Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-25

gallant Harrison to such noble victory
that they were certain Clay could not be
defeated. Harrison had died after only q
month in the White House, and had been
succeeded hy John Tyler. The Wings
of the Clay wing believed in a Bank OF
the United States. They passed two bills
to charter such an institution, but both
were vetoed by Tyler. The result was a
complete break in the Whig ranks, and the
reorganization of Tylcr's cabinet along
Democratic lines. Then Tyler began to
give heed to the appeals for annexation
from the new Republic OF Texas The
South wanted Texas to come IN, az II
would be slave territory. For the same
reason the North wanted Texas kept out
Both Wings and Democrats were still
afraid 70 take hold of the slavery question.
The leaders feared that the introduction
of the Texas question would break up
both parties and endanger the Union.
Mexico had announced that the anncxa-
ton of Texas would be regarded by that
nation as a declaration of war; although
it had already acknowledged the inde-
pendence of Texas England and France,
Jealous of the growth of the United states,
were exerting every possible diplomatic
influence To prevent annexation.
Henry CLAY knew that he would be the
Whig candidate. Martin Van Buren, was
EQUALLY certain that he would be the Demo-
cratic standard bearer. Although bitter
politjcal enemies, Clay and Van Buren,
were good personal friends. MIR. Van
Buren, went 10 kentucky and spent sew
eraI days as the guest of MIR. Clay at
Ashland. There they had conference,
each recognizing the other as the presi-
Dental candidate of the opposition party
Each believed the Texas question was
loaded So they agreed to keep 1T out
of the campaign.
CLAY had been nominated by acolama-
ton by convention which denounced
Texas as murderers and Adventures who
were unworthy TO be corsidcrcd as future
Americans. But the Southern Wings had
their own ideas about Texas, ard they be-
gan to bring pressure TO bear upon Mr'
Clay. On July he wrote from Ashland to
Stephen i. Miller of Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
a letter discussing the Texas question In
which he said: Personally | could have no
objection to the annexation of Texas.
For which statement he paid the price oi
thousands of abolition votes and lost the
Presidency.
Two wears before Clay had made tri-
umphal tour Of the West. beirg met every
where by great outpouriug of the people
who were absolutely certain that he would
bc chosen President 10 succeed the lmpos-
sible TYLER. II was al Richmond, Indiana,
that Quaker named Mendenhall camc
forward and presented MIR. Clay with
petition, bearing many signatures, asking
the great Whig leader TO emancipato hls
slaves. He replied in a speech which was
marvel of evasion and sophistTy. But 1T
seemed, at the time To have tho effect OF
once mere postponing the day when c;sndl-
dates for President must recognize the
slavery issllo.
1t did have the effect of Strengthening the
hearts and hands of the Birrey Abolition
party. That organization did not get
many votes in the aggregate, but 1T polIcd
enough in western New York 10 turn the
Empire State from Clay 10 Polk and there
by decide the election. Horace Greeley, as
sincere an anti-slavery man as there was w
the whole north, could not find words
bitter enough to dcnource Burey and the
fanatic aboltionsts' who followed HIM
There was no doubt but that abolition
votes had elected Polk, and thereby assur-
ed the admission Of Texas, another slave
State. which was to have the right to di-
vide itself into four other and new slave
States Greeley was furious.
Mr.. CLAW retired to his home at Ashland
with broken heart. But here is not the
slightest indication that Clay Tcallzod tie
fact that compromise, by which he saved
so many other great men, had caused his
own defeat and downfall.