The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-20
The Late General Cass.
From the WorLd.

From the W0Ttd.
We recollect that, many years ago, when we
first began to feel an interest in newspapers, we
CHANGED to read Washington letter sketching
prominent members OF the American Senate, in
which General Cass was neatly hit of as "a
heavy edition of Benjamin Franklin" The
contour OF General Cass head and face bore,
indeed, considerable resemblance to the por.
traits of DR.. Franklin, a resemblance which also
extends TO the breadth and portliness of figure
common 10 both. In their mental lineaments
there was no great similarity; General Cass
having little of the inveutiveness which, in
Franklin, amounted to genius. Both, from
boyhooJ OF poverty, rose to wealth and diStinc
tion; both were Ministers to France; both died
at an advanced age. Any further parallel
would be tancitul. Franklin ranked next to
Washington among the founders OF our inde-
pendenCe, and has q name in philosophy which
will never die. General Cass belonged to the
higher class of second-rate statesmen and
out OF politics was merely wellcultlvated
gentleman.
General Cass was born about the same time
with Webster, Clay, and Calhoun; and his
grade as a statesman can be beat determined by
comparing BIN with those three, who, by com
mon consent, held the first rank. Each of this
distinguished trio impressed himself deeply
upon his age; and If we measure their influence
by the permanenCe of its results Webster over
topped them all. The vigorous acuteness of
theory of the Constitution which united the
South, almost as one man, in the late terrible
struggle for Southern independence. 1t was the
MASSIVE eloQuence of Webster that oyerbore the
subtle logic of Calhoun, and erected barrier
against any considerable spread OF the secession
doctrine in the Northern States. The intelec-
tual part of the late struggle was fought in the
preceding generation, between those powerful
champions, each fixing the belief of his own
section so unalterably that only conflict of
arms could decide which theory OF the COnstitu.
ton should prevail
1t is impossible not TO do homage to the intel
lectIal power which produces such mighty re-
suits; and we suppose that the final prevalence
OF Mr.. Webster's doctrine must stamp him as the
greater statesman. Mr.. Clay concerned himself
more with the temporary questions which be-
loneed to his generation; and his political
| economy being derived from the outgoing
| instead OF the incoming school, he was IN no
respect in advance of his age, and in most a
| little behind it. He was an unIivalled party
| chief and practical administrator; man born
for ascendancy over contemporary minds. In
| all the great controversies of his time-eXcept
! the master one of all, which vents to the roots
| of our Government, and which, in fact, belonged
less TO his time than to that of his children-Mr.
| Clay was not only the ackno owledRed leader on
one side, but the, very originator either of the
| question quaTTelled over, or OF the adjustment.
The Tariff question, the Bank question, the In
| ternal Improvement question, we're launched
| by him into the stormy waves Of political debate
| and were the ruling issues during the greater
| part OF his active career.
| In the questions between the North and South
| Mr.. CLAW was the author OF the Compromise o
1920 OF the Compromise of 1888, and OF the
Compromise of 1850, by all of which dangerous
controversies were temporarily adjusted, anC
the final trial of strength between the two sec
tiops postponed. Judged by what transpireC
merely in his own time, be was the creates
American statesman OF his age; but belonging
only to his age, he lacked the penetration whlcl
enabled his great rivals to descry and debat
the most deep-reaching question of the age tha
was coming In, and to Identify their fame prin
cipaly with it,
When we descend to statesmen of the secon,
order, among whom General Cass, Mr.. Benton
MIR. Buchanan, Sllas Wright and even Mr.. VA
BuTen (though bis retirement from public lif
so early as l84l is perhaps all that preyente