The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-06-03

y
lieve that many Of the present leaders of tht
Know Nothing party were his enemies"
In the first OF these propositions, you perhaps
express yourselves too broadly. Mr.. Clay, like
all other men, may have had personal enemies
who yet agreed with him in political opinion
and were not hypocEites. l cannot conceive
however, how any man, not bis personal enemy
agreeing with him in principle, could be bis
political enemy without being hypocrite.
I agree with you, s'that many of the leaders
of the Know Nothing party were his political
enemies" Mr. Clay was essentially a man oil
principle 81 would rather be right than
President" was his motto. No chord of his
heart ever responded to other pulsations than
that OF patriotism and of principle ; in the
language of one not Railways his friend, che
was the very embodiment of Wing principles. y
Were there in Kentucky any men, who profess
ing to entertain his principles, were politically
his enemies Let US glance back over the
page Of history and see.
The last opportunity the Whig party ever
| had, successfully TO assert their principles, and
to carry them into practical operation, was in
! ISIS. At that time the condition of things
was such that it was apparent that whoever
was the nominee Of the Philadelphia Conven-
| ton, would be successful. Mr.. Clay was
almost worn down by services rendered the
country, and by the political conflicts for the
advancement of bis principles through means
| of party which he had more than once saved
! from utter destruction. Against his own desire,
/ be was induced to suffer his name to 90 before
1.-THE Philadelphia Convention. Kentucky, be-
yond a doubt, as was we'll ascertained in the
convention at Frankfort, short time previous
/ ", was for him indeed, since 1925 there was
I no time when she was not for her own
/ distinguished son in preference TO any man in
! the nation. Kentucky sent her delegates to
the convention. 1t met, it nominated General
! Taylor as IFS candidate for the Presidency, and
It absolutely refused to put forth to the world
! platform Of Wing principles at the only time
when they seemed almost certain OF success.
Mr.. Claws own opinion of the conduct of that
convention NAV be gathered from his published
letters. I refer YOU to his private corrp8pon-
dence edited by the Rev. Mr. Cotton. In his
letter to James Harlan. dated AUGUST ;. 1913.
he SAYS "How derogatory II is for politicians
to attempt to degrade themselvea in the
presence Of General Taylor And how in
consistent it is to denounce party in the same
breath in which the Whg party Is called on
to support The General, as a Whig, that is
party man 1t is Notifying to behold that
one great party descending from its lofty posi-
tron Of principle, and lending itself to the
creation ola new personal party, with virtual
abandonment of its old principles"
To Nicholas Dean, August 2lth, 1913, he
writes :.The Whg party presents an anoma-
lous condilion-without any candidate who
recognizes his obligation to conform TO their
principles, the members of it are called upon
as party to endorse the no party candidate
and have been urgently and repeatedly
appealed to endorse as a Whig, General Taylor,
who while be adopts the name in modified form,
re3udiates the principles of party | need
not saw that have done, and shall do, no such
thing"
To Henry WHITE, September, 10th, 1913,
he SAYS: "AIthough / believe that the PhlIadel-
phia Convention has placed the Wing party in
a humilating condition-one which | fear will
imnair itsusafuIness, fnot destroy its existence,
ac0uipsced in IFS decision in not nomlnatlng
me. and have snbmitad quietly 10 it."
These quotations show that MIR. Clay thought
that the Philadelphia Convention Of 1913 bad
virtually abandoned all principle, and had de-
generated into a mere personal party, whose
decision as far as he was personally concerned
he acouiesced ir, but 1ctose action he 1Couid
not endure. He whose motto was ''ratheT be
right than President" could not admit the
Jesuitrcal doctrine OF availability in preference
to principle.
And what part in this sIaughter-house OF
principles and their old neighbor and friend,
did Kenluckiaus bear Again | refer you to
Mr.. CIay's own opinion expressed IN his letter
TO committee of Louisville, dated 28th June,
1913. After telling them that the PhlladelP Phla
Convention refused to recognize or proclaim It's
attachment to any principles or measures, and
actually Iald on the table resolutions having
that object in view, he goes on to say, 81 lost
the nomination, as firmly belieDe, By The con-
duct ofthe m7jorities IN the delegations from
KentIcky in Congress and IN the Conuenflon,
and I am called upon to ratfy what they did,
in contrayention, as | also believe OF the wishes
of a large majority of the people of Kentucky,
am asked to sanction and approve the course
of the seven delegates from Kentucky, who IN
violation of the desire of their constituents,
voted against me, and virtually to censure and
condemn the five who voted for me-" Well
miyhf the old statesman exclaim in the bitter
ness of his heart. "what have done to lose the
friendship and confidence of Kentucky I"
Were these members OF Congress and of The
Convention. 10 whom Mr.. Clay alluded when
he said othat he had lost the nomlnat'on by
Their conduct" though protesting TO be Wings
in principle, his friends or has enemies
OF the seven members of the Convention who
on the first ballot cast their votes against HIM,
and of the whg members of Congress OF that
day, Senate and House, all without an exceP-
tion, who have lived in Kentucky, and taken
prominent part in politics, have been either