St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-05-15
ST. ,Sohnsburp Galrdonian.
Two Schools of Statesmen.

rlay and NahSt.r LnJ unnnuraI in
the councils nf rho n,tinn in the e,rl,
mart of this century The repuhIic was
then still IN its childhood. in almost ev-
cry resucct still an INFESTED experiment
on urioIy,.J nroLIcm Slowly and
n,;nti,II, L,d il struu~leJ thrnInh the
t,.st matt. of Constitutional theories
',',J ',o'',,;raJ nnI,. an ,,n,.e,.t,in dor,e,
~ ,,atii,,,nI oon.;stonc, Tbo,o w.re
th, ''a,',',,,,t ,,,,,,i,, J.n,ncr,,.;.s -,
tho TT With ti,.;r fresh ,e,oIntion.
ar> "Reminiscences their instincts of on
t;,.lv indeneud,nt sovcrcinnty and
tb.ir uo,v and them SEEMINGLY div.rU-
ont interests. and the task of biudinu
them tirmI, tonrthcr i'm thc bond. az
common oSpirotious. of national spirit
and the authority of national law. had.
indeed fairly uro"rcssed. but was far
from heinz entirely ACCOMPLISHED. The
United States. not vet contacted by
tbc means of rapid locomotion which,
tn-d,v. make every iuhubitaut of the
land :; neiphbor of the national capitnl.
were then still = stI1Im"liur confcdero-
CIV: and the members of that contcdcr-
acy had. since the triumphant issue of
the revolutiou. more, common memories
of severe trials. sut1cringS. embarrass-
meutS. dangers and anxictieS together.
than of cheering successes and of assur-
ed PROSPERITY and well-being.
The treat powers of the Old World.
fercely contendinr among themselves
far the mastery. trampled. without re-
morse uuou the neutral rights of the
yormr and feeble republic. \ war WAS
impendinm with one of them, bringing
ON disastrous reverSes and spreading
alarm and discomfort over the land. y
dark cloud of financial difficulty hung
over the nation. And the danger from
abroad and emharraSSmcntS ut home
were heightened by Il restless party
spirit. which former diSagrecmentS had
left behind them. and which every new
lN-arising question seemed to embittcr
The outlook was dark and uncertain.
1t was under such circumstances that
Henry Clay first. and Daniel Webster
shortly after him. stepped upon the
scene. and at once took their station in
the foremost rank of public men.
The problems to he solved by the
statesmen of that period were of an en-
establish the position of the Young re-
public among the powers of the earth :
to make her rights as Il neutral respect
ed. to secure the safety of her maritime
Interests They had to provide for ma
tional defense. They had to set the in
terror household of the republic in
working order. They had to find rem
edIeS for Il burdcn>omc public debt and
a di>ordcrcd currency. They had to
invent and Originals policies IT, bring to
light the resources of the land sleeping
unknown III the Virgin soil To open
and make accessible to the hu>bandman
the wild acres Vet untouched: to- pro
tect the frontier settler against the in
roads of the savage: t" call into full ac-
tivity the agricultural. commercial and
industrial energies of the people: to
develop and extend the prosperity of
the nation 80 IS to make even the dis
contentcd cease to doubt that the IA
tional Union WAS. and should hc main
tanned as Il blessing to all.
Thus we fimd the craftsmanship of
those times buSilV occupied with prac-
teal details of foreign policy. national
defense, financial policy. tariffs. banks.
organization of governmental DEPART
mrutS. land policy. Indian l,olicy. in
tcrnal improvements. settlements of
DISPUTES and difficulties among the
states. coutriyances of expcdiency of all
sorts. to mi the Government firmly ND
on its feet, and to set and keen in or
DERBY motion ,hc WORKING of the noIiti
cal machinery. To iuiId ND and STRENGTH
on and s,rur,. tbc framework in which
tbc MIGHTY entertainments nf the futur,
yer. IA t,lr rIoc, such , task some
,,,,J ,r,.,,.Ii, 49,.
n,,i,nI ,Lnt rrc,t;v. ,,.r.,,i,iry hn;ld
i,,r Li,L ,t >t,,..,n,r-L;n wLi,h IN
10 .,,,J o,,1;,,l,tnnaJ ,.;ons Of tha
am.7 and, ~ noI;,in.I or'r,nig'tinns and
of th. wants or Sn,i,.tv must add , n,,c-
,ir,l knnvIodn,. of details , stiIruI
h,udlinm nj cxistium material. , inst nm
da,>t,u,iur nf ,.,IiS,S and effects the
ability ia cop,posc distroctinn conflicts
and tn brinr ne s,ci,I forces into f,rit-
rul ro-oncr,tiou.
ON This field of action Clay and Web
ster stood in the front rank of an Illus
trious array of ,outcmporoIies- CLAW.
the oripinator of measures and policies.
with Lis inventive and oru,nizinn mind
moi rich in nrofnIu,I ideas or in LuovI-
edge gathered by book study. but learn
ing as he went quick in the pcrccptiou
of existing wants and difficulties and of
the means within reach to satisfy the
one and overcome the other and Il
born captain alSo,-a commander of
men, who appeared us if riding through
the struggles of those days mounted ON
a splcndidly capariSoned charger. sword
in hand. and with waving helmet plume.
leading the front Il fiery and truly
magnetic soul. "vcriIWing with his
trown, enchanting with his smile. flour
iShing the weapon of eloquence like a
wizard'S wand. overwhelming "pp">l-