The Washington herald., 1908-09-05

1874 there was q great premium placed
upon mules OF a certain particularly ugly
hue. Blooded horses did not command so
much ready money in the Kentucky
marts. That was because every loyal
Whig in the country wanted 70 ride in
the Clay procession at the big Whig bar
bacue. and he wanted TO ride On
''claybank'' mule, the while he sang
Get out O. the vzy. you're al unlucky;
Clezr the t-zek far Old kentacSy-
True it IS that certain very naughty
small boys OF Democratic parentage did
secret themselves along the roadside and
lie in wait with the feIonfous purpose Of
staining the wethers Of those beautlfuliy
ugIv .claybank'' mules with q pigment
made BY expressing the royal purple juice
Of the Poke berry For was not Polk the
Democratic candidate2 And had not An
drew Jackson. the beloved old Hickory.
given the stamp OF approval 10 this
Young Hickory Of Tennesseeg And did
not the Democrats. defying Mexico and
England alike, Prove themselves true
patriots in raIIylug 70 Polk's cry for
The reoccupztion Of Oregon and the
remuneration OF Texas" and did not every
Democratic heart beat faster when he
heard the auiterative slogan "Fifty-four
forty or fight
And wnen II was all over and the un-
beIievable news was borne n upon the
minds Of the people THAI the great Clay,
the gallant Harry OF the Vest had
been defeated BY a nonenity. "a mere no
body. Ike Polk. did not strong men give
way to tears2 And even the Democrats
could not help but feel sorry for the great
Kentuckian whose life ambition was once
more denied
The election OF James Knox Polk the
first dark horse" candidate for Presl-
dent. and the defeat OF Henry Clay, then
at the apex Of the glory OF personal popu-
lari1y, ended c political campaign which
had a more profound effect upon future
history than any other yet recorded II
brought about the annexation OF Texas
the acquisition Of California, and made
the civil war. Inevitable
The Whigs had sung and shouted their
gallant Harrison 20 such z noble victory
that they we're certain that Clay could
not be defeated Harrison had died after
only a month in the White House, and
had been succeeded by John Tyler The
Wings Of the Clay wing believed IN a
Bank Of the United States They passed
two bills 70 charter such an Institution
but both were vetoed by Tyler The re-
suit was a complete break in the Whig
ranks and the reorganization OF Tyler
Cabinet along Democratic lines Then
Tyler began 70 give heed TO the appeals
FOR annexation from the new republic Of
Texas. The South wanted Texas 70 come
n. as il would be slave territory For
the same reason the North wanted Texas
kept out
Both Wings and Democrats were stiH
afraid 70 take hold Of the slavery qUes-
ton The leaders feared that the intro
duction Of the Texas question would
break I'd both parties zrd endsnger the
Union Mexico had announced that the
annexation OF Texas would be regarded
by that nation as a declaration OF war
although il had already sckloWi11sed the
independence Of Texas England and
France Jealous OF The growth Of the Unit
ed States. were exsrting every possible
diplomatic influence 70 prevent annexa-
zion
Henry Clay knew that he would be the
W-hig candidate Martin Van Burea was
equally certain that he would be the
Democratic standard bearer Although
bitter political enemies. Clay and Var
B-ren were good personal friends. AIr
Van Buren went 70 Kentucky and spent
several DAYS as the guest Of M Clay, Al
Ashland There they had a conference
each recognizing the other as the Prssi
dental candidate Of the opposition party
Each believed cEe Texas question wa:
"Ioadedr' So they agreed 20 keep il OU
Of the campaign
The Whig convention was 70 be held
in Baltimore on May 1. 1S44. and the Dem
ocratic convention was &C meet in n,
same city On Nay 2. The official orgar
Of the Wing party was the National In
teIIigencer. while the Washington Glob
represented the ruling Democratic pow
ers. On April 2 there appeared in the
National InteIigencer an open letter from
M Clay saying he was opposed 70 TIT
annexation Of Texas without the consen
OF Mexico. as Il would mean war IN tht
Globe Of the same day there was pub
ltzhed az open letter from Mr. Van Burel
saying that he was opposed 10 annexa
ton OF Texas without the consent Of Mex
ico, as It Would mean war This remark
able coincidence Of the simultaneous pub
Ication OF the identical views OF the tw
leading candidates for President cause
a tremendous sensation
Andrew Jackson. old but wise, saw tina
II meant the defeat OF Van Buren. and h
Immediately gr0ouled his dark horse 70
the race. DELEGATES 10 the Democrat
convention announced that they woUI
break instructions for Van Buren- 9th
eTs resigned rather than 70 vote for hin
Mass meetings were called al variou
places in the South 70 rescind Van Bure.
instructions When the convention me
Van Buren had majority Of the dele
gates on the first ballot. but the two
thirds rule. the product OF his ow
scheming. was in effect On the mint
ballot James K Polk, OF Tennessee, va
named. as Jackson had planned tw
weeks before and the convention de
cIared for the remuneration Of Texas an
the reOccUpation Of Oregon Texas ha
been claimed under the Louisiana Pur
north as --ffty-four forty was elaine
by right OF discovery Texas was wante
20 add 70 the influence Of the slave State.
Oregon was claimed TO give q hostage [
Northern Democrats The campaign va
conducted with great skill by the Demo
Gratis. NJ Polk succeeding in being hig
tariff man ii Pennsylvania and a lo-
tariff man IN South Carolina The teIs
graph was invented. and the first news
ever carried was that Of the nominatio
OF Polk. But 1t extended only betwee
Washington and Baltimore Since il Ia
spread ali over the country il is no longe
possible for q candidate thus TO be &
things 10 all men
Clay had been nominated BY acclams
ton by a convention which denounce
Texans as mUrderers and adventures
who were unworthy TO be considered q
future Americans. But the Souther
Wings had their own ideas about Texa
and they began 70 bring pressure TO bes