New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-22

pUbhnhed IN ls43, when he was candidate for the
Presidency the first and second letters Of "OC6Iow5
are reprinted; and in biography Of him which had
appeared shortly before, and supposed TO be from
tie pen Of one Of his most distinguished political and
personal friends, the letters Of 'PatTck Henry" are
attributed to President Adams. But it s certain that
Mr. Adams was NOT the author Of these letters and it
Also certain that during shortly after their publca-
ten II known in political circles who the author
was The suspicion that the President had written
them was repeled at the time by such journals friendly
" h,e Administration deemed the suspicion to be
worthy OF notice. The tone Of those essays, however
ssitabe to the OCCASION would have been unbecoming
the President Of the United States 10 say nothing
OF the improprety, under any circumstances, of an
anonymous discussion in any tone, by the President
Of the VcePresident's public conduct the presiding
ofhcer OF the Senate. Ii may be remarked, by the
way, that the editor Of Mr.. Calhount works describes
the two letters signed "OnslOw" Gs the following
on the other side, except the extract copied by
"ODeow' for the purpose of answering OF, rs he
thought, Of demoshing il.
The charge against Mr. Clay s yet graver than that
against MIR. Adams. if it was intended to imply that
Mr. Clay "caled Mr.. Randolph to the feld' for re-
marks made by Mr.. X. in the Senate which were with
m the fair limits Of legislative debate These remarks
says the editor were "highly offensive" to Mr. Clay,
ing is better known than that it not 30 Mr. Ran
dophs structures, bitter they were, on the Admins
tration Of which Mr.. Clay was member, nor on his
share In IT, to which Mr.. Clay took exception But
Mr. Randolph in the words of his friendly biographer'
far forgot himself to indulge in language of the
"grossea personal insult" and refused TO "make
any satisfactory adjustment of the difficulty" On
n memorable occasion Mr.. Clay said to his country
men, no "holds in deeper adherence than do
"the pernicious practice Of dueling. Condemned as
it must be- by the judgment and philosophy, TO say
nothing OF the religion of every thinking man, it Is
" an affair of feeling about which cannot, although
"we should The true correction 1oH be found
Nhea an shall unite, as all ougH 10 unite, az ITS
" qsalfed prO'crlption." Such condition Of public
Mr.. Randolph offered TO Mr.. Clay "the grossest per.
" soDal insult" AT this trying moment, Henry Clay
as William Pitt Alexander Hamilton and other gem
erous sprts had done before him. suffered his j1dg-
ment,' his philosophy" and his "religion' to Weld
10 the force Of circumstances and to the tyranny Of
that public sentiment which thunders its bomilie,
against him who fights duel and yet points the
finger Of scorn' against him who refuses to do
But, as Mr.. Randolph said on the ground to friend,
"Ciay is eahn, but not vndictive." And indeed, he
was not vindictive; for, when some excitement was
produced by the premature discharge of Mr.. Ran
dOlphs pistOl, Mr. Clay generously interpreted,
claiming that it entirely accident. In the year
next preceding Mr.. Randophs death MIR. Clay writes
TO Judge Brooke:
and me- There explanation Intervention. Obsery
mig him IN the Senate one night feeble and looking as ne
wors Of peace with corresponding feelings SHOOK hand with
LEFT card at bis lodgings where underood be had been
confined by sickness"
In the last speech which Mr. Randolph ever made
that on the hustings at Buckingham Court Houseafter
dwelling the then threatening danger of disunion,
he is reported TO have said
There is man, and only, who can save this
Union that Henry Clay. know he hns the power
believe he will be found have the patriotism Gnd hmness
equal to the occason."t
The resentment Of these two eminent men had
ended in q reconciliation in respects so touching
that IL might have been reasonably expected that,
whenever the truth of history should require auson
to their once mortal hostility il would at least not be
made in a sneering spirit. From the editor of Mr..
Cahouns works allusion to it in such spirit comes
under circumstances less stringent than those Mr..
Clay was placed in, was orce on the eve of duel
with Mr. GrosvenOr 1t case Of great difficulty.
But Mr.. Clay, who then Speaker of the House of
Representatives though he could not act officially in
the matter yet az individual nterposed his good
Offices and with such eaestness and effect to stop
the duel.
sGarland's Life of Randolph, ii, 24-2&
tGarland's Life of Randolph ii, S6A