Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-10-31
q
Though tbe circumstances.of DC I've

Though the circumstancessof the two
great rivals were so alike at the outset
their paths diverged in after life: The
war with Great Britain and her Indian
allies, furnished the theatre upon which
both of them first became introduced to
the nation in different characters it is
true. The genius of each was emlnently
military and executive. jackson was a
statesman in the camp; Clay captain in
the senate. Clay had early come before
the people as an orator and politician and
it was natural for him to continue to la
Dor in that field when his country, at that
time more than any former period, need
ed his services in the public councils. 1t
| is known, however, that at so high rate
did Madison appreciate his talents for mi
litary commandlhat he WAS about to ten
der him>the appointment of commander of
the forces, and was only withheld from
the proffcr, BY tie call for his services at
the head Of the war party in Congress. II
is impossible to know the result of such
an appointment upon the public interest,
or upon the personal fortunes of Mr.. Clay,
But it was falsifying of all the calcula~
lions which men may make of the future,
to suppose that such rare abilities, and
such unsurpassed energies, would have
been otherwise than successfully employ
cd upon theatre to which they were
seemingly SO signally adapted; and it
needed bat the prestige Of the camp to have
crowned popularity and rounded out a
fame before which competition and rival
r. must have hung their diminished heads.
But this was fatel not TO be. The laures
Of the hero were not 10 be blendedin in the
ladelcss wreath Of orator, phileathropist,
statesmen, iuriSt, cabinet minister and
dipl0ma,ist. Fortune could scarcely be
reprOachcd with Injustice when, lavishing
upon this GavOrite son the graces and ac-
complishmcnt6 which lend charm to. So
ci"l life, and all the qualifications and
successes Of every department OF civil
service, she refused to add the trophies
OF the soldier.
Jackson's spirit, if not more active
was less fitted for the council hall than
the battlefield. His was not the clabo-
rated cIoqnence Of the scna.e. Swords,
not words, where his arguments. He was
the true De,nosthetic eloqucncc of ac-
ton. He had neither the temper nor the
ability to parley he could speak terse-
iy, vigorously, knowingly but his words
were the brI"E words OF command. Ac>
uon followed speech, a thunder the light
nmy. lie had no patience for the solemn
forms, The dull routine, The prO5y speech
making. the tImld pstltudes, or the etab-
crate .Atiocin lions Of legislative debate.
Sudden and quick in opinion rs i'll quar-
rel, hearts, soul and mind all mingled in
his conclusions, ana the energy that con-
ccived B purpose, started 1t into overt
ac;. "i:A h!In. to think and TO 60 we're
no: SO much two things as one. His ca
.5er and Impatient soul would have fever
ed over debate, or proposition 70 de-
cia;e var, OF to provide means for pros
ccHting it, as !hc knight 1yanhoe, on his
sick bed in the castle of Front &c Boeuf,
vri,hed in helpless impatience. when he
heard the c.augnr of the warriors Storm
in the baLtamcnts for his dcliYerancc.-
Like Jobs war~horse, he scented the bat
IT, 'som ataT, end at the sound of the
.ru0pcts, CRIED ha! la 7! The first man
IN resolution and daring in the commdui>
~ in which he lived, he did not SO much
- - - -H'u 'iAtiI Va '''| l'NN ''""P7'
hat Eooked 70 t!le first standard uniurIed
in the Young settlements, as the command
naturally came u him; 50 by native allie
g:anco to greatness, thc weak i'll distress
and terror turn, through instinct, for safe
y to the strong. Putting himself at the
head OF his raw recruits, he moved upon
the lndIan camps and conquered, as cast
ly as he found the cnemY. His work y as
rs thorough as swift. He did nothing by
cxtcrmination. Il was aIways a comHts.c
destruction oftbe power Of the foe, He
took no security from an enemy EXCEPT
his prostration. He closed The war At
New Orleans bv one of tho most siunal