Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-25
VI. THE roLK-cLAY RACE OF 1874.


Washington, ID. C, Sept. 25-In the
livestock markets Of the year 1874 there
was great premium upon mules of a
certain particularly ugly hue. Blooded
horses did not command so much ready
money m the Kentucky marts. That was
because every loyal Wing in the country
wanted IA ride IN the Clay procession at
the hug Wing barbecue and he wanted to
ride on "claybank" mule, the while he
sang
sect cut o the way, you're al unlucky;
Clear the track for old Kentucky.
True 10 is that certain very naughty
small hoys of Democratic parentage did
sccrcte themselves along the roadside and
lie in wait with the felonious purpose of
staining the wethers Of those beautifully
ugly "elaybank" mules with pigment
made by expressing the royal purple
juicc OF the poke-berry. For was not Polk
the Democratic candidate? And had not
Andrew jackson, the beloved "Old
Hickory, given the stamp of approval to
this Young Hickory of Tennessee?
And did not the Democrats, defying
Mexico and England alike, prove them
selves true patriots in rallying 10 Polk 5
CRY for "the recccupatlon of Oregon and
the reannexation OF Texas, and did not
every Democratic heart beat faster when
he heard the allIterative slogan: Fifty
four Forty or Fight.
And when II was all over and the un-
helicyable news was borne IN upon the
minds OF the people that the great Clay,
the gallant Harry of the West, had
been defeated 10y nonentity, a mere
nobody, like Polk, did not strong men give
way 10 tears? And even the Democrats
could not help but feel sorry for the
famous kentuckian whose life ambition
was pnce more denied.
The election OF James Knox Polk, the
first "dark horse" candidate for President
and the defeat OF Henry Clay, then al the
apex Of his personal popularity, ended
political campaign which had a more
profnund effect upon future history than
any other vet recorded. Ii brought about
the eannexation OF Texas, the acquisition OF
California and made the Civil War IN
evitable
The Wing convention was TO be held In
Baltimore on May /, 1874, and the Demo
cratic convention was TO meet IN the same
city on May %. The official organ of the
Nhig party was the National lntelhgcn-
Ger, while the Washington Globe rep
r,~onied the ruling Democratic powers.
On April 27 there appeared IN the Ma
tiorial lntelhgencer an open letter from
Mr., Clay saying he was opposed TO the
anrexation OF Texas without the consent
a Mexico, as 10 would mean war In the
Globe of the same day there was published
an oyson letter from Mr.. Van Buren saving
that he was opposed 10 annexation of
Texas without the consent of Mexico.
as 1t would mean war This remarkable
coincidence Of the simultaneous pubhca-
ton Of the identical views Of the two
leading candidates for President caused
a TREMENDOUS sensation.
Andrew Jackson, old but wise, saw
that IL meant the defeat of Van Buren,
and he Immediately groomed his dark
horse for the race. Delegates 10 the
Democratic convention announced that
they would break Instructions for Van
Buren. Others resigned rather than vote
for him. Mass-meetings were called at
various places IN the South 10 Tescind
Van Buren Instructions. When the con-
vcntion met Van Buren had a majority
Of the delegatcs on the first ballot, but
the two-thrds rule, the product of his
own schemlng. was m effect. On the ninth
ballot James X Polk Of Tennessee was
named, as jackson had planned two
we-sks before, and the convention de-
clared for the remuneration of Texas
aud the reoccupation Of Oregon" Texas
had been claimed under the Louisiana
Purchase, and the Oregon country as far
north a. "hfty-four forty was claimed
by right of discovery. Texas was wanted
70 add TO the influence Of the slave states.
Oregon was claimed to give a hostage
10 Northern Democrats. The campaign
Was conducted with great skill By the
Democrats, Mr.. Polk succeeding in being
a high tariff man in Pennsylvania and a
low tariff man in South Carolina The
telegraph was invented, and the first
news IL ever carried was that Of the nomi-
nation of Polk. But il extended only be-
tween Washington and Baltimore. Since
~ has spread all over the country it is
no longer possible for candidate thus
ito be all things TO all men"
CLAY SURE OF VICTORY.
~fi. NXb,gs had a,,p0 and shoufad their