The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-09-28
Frederic Haskin's Letter
PRESIDENTIAL L CAMPAIGNS.
VI.-The Polk-clay Race Of 1874.

W-The PolkCl
Washington. D. c.. Sept. 17-InI
the livestock markets Of the var
1874 there was . great premium
placed upon mules OF . csttain
particularly ugly hue. Blooded
horses did not command % much
ready money In the Kentucky
marts. That was because every
loyal Wing in the country wanted
to ride In the Clay procession at
the big Wing barbecue. and he
wanted to ride on . "claybank"
mule, the while he sang:
Get out o. the way. you're all I'M
lucky;
Clear the track for old Kentucky"
True it is that certain very
naughty small boys OF Democratic
parentage did secrete themselves
along the roadside and lie in wait
with the felonious purpose Of STAIN
Ing the wethers Of those beautifully
ugly "claybank" mules with . pig
ment made by expressing the royal
purple juice Of the pokeberry. For
was not Polk tho Democratic can
didate? And had not Andrew Jack
son. the beloved "Old Hickory" =
given the stamp OF approval to this
Young Hickory Of TENNESSEE"
And did not the Democrats. defy
ing Mexico and England alike.
prove themselves true patriots In
rallying to Folks cry for 'the re-
occupation Of Oregon and the re-
annexation OF Texas" and did not
every Democratic heart beat faster
when be heard the alliterative slo-
gan, "Fifty-four forty or fght!'
And when It was all over and the
unbelievable news was borne in
upon the minds OF the people that
the great Clay, the gallant Henry
Of the West" had been defeated by
q nonentity, mere nobody. like
Polk, did, not strong men give way
to tears? And even the Democrats
| could not help but feel sorry for
the famous Kentuckian whose life
ambition was once more denied.
thu f,rst "dark horce" candid.te
for nresident and the d2feat Of
| Henry Clay. then at the auex Of
his personal nonularity ended n
political campaign which had 4
more profound effect upon future
Ied II hrouvht .ho,It the snnexe-
finn ~ Teyee the ecou;s;t;on ~
CaI;forn;a and mad. the civil wsr
inevitahle
Clav Srr. ~ vf.tnrv
Tho Wh;ps had sunc and shont-
ed tha,r veiI.nt usr-i.on 70 .mch
a rohia ~;rto-v that thaw 80. co.
t.;n a.. CIs ..1s 80 ~ sesss.
Uo.,i" 80 AZ W. -. -.
nonth 20 ~ Wh;. .1 horsa ~
had hon .,.caedaa hs rchn rviar
Tha W,;." - 49, 2. -, =.
I;avad ~ row ~ ~" Ifr;ted
States Thav n.s.eS two h;,is ~
ohrs.s, .nar 1850 :u...*-.:.n ~.
S..n o ~ eN M, NY NJ
rar,,,t w.s oorn,ot. 49, =, az
VIZ w. . "as " Sy .s s UsH - ,ne
s .nAs. sau .ne ooi H
VI y, AYE; ysf "a S.p.n n, a:oas Dem ~ IT,
49, H. 20 49,. nen 20 .s ean w ~
neeu " INC Appears ior Anne1atlon
arom tne new IepaDiic OF Ie1as
me SCUM Wan'ed IeAas 10 come
r., 90 ~, ~ ~ . W .s'e .s se'rlaoly s
rol .se sae Ieason INC nol'"
wan.1u ae.as Aep. Oue.
n0'n Wings anu De%oe,As "ele
SUI aiaau . ~ '. me n aoas VI ,. .ne
s.a'ety ques'lon. ine .eauels lear-
1u .n" .ne ln'louucuon =, tne
es1 QUESTION ou.u oleA ~
D:n pS ,sus: anu ~. enuans NY
union. Me.iso nsu annoonce1 .ns.
,n a adad -, IN. " ..t; Aas "oa'u ~ y.
io.es;on -; Hsr aithnn.h = 10
a,-a.Sr oaL~ow,.d-.S ~. na"
nanIano. -, T.,as E,.,ana ~
$500 ,oa,,,,s 20 -. nra-.h n -,
M Mn;.sS c,atas go e~a-+,n.
as..., s:",.".: .sa- e