be
he ofi h1icaf in &c
vass of 1927
Mr.. Clay thought that in nominating a mere
military chieitain, the whg party placed itself 10
I" a degraded condition. Mr.. Webster only said of
Gen. Taylor, that " it was nomination not fit to
be made;' but Mr.. Clay wrote it down, that he
could not "help thinking that the Philadelphia
Convention had placed itself in a degraded condi
ton" He was not satisfied with Gen. Taylor's
principles. Old lack had studiously avoided show.
ing his hand before the convention though cit was
quite natural that after receiving the nomination,
he should approve the means by which he had OBJ
tanned it." How it cuts, like stwoedged sword, the
nomination of '4S and of so! Then, again, it vas
" a mere chance" mere matter Of accident, that
General Taylors administration would be better for
the wings than radical democratic triumph Was
not Henry Clay, also, one of the prophets! CT
deeply fear, said he, that his success (raylor's
success) may lead to the formation of mere per-
sonal party" Was not the orator inspired Even
now in the production of this dreadful letter, we
can almost fancy that we the tall and imposing
shadow of Henry Clay standing before Gen Webb,
and with bis long skeleton finger pointing to Gen
Scott rs cotem porary reads tins awful letter of
September 20, 1913. In fact Gen. Webb stands
before Gen. Scott, invoking the spirit of the dead
against him, as the Witch of Endor did against
King Saul q Samuel, ch. xviii
IA And he ss!d unto her what form IL he of? And
she said an old man cometb mp and he Is covered with
mantle. And Saul perceived that IL was samuel and
he stopped with his face to the ground and him
self
10. And Samuel said to Saul Why hast thou disaui
ettd me- TO bring me up? And Saul (hou forciby it
applies to Gen Scott , answered. d .trsssed