The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-06-02
From Washington.
Correspondence Of the Charleston Mercury
w sa..,~,-n~, No., 90

too soon. He still clings to life and bafflS
both his doctors and his disease. With
the last few days he has rallied, and b
sanguine friends say that he may yet liv
to see the nominations. If he does q is,
will probably be the utmost limit of hi
life. Politically he is dead already, for tn
juggernaut car Of party never pauses fo
crushed and broken bodies to be dragpe,
away-its progress is always over them
and IL at times the wild cry of broker
hart or crippled body breaks on the ca
cf its high priests, It is drowned by tn,
chaunt of rejoicing devotees whose enthu
siasrn and hopes are as yet high becaus,
untouched by disappointment. Although
Clsy's life yet fingers in his worn out frame
the might and majesty of that potentia
name are already traditional: the fox Sew
ard succeeds the old lion in the leardershiE
Of the Wing party, and Southern mer
are the sycophsnts and satlites Of his
court.
Evil in many respects as was the infu
ence of the. former leader Of the Wing
host, far worse is the ruling spirit now
for amidst all his errors and alterations
there was redeeming nobleness about
Henry Clay. There was nothing malig,
rEant in his nature; he scorned to stoop to
subterfuge or stratagem, but with a mailed
hand tore down the rights Of his section,
Both in his public and private career,
his faults and errors were those of gen
etous impulsive lavish nature, .eckless OF
consequences, and seduced from the beaten
path Of prudence or propriety by over
mastering impulses.
In his character could be found nothing
cold or calculating; but his successor Sew
ard is the personifcation ofcalculating hy-
pocrisy and deliberate mahgnity. Robes
pierre alone can furnish his exemplar. In
such hands the power of the Wing party
is perilous indeed. With the prestige of
SCOTS name to aid him, and the count
enance Of that portion Of the Wing party,
he may work more mischief, and carry out
his darling scheme Of subjugating the
South in the Union. But it is Known
that the old warrior is getting restive under
the universal suspicion Of his being tool
ofSewsrd. With many weaknesses of
character he yet Possesses high and noble
qualities, and paramount over all is indo-
mitable pride-iofy selfcstcem. To be
regarded as the tool of any man would
gall him to the rguick--to be proclaimed
as the mere stalking horse of Seward is
almost more than he can bear. Wincing
under the allegation, he has been prevent
cd with the greatest difficulty from writing
letter on the subject, while personally he
diselaims such inferences with indignant
bitterness. Knowing his man, Seward is
too subtle to attempt openly to use or in
fluence the old warrior, but his fuglcman,
Truman Smith, Of Connecticut "a meaner
man than himself acts as the connecting
medium. Truman used to be the right hand
man Of the Taylor Administration in its
latter days. He always goes for the side
that pays. The Wing schism will, after
all, amount to very little. It's now more
than probable that the squabble will be
pacificated. and the outsiders, show very
little fight even should the Northern men
have things all their own way. They (the
Seceders) have been themselves demora-
lized, and aided in demoralixing the South
ern Constitutional Union party, Of which
high hopes were once entertained, by their
iimid and i'm beetle course. Most ofthem
will probably crawl back into the ranks.
and few be made examples of-with
their own priyity and consent. Local eau
ses had much to do with their apparent
piucking up Of spirit, and due allowances
for this necessity will be made by their
political brethren If they will not actively
appose the regular nominee. Thus Mr..
Cabell could not support Scott in Florida,
nor Marshall do 50 in his District, because
he'would not be acceptable, and for this
reason they will not be peessed too hard
by the Party. The right Of self -preserva-
ton is acknowledged by all sensible lead
ers ofpartics, and the Whig header is a
very sensible man. ,.-.
So much for The Wings, whose difficult
ties are now narrowed down very much.
The Democratic camp in state of great
agitation. Plots and counterplots, wire
working, and log-rolliDg occupy the Gen
erals'and the pHvates, both Of whom must
er here in great force at present. The quar-
rel among these, Is more about men than
measures, The former is deemed para
mount, the latter merely an incidental
matter. Platforms are easily made; the
main question IL, who is to secure the poss-
ession Ofthe place and the power "Under
which King Bezoniani" And whose next
friend is to be the partitioner out of the
placesi These are considered as the prac.
teal issues, and these occupy the attention
Of the delegates, number Of whom arc
already in this city for purposes of consul,
tation and conference. Every hotel swarms
with men bent on saving the country; every
bar room is redolent with the praises O
Cass. Buchanan. Douglas, Lane, Stockton
Rusk or the fifty-fodf other prominent
candidates. As Tim Tappertit says
Something must come of this, may il mo-
be human gorei" The general average D
intelligence among the delegates is very
good. They seem, most Of them, to b,
sharp fellows, and in point of ability, tn,
-