The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-04-25

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net voice to rally his broken forces, ana
marshal them anew for the struggle. 10
Henry Clay, far in front OF all others :
that administration owed its support ]
through the trying scenes Of that bitter
contest.
He afterwards led the opposition
through the terms of Jackson, Van Blu
rem and Tyler. The unexampled deX-
terity, skill, patience, tirmness ana nara,
hood. with which, in despite of repeated
defeats. he still maintained the war,
must excite unmixed admiration In ali
who may study his career.
Courage is high quality. Courage,
perfect, multiform, and unquenchable,
one of the highest and rarest. Of all
moral qualities, it is the most essential
TO a great popular leader, most espe-
cially the leader of an opposition;
and with that glorious gift nature
had endowed Mr. Clay to extremity.
There was no political responsibility
which he ever avoided to take; there
was no personal peril which he ever
Stunned to dare; there was no row IN
the opposing party which he ever failed
to strike. His heart never failed him IN
any extremity. He met every crisis
promptly and at once, and III TINS he
| bore a remarkable contrast to almost
every other politician Of the age; none
of his contemporaries approached HIM,
in this bold unhesitating promptness,
but the man of his destiny, his great
rival, Jackson, with whom, in 50 many
other points, so close parallel might ne
traced. In dcmocracics, where the wall
of the people must be the ultimate laws
Of the land and uncertainty as to their
decision is apt to induce politicians to
wait and watch for indications OF the
probable result. The timid timcserver
will fear to move; he will fear to take
ground upon any question until some
CLEANS of light break out from the mass
of the people, to show him the probable
path to safety. Fears, misgivings, un-
certainty as to his personal interest, keep
him silent and still, while the masses
, stumble onward to their decision with
out the light of leader. But no faint
hearted doubts ever clouded his bright
eye, when bold Harry Clay was in the
field. Like the white plume of Murat,
amid the smoke and the roar and the
turmoil of battle, his lofty crest was
, ever glittering in the van for the rally Of
= his host He waited for no indications
of popularity, for he received his inspir,
+ atoms from his own clear head and
| dauntless heart. His convictions were
4 20 strong, his self-contidence so unboun-
s dcd, his will so indomitable, his inven.
0 ton so rapid, his genius so grand and
n lofty, that he seemed to bear, stamped
;, upon his brow, natures patent to com
i mand. He moved among his partisan'
l. with an imperial, never doubling, over
e powering air of authority, which few
e were able to resist He tolerated no in
S subordination. Opposition seemed It
o him to be rebellion, and obey or qui
r. the camp, death or tribute, was his mot
1T to. And he rarely failed to force ODE
n dience, Though the powerful rail-
G. which was made against him among hi
IL associates in 1910 and 1848, when fol
g, tune furnished the weapon to strike
IN exposed how much of secret di'
~ like his despotic viii had bande
&c against him, yet it was general
n, beaten down to submission. His ables
ID and haughtiest comrades would, i
n general, sullenly obey. willing t
wound, but afraid to strike" Whe
ID in 1881, he wheeled short upon his foo
m steps with his compromise bill upon til
d. tariff, he carried with him the gres
On bulk Of his partisans in Congress an
ne the whole Of them in the country, thong
~ directly committed to the support Of IL
Ike measure. In 1925 he carried with hi
ry his friends from Ohio, Missouri III
OIL Kentucky, for MIR. Adams, against Gle
as Jackson, though with that vote polite
SIN destruction doomed up darkly in the
all front. Nor was it necessary that II
ce, question should lie in his path to ma
or, him meet it. He spoke out bold al
Ak free nall points in front or around hi
of far or near. In 1925, he was Secreta
ak Of State, and not necessarily involved
the the ephemeral domestic politics of
)ut State. Kentucky was boiling like
nix, mighty caldron upon the subject Of h
led relief laws. True to his nature,
the Clay spoke out clear and strong in !
md half of justice and sound policy again
the the current Of an oyerpowering maiorit
ich Under the same circumstances he to
hat the responsibility two years afterwar,
art, upon the question Of the old and IL
to courts. This unhestating and hon
ng. unnecessarily entailed upon h
My many temporary disasters, but he alwa
etc came up again fresh and strong. Ii
the tabled wrestler of antiquity, he re
life from his mother earth stronger in
of rebound than before his fall. Ov
.eat whelmed with calumny, he encounter
and a defeat in 1928, which would ha
ern broken the heart and blighted the fa1
md of any other popular leader in t
to nation. Even Kentucky, the last COW
ion of the hunted stag, was beaten from
hat grasp, yet he still made head. band
of his broken forces, and four years aft
) or wards again met his destiny in the sa
The man. He encountered a defeat terri
be and overwhelming, yet he stood un,
yer, 1t erect and lofty as tower. He /
rug now left the retirement, from wher
reat as general he had marshalled his arr
out and had come down into the arena
itin the halls of Congress to strike, as "
ion. as order. And in the tremendous str