Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-10-22


GEN sackseS AID HENRY Clay.
Time has rolled on. since these great men
hllel the public mind. andthey have both
gone 70 their fathers. I knew -theii y per
sonallyT-was at one time an ardent person
al AMI political friend anil supporte. of Mr..
clay. | am aware that / am treading on
delicate ground anI that this sketch of
these grsI leas:ers may be subjected to par
tizan criticism 1t matters not. These
sketches are my own, and not the opinions
of other.7 Never were two mon more a
like than t;snl Jsekson AMI Henry Clay;
AMI yet in some particulars they differed
widely. They We're both poor bows, were
self-ma'lc men; neither fiberally educated:
each the protector and accomplished of his
own fortune AMI fame. Both were bio
necrs ofthc valley ofthe Mississippi. They
were POSSESSED Of iron wills, born for lead
ers-s Neither woal,ticver play seromI Go
any other man; both would be chiefs or
nothing Neither couIl brook .opposition
from friends or enemies Each was the
original Of himself, requiring implicit ODE
dance to his will; neither were ever sub
duel by arms; neither ever quailei before
an enemy Zach Was Jealous OF the fame
of the other; both were ambitious, unaues-
tionable patriotS--true lovers of their
county, really at all times to peril their
lives forits honor and glory. Each was
the leader ola great party. The fame of
each ille1t the civilized woril. I'm person
they were alike, tall, spare, commanding,
long nccks, heals erect, complexion. light,
eyes gray and sunkcn, faces long, foreheads
high, features prominent and projecting,
mouths wide, arms AMI fingers long and
slender. step easy and graceful. private as
sociatlons kind and courteous--both the
admired, honored, ami respected of their
friends. Both like Napoleon the First, alb
sofutc in the execution of their purposes.
General jackson was one of the greatest
military commanders of the age upon the
scale of the held OF his battles He needed
no Secretary of War to instruct him how
to marshal his army, or when to strike the
blow upon the enemy. He combined the
military qualifications of Wellington, with
the bravery of Charles the XII, and the
Judgment of Washington. without their
opportunities of bringing his high quail
ties, as a commander, into action on ex-
tended fields. The battle of New Orleans,
when viewed through the glass Of time,
with no political prejudices to obscure the
vision, was one of the most brilliant mill
tary achievements recorded on the pages of
history. Henry Clay, too, like Gen. Jack
son. was possessed OF military talents of
high order, although they were not brought
into action on the tented field This was
we'll know not those who knew him best.
In 1872. General Harrison, then in COM
mand of the Northwestern army, wrote to
Mr.. Clay, from Cincimsti: Il inform
you that. in my opinion, your presence on
the frontier Of this State would be produc-
tive of great advantages. | can assure you
that your Advice and assistance In deter
mining the course Of operations for the ar
my, to the command of which have been
designated by your recommendation, will
be highly useful You are .aot only pledg-
ed IN some manner for my conduct. but for
|. the success OF the WARRIOR Gods sake,
then, come on to Piqua as quickly as pos
slbie, and let us endeavor to throw of, from
the Administration, that weight OF re-
u
upon it, alluding to Hull's surrender at
Dotroit / hal it from high authority.
that AIR. Madison in 1917, contemplated
placing Mr.. Clay at the head of the army,
but was ovcrruled by his Cabinet, solely
on the ground that Mr. Clay could not be
sparsl from the House of representatives.,
as the eficient leader of the friends of the
Administration during the war. They
were both highly qualified by nature for
great military commanders. Both aspired
TO the first Office in the gift Of the Ameri-
can people. General Jackson was success
full, and Mr. Clay, failed-here was a diff
ference as to results. but not ssl to quaif
cations. No man in America was better
qualified for President than Henry Clay,
and no other man would haze filled the ex7
ecutive chair with greater credit to himself
or more honor to the nation. Thousands
IN the United States and Europe will long
wonier why it was that Henry Clay never
reached the Presidential chair. Being con-
nectcd with all his campaigns, in the press,
on the stump, and in private circles; i an
swer, because Mr. Clay votel for John
Quincy Adams against General jackson.
in. the House of Representatives, and then
accepted. from Mr.. Adams the office of
Secretary of State Gen jackson had re-
eeived the highest vote Of the people, John
Quincy Adams the next highest. William
Fl. Crawford the next, and Henry Clay the
lowest, bat no one received a majority OF
the whole number. This threw the three
HIGHEST. Gen. Jackson. John Quincy
Adams. aud William III. Crawford, INTO
the House Of Representatives, OF which Mr,
CLAW was Speaker. The Consultation oi
the United States made the three equally
eligible. but public opinion had awarded
the election to General Jackson. who had
res,rived the highest vote, and the result oil
the vote Of Mr. Clay for AIR Adams how
ever pure, and however JUSTIFIED oy Mf.
Clar' was never satisfactory to u, mass
of the American people. sit. required ex-
ulsnation continually, and threw upon the
friends of Mr.. Clay the defensive IN every
field of political contest. 1 think the
onest;on IS now settledby the public voice,
that no minority candidate of the three re-
turned to.thc House, will ever again be e