Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-16
coECLUsToH OF N. BARBOUR;
GRAFTON.

lmsnt ne may date he decline in popular favor
lin n thar per;oa he had been borne along IN
taoad- t;de of popularity, and there IL scarcely
reasonable doubt that Il bis had been one OF thu
three names presented 70 the House OF keprcsen
tatives. no would have been promptly elected Il
tho Presidency. A 1t was, he vas Obliged :
make his selection among his rivals and TIM
fact. together with his acceptance Of Office unde'
mr.. Adams. cast disastrous influence upon hi'
political fortunes, from which he was never
able 10 recover Now that the mists and prelu'
Idices Of party have passed from this subject. h.
absurd appears the charge that he who had repeat
eddy refused Cabinet appointments and foreign
missions from Madison and Monroe, should nave
his honor sold his birthrght for position
which. no far from advancing his prospects OF pro
motion. actually weakened them by Withdrawing
him from the public eye. Butth obvious view was
forgotten, or not duly weighed 10 tho excitement
iiof the moment. Even General Lnfayette's ex
lplicit avcrment that Mr. Clay had privately as
sured him, some time before tho contingency oc
icurred, that if he should be required 10 ueciue
between Adams and Jackson he must choose the
former. was yaiply offered 10 men who had deter
mined TO see nothing but baseness in what wa
really a aelf.denying md chavalrous act. 1t was
efficient for party purpose that on the surface
there was show OF combination and the Islander
once propagatod, sank deep into the hearts Of the
people
"Rgosc denied her rcquinm to his name,
And folly loved the mnriyrdom Of Fame
Candor compels us to admit that the acceptance
of this Office was mn astounding blunder, and'
when too late, mono saw il more clearly than Mr.
Clay himself. My error" he said, "in accep-
ting the Office arose out of my undertaking the
power OF detraction and the force Of ignorance,
and abiding with too sure n confidence IN the
conscious integrity .nd epr!shtness OF my own
motives" But, after oil. why should we mourn
this event? II developed the power Of the man
his true nobility of soul--lt made HIM the
Henry Clay now enshrned in our hearts. lie
lost an Office. but the nation gained the fruits ut
a mighty mind, nerved 10 its highest power by
the determination to "live down" the calumny.
Guilt would have shrunk nbashed from the storm
of obloqtn "a tanner spirit. Though innocent would
have sunk in dependency heart less patriotic
would have been content 10 burl back scorn for
contumely. But Henry Clay was guiltlcss, ana
above all such cowardice Of mean revenge. I'M
dismayed aud unrcwarded he li.ored on for his
country. md this day, now and forever, his fame
is the brighter for tho foil Of that black ISLANDER
which be lived to tear from his csoutchcon ana
lrample beneath his feet
| will not dctain you with any heightened recital
Of bis struggle with that Iron Chiean. who has
been styled "his man OF destiny with what just.
uess later posterity must determine when it comes
calmly to review the incidents and results Of tina,
mighty contest. For the present. personal antipaihes
and rivalries are so mixed up with the political in
cdents Of that period, and the ashes are 30 lightly
laid the fierce fires that then ragged through the
land, that deem It entirely unsuited 10 the present
occasion to speak Of them moro fully than TO preserve
the unity ofmy narrative and do justice to the sub
icct. II Is sufficient for us to remember that against
the most fearful odds, and against, great popular
Ia orie Mr.. Clay contendcd with zeal and energy
IN annals for the measures which he
deemed vital Tor the welfare Of tho nation. And
whcn he thought, the dignity that great Senate
Of which he was clearly chief, had been assaed, he
renelled II with spirit as high aud defiant that
which prompted the attack. Against the assumption
rs he regarded 1t, Of arbitrary authority hc poured
FOL tn the full measure of his imperial defamation;
aud when he saw suspected subscrriency or syco-
phancy TO prosperous power, he launched tue light
ming OF his terrible irony and sca,hing robuke Bat
in the midst of these fercc conflicts he ever
ready to throw aside nil personal feeling, aud unic
with his most bitter opponents and rescue his coun-
try from impending danger. Tho difficulties grow NJ
out of the iariA questionable threatened war " il
Frnnrc-drew forth and exhibited the fulnoSs oi
his patriotism, and the fertility Of his statesman
ship.
Mr. Clay row found himself at ths head Of ihnt
great party which inscribed upon its banner lh'
principles and policy of his life and took his name
as its watohworh. whoever MI lac the nominal
leader. may be allowed 10 ndd that il was pnI1l
haps never fully recognized, until it was deemed ne
ssnry to write its mcritcd cliinph Whether it.
mission be fu6ed, remains to be seen but scattered
or united its members will bc constant 10 the
~ Of their noble chief
"Though no more our ANIMAL. show,
Ofbattlcs won or banners taken,
still in death, defeat or woe
Ours be loyalty unshaken'
! resume my narrative ut the point when Genera
Jacf retired from the Presidency, leaving hi
count free prosperous aud happy, ard was sue
ccedeH by Mr.. Van Buren,, hope and believe that
shall book political sensihlliucs 10y the historical
statement that his administration was IL drenry tai
ure, by the suggestion that he has never receive
one 1.-THE of tho sympathy he deserved nj the hand
of the nation. A landsmnn Mt the helm OF the Grca
Eastern in hurricane isa feeble type Of his cntlt,
inability to direct the ship of State IN that fearful
nancial storm Which soon burst upon the county
Whether this proceeded from the experiments upo
the monetary system which Mr., Clay SO much deprc
Gated, tits foreign omy purpose To discuss but nj
must agree that there was singular coincidence be
tween his predictions and the result. None sorrow O.
more than he for the fulillmen or labored more ear
nsstly TO remedy the evil Verdict of expulsion wa
pronounced in advance by the country on the exist
ing administration, AMI Dir. Clays friends looked for
ward to the election of 1870 with entire confdene
that he would 10 placed the head oil the government
and that the lion would reap the full benefit of hi
matured powers. 10 this they were disappointed
the contest swept the land like whirlwind =
the magnanimity Of Mr.. Olay, and his strenuous ex
ertions contributing greatly to the victory which wa
as brilliant US it was barren. Thwarted in his effort
TO impress the Wing policy on the country, Mr. Cha
retired from public lie in 1912, taking occasion t
make most impressive address, aud tho event cor
stitu,ed such epoch in legislative history tina
the Senate WAS in mood tor further business thu
day, and adjourned to pay their living colleague n
honor which, therefore, had been reserved for Il
dead.
Presidential contest which ensued two years ate
wards.
"who that shared them ever shall forget
The emotions of that spirit-rousing timer
With what aacrity did his friends rally to his sid
thrilled by his clarion tones and annted by the c,
ample Of his exhaustess energy! The heart OF the n