Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-02
Written for THE EVENING Stan.

Of those distances and displayed the beauty OF
the design Of its illustrious founder. They were
really the educators of the great party they %
ably represented.
| 1t is impossible at this day to convey an ade-
quate idea Of the influence of the political press
at the city Of Washington under the editorshir
Of Gales and seaton, Blair and Rives, Thomas
Richie and their very able corps Of writer's
The editorials of those days were lengthy and
read like essays, but the readers Of The STAR
| must remember they were written for the age
| preceding railroads and telegraphs and when
| the country was divided between the two con-
tending parties-whig and democrat. In those
columns the great questions OF the day were
discussed by master minds and they furnished
| the country with their respective political
pabulum. The statesmen of that day, the
| leaders OF the two political camps, took their
| inspiration from the organs of the party,
whose relations to the administration in power
were neither subservient or dictatorial. II Mr..
Gales differed with political friend In either
house OF Congress or in official life he did not
hesitate to express his own views, and sooner
| or later they we're those which prevailed. On
| one occasion Mr.. Seatou could not take the
same view Of public question Mr.. Webster
| took, and, refusing to yield his own views to
| took place for q time until Mr.. Webster be-
| came convinced that Mr.. Seaton was right
when the "entente cordiale" was resumed and
| remained unbroken until Mr.. Webster's death.
ABOUT HENRY CLAY.
Mr.. Clay was man Of imperious manner and
more than once the relations between the edi.
tors Of his organ, a. it was called, was some.
what strained. Entering the Office of the Ma.
tional Intelligencer in the early part Of 184l,
became the medium, the representative, oil
Messrs. Gales and Seaton in the political inter
| course between them and the leaders on the
floor OF Congress and in official position. Mr..
Gales rarely left his editorial sanctum to wait
upon the most eminent men in the party. They
came to the Office Of the I,.telligencer and in the
little room, now alas gone, without q record OF
it being preserved, the great questions Of the
day were argued. No important speech was
made on the measures sustained by the wing
party, but the Inteuigenoer blazed the path to
be followed, and when 1t became necessary
to conveythe views Of Mr.. Gales or
Mr.. Seaton to their friends in Congress or
elsewhere l became the medium. Thus at an
early age was brought into personal relations
with Mr.. Clay, Mr.. Webster, Mr.. Mangum, Mr..
Clayton and the other political magnates of
that day.
An incident exhibiting the imperious nature
Of Mr.. Clay will never leave my memory. In
1874 Mr.. Clay had sent to the National Intelli-
gencer from Raleigh, NC, letter taking very
strong grounds against the annexation Of
L
Mr.. Clay was en- route to Washington it was
withheld from publication until he should ar
rive, for Mr.. Gales was opposed to its publica-
ton. fearing it would drive from him the
southern support so necessary to secure his
election. In a few days Mr.. Clay arrived and
was the guest Of Mr.. W. A. Bradley, think at
that time mayor of Washington. Mr.. Gales
waited on him the day after his arrival, and
urged him to withhold this letter, for the pres
emit, anyhow, If not altogether, as he doubted
49, o1s. - 1-kk1
were known to the whole country and, as Mr..
Gales argued, there was no necessity for this
letter. Mr.. Clay arrogantly refused to with
hold the letter, and Mr. Gales returned to the
Office very angry, said he would not see him
again and that ''he had treated him like q
school boy" Mr. Seaton, who was Of q more
conciliatory nature, said he would see Mr.. Clay
that afternoon. He did so and returned almost
as displeased with his interview as Mr.. Gales
had been. Mr.. Clay was not disposed to be
controlled in this matter. After consultation it
was determined to send for Reverdy johnson
and others whose influence might move Mr..
Clay. and was sent to ask Mr.. Clay's permits
sion to delay the publication for forty-eight
hours. l found Mr.. Clay alone and he greeted
me very pleasantly, but when made known
the object Of my mission his whole manner
changed. He shouted: mo, sir! No, sir! Not q
day, sir! Tell Gales and Seaton if my letter does
not appear in the National Iateiligencer tomor-
row morning will send it to my friends Blair
and Reeves l will not be controlled In this
matter!' His vehement manner surprised and
in some measure shocked me. Observing it he
said very kindly, laying his hand on my shout
der: my son. have been so annoyed at these
delays cannot stand any more" / left him,
returned to the Office and told Mr.. Gales what
had been said by Mr.. Clay. He was saddened,
and taking the letter from his table said: "Give
1t to Capt. Moore; it defeats Mr.. Clay; no use
going into the canvass" The letter appeared
in the National Inteligencer the next day, the
9th Of April, 1874
The convention met at Baltimore on the LIST
OF May, and Mr.. Clay, despite the Raleigh let
ter, was nominated by reclamation. The next
day the young mems ratification convention
was held, the largest ever held up to that time
in the country. Five hundred delegates from
here attended that convention, Of which doubt
II half a dozen remain with US. Mr.. Clay
ulations OF this vast convention. He refused
and said he should retire to Ashland and neither
speak or work during the canvass. Had he
kept his resolve he would have been elected.
THE SECOND LETTER DOES IT.
In July, however, he was induced to write
another letter, known as the Alabama lette r,
explanatory in some measure. 1t drove
from him the anti-slavery VOTE Birney was
nominated and drew from him in New York
fifteen thousand anti-slavery whig votes. Polk
carried the state and Mr.. Clay's chances for the
presidency ended. Conversing with the Hon.
Hamilton Fish some few months ago he said
Gen. Schenck and himself were the only living
members of that nominating convention, and
now Gen. Schenck has gone l cannot recall
over half dozen Of those who were delegates
from Washington to the young mems ratifca-
ton convention presided over by the Hon.
John N. Clayton. Mr.. Webster there made one
of his great speeches that day, and the enthusi-
asm pervaded the country and Mr. Claws cleo
ton seemed assured. The following day, after
Mr.. Clay's letter IN opposition to the annexa-
ton Of Texas appeared in the National Intelli-
gencer, Mr.. Van Buren's letter taking the same
grounds appeared in the Globe, and 1t was sub
sequently known that these letters had been
agreed upon by Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Van Buren,,
who entertained the same views on that SUBJ
ject. Mr.. Van Buren, and his friends felt sure
Of his nomination. and they thus sought to re-
The nomination of Mr.. Polk, however, changed
the aspect Of that question, and it became the
leading one in the campaign. The wings
prophecy of war was verified, and Congress the
next session was turbulent and q good deal of
bitterness prevailed, and when war was de-
clared the wings In some instances, notably
Mr. Corwin Of Ohio. refused to vote money and
supplies to carry on, they called it IAN un-
just war and waged for conquest and extension
OF territory" Mr.. Corwin In one of his
speeches made that remarkable statement
which for some years kept him from public
life. He said: If he we're Mexican he would
hospitable graves" Though the wings opposed
the war they filed the ranks of the army, and
many Of them laid down their lives in defense
OF the dag. Mr.. Webster and Mr.. Clay each
mourned son who fell on the battlehelds of
Mexico.