Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-10-31
KsON AND CLAY.

JACKSON AND CLAY.
Points Of Resemblance.
The following sketch ofresembIance be-
from Baldwin's " Party Leaders," which
will be read with much pleasure :
That jackson and Clay were great men,
especially in that sense which defines
greatness to be the power to control men
and mould opinion cY action, will not
be denied the degree OF This greatness,
absolute and relative may be.
There were many points OF sin,i.i.ude
between these i!ustrious antagonists. As
party met, they seemed 20 stand in ire
Conc!iable aE.ag0nism. They were SO in
interest, in position, in feeling. Yet,
with all this opposition, there VAS ? e:ri-
king correspondence between t2"n, not
only in character, but in many points Of
exterior rescn nblance.
Both were bonn, or received thoir car.
Iicst impressions, in Revolutionary times,
or from the principles Of the Revolution.
Jackson was the cider. But the spirit
and genius Of the Revolution, ouIAsting
the period of actual hostiHlics, WAS equal
Iy the inspiration of Ciay's awakening
and tervid mind.
Both were denied the advantages OF cd
ucation. Both made new country the
theatre OF their earliest cIcrtiOus. Both
were natives 9! the South, and cmiLratcd
10 e new Southern Safe, with the popuIa
ti1n Ike that OF tie Safe Of their Dir;h.-
Both were dependent alone upon t4cir
own cxcrtiouS, and equally indepsnden. OF
adveuitious aid. bo:h chose the pTctcs
sion Of tie law as their first intro !nc.jon
TO the public ana bntn, though in un-
equal degree encountered the same nppo-
silion, aud met with early success. Both
displayed IRON the start the same enter
prism spirit, the same ob1uracy II We
hencnce OF will, the same alnlo>L prro5 SIT
defiance Of opposition, the same ten"ciiy
and continuity OF purpose, the same mor-
al and personal daring. jackson intro
dUced himself 20 the practice by u@dcrla-
king the prosecution Of suits, which 9TH
ers, Of a profession not used 10 Qutil be-
lore danger or shrink from responsibility,
were inliniiatcd from rcpyesenijUT.- -
Clay enrolled himself, boy, slHcpg tie
competitors ot the strongest bar ia Ken
tucky, and issued his writ against oGc
of the most prominent and powerful Of
them, in favor of an obscure bar keeper,
&: the certain cc,st the dcierdant's d.Hu-
" resentment ; and dcliyd that hatred 10
TO its cXtrcm@st manifestations. Both
carly imprcssC d themselves upon The com
munity around them, and were distiH-
guished for the same personal character
iStics. Both rose al once TO posts OF hon.
or and disticiion and at an early age en-
rolled their names, and to the last pre-
served them, among the first and highest
of the republic. Both were men OF qnick
perception Of prompt action; Of bu<i.
ness capacity of masculine common
sense OF quick and uncrring judgement
Of men of singular fertility OF resources;
Of remarkable power to create or avail
themselves Of circumstances ; Of conSum-
mate tact and management. Both were
distinguished for grace and case OF mans
ners, toH happy and polished address and
for influence over the wills and affections
Of those who came within the circle OF
their acquaintance and associations. Both
were Of 1.-the, 6iucwy, and slender physi.
cal conformation uniting strength with
activity, and great power Of endurance
with a happy fccility of labor. Bolh were
men OF the warmcst affections; Of the gen
tleSt and most conciliatiug manner IN so>
cial intercourse when they wished TO
please of truth and loyalty, and stead
taste dness in friendship; bitter and defiant
in their enmities OF extraordinary direct
ness in their purposes of patient and
iudeIatigabIe temper in following out
thoir ends, or waiting for their accom-
plishmcnt. Neither could brook rival
or opposition and each had the imPc~
rial spirit of conqueror not to be sub
ducd. and the pride of leadership which
could not follow. They were Americans,
both intensely patriotic and national, To-
wing their whole country, its glory its
institutions, its Union, with love kindled
early and quenched only in death.
They both spent much OF their long
lives, from youth to hoary age in public
service, maintaining to the last, with only
the notifications which age necessarily
makes upon the mental and physical con,
stitution, the same characteristics for
which they were at 6rst Distinguished -
They lived lives of storm, excitement and
warfare each in point of real authority
equally at the head of his party; in
and out of Office equally acknowledged
leaders and they died each full of years
and honors. and by the same lingering
disease; protesting towards the close oi
life, the some religion +; and leaving upon
the country, at the death of each pros,
porous and PEACEFUL a sudden sense of 8