Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-07-14

| ihc" toas appear upon the edttb Uut once III
a century. His fame is the growth Of years,
and it would require time to unfold tho elc.
ments which have combined to impart TO /.
so much Of stability and grandeur. Vel
umes have already been written. to re-
cord those eminent and distinguished public
services which have placed him in the front
rank Of American statesmen aud patriots
Tho highest talent, fred b. fersid and pat
riotic enthusiasm has already and will con-
tinue to exhaust its powers to portray those
striking and generous incidents of his life.
those shining and captivating qualities of bis
heart. which have made him one of the most
beloved, as he was one Of the moss admired of
men; aud yet the subject itself viii remsin as
| fresh aud exhaustless as if hundreds Of the
best intelects Of the land bad not quafed the
inspiration Of their genius from the evergush-
/ ing and overlooking fountains Of his fame -
It is impossible that reputation so grand
and colossal as that which attaches to the
name of HENRY CLAY, could rest for its base
upon any single virtue, however striking nor
upon single act. no matter how marked or
distinguished. Such reputation as he has
left behind him could OILY be the result of
long life Of llnstrious public service And
such it truly was Tor nearly half q centu
| ry he has been prominent actor in all the
string and eventtul scenes Of American his.
tory fashioning and moulding many Of the
most important measures public policy by
his bold and sagacious mind, and arresting
others by his unconqucrable energy and re-
sistless force of eloqucnce. And however
mucl, tho members of this body may differ IN
opinion az to the wisdom ofmany of his views
Of national domestic policy there is not one
upon this floor mo. sir not one in this ma
ton = who will deny to him frankncss and d.
rcetness as public man genius for states
manship Of the highest order--extracrdinary
capacities for public usefulness, ard an ar
dent and elevated patriotism, without stain
and without reproach.
In referring to career of public service so
varied as.. extended as that Of Mr. CLAY
and to character 50 ricl, in every great and
manly virtue, it is only possible to glance at
a few Of the most prominent Of those points
Of his personal history wiish have givea to
lin so distinguished place in the affections
Of bis countrymen.
In the whole character Of Mr. CLAY in all
that attached or belonged to it. you fd no
thing that is not essentially AMERICAN. Born
in tie darkest period Of our revolutionary
struggie--rearcd from infancy to maphood
amongst those great minds which gave the
first impulse to that mighty movement. he
early imbbed aud sednlously cherished these
great principles OF civil and political liberty.
which he 50 brilliantly illustrated in his sub
scquent public career aud which has made
bis name watchword of hope and consola
ton to the oppressed OF all the earth. In his
Intellectual training he was the pure creation
Of our own republican soil Few, if any al
luscns are to be seen in his speeches OF wr.
tings to ancient or modern literature. or to
.hc thoughts and ideas of other men. His
country-its institutions polcy-its M
tcrests-iis destiny form the exclusive topics
Of these eloquent harangues which, whilst
they are destitute of the elaborate dnsh, have
all the ardor and intensity of thought = the
cafnestncss of purpose, the cogency Of rca-
souing the vcbcmencc Of style, aud the burn
ing patriotism which mark the productions Of
the great Athenian orator
One Of the most distinguishing characters
ties Of Mr.. CLAY as public man, was his 10y
atty to truth aud to the honest convictions Of
his own mind. He deceived no mau--hc
would not permit his own heart to be dcceiv-
ca by any Of those seductive influences which
too often warp the Judgment of men in public
life He never paused to consider how far
any step which be was about TO take worli
lead 20 his own personal Advancement he
never calculated what be might lose or what
he might gain by his advocacy Of or his oppo-
sition to, any particular measure. His Single
inquiry was, Is it right? Is it in accordance
with the Constitution Of the land? Will it
rebound to the permanent welfare and inter.
est Of the country? When satisfied upon
these points, bis determination was fixed