Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-09-27
BY FIRE

stock markets Of the year 1874 there was
great premium placed upon mules of
certain particularly ugly hue. Blooded
horses did not command so 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 unlucky;
Clesr the track for old Kentucky"
True it is that certain very naughty
small boys Of Democratic parentage ola
/ secrete themselves along the roadside and
lie in wait with the felonious purpose of
staining the wethers of those beautiful
ugly 'claybank" mules with pigment
made by expressing the royal purple
| juice Of the pokeberry. For was not POLK
the Democratic candidate? And had not
| Andrew Jackson. the beloved "0ld Hick-
ory," given the stamp of approval to this
Young Hickory of Tennessee? 7" And did
not the Democrats, defying Mexico ana
| England alike prove themselves true pa
/ triots in ralIying to Folks cry for the
reoccupation of Oregon and the reannexa-
ton of Texas" and did not every Demo
cratic heart beat faster when he hearo
the alliterative slogan, "F1fty-four forty
FOR hght?"
| And when It was all over and the un-
belieyable news was borne in upon the
| minds of the people that the great Gay,
the gallant Harry of the West, hao
been defeated by a nonentity, mere no
body, like Polk, did not strong men give
way to tears? And even the democrats
could not help but feei sorry for the "a
nous Kentuckian, whose lie amoition
was once more denied.
The election of James Knox Polk, the
first dark horse" candidate for Presi-
! dent. and the defeat OF Henry Clay, theh
! at the apex Of his personal popularity
ended a political campaign which haa
J more profound effect upon future history
than any other yet recorded. IL Drougue
about the annexation OF Texas, tne ac-
QUESTION of California and made the
Civil War inevitable.
ANNEXATION OF TEXAS
A DANGEROUS ISSUE.
The wings had sung and shouted their
/ gallant Harrison to such noele VIC
tory that they were certain that Cihy
could not be defeated. Harrison had died
after only 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 Iney
passed two bills to charter snch an IN
stitutlon. but both were vetoed by Tyler.
Inc result WIS NVAhHANAN
Wing ranks. and the reorganization OF
Tvler's cabinet along Democratic lines.
Then Tyler began to give heed to the
anpeals for annexation from the new
republic of Texas The South wanted
Texas to come in, as 81 would be slave
territory. For the same reason the
North wanted Texas kept out
Both Wings and Democrats were stiil
afraid 10 take hold OF the slavery ques-
ton. The leaders feared that the intro
duction Of the Texas question wouid
break up both parties and endanger tne
Union Mexico had announced that the
annexation Of Texas would be regarded
by that nation as declaration OF war,
although it had already acknowseoseS
the independence Of Texas. England ana
France Jealous OF the growth OF the
United States. were exerting every pos
sibIe diplomatic influence to prevent an
nexation.
Henry Clay knew that he would be the
Whig candidate, Martin Van Buren, was
equally certain that he would De the
/ Democratic standard bearer. Although
bitter political enemies, Clay and Van
Buren, were good personal friends MI.
Van Buren, went 10 Kentucky and spent
several Gays as the guest OF MT Gay
/ at Ashland. There they bad a confer
/ ence. each recognizing the other as the
presidential candidate Of the opposition
/ partv. Each believed the Texas question
was loaded So they agreed to keep
II out Of the campaign.
GREAT POLITICAL
! SENSATION.
/ The WING convention was to be held
/ In Baltimore on May J. 1874, and the
/ Democratic convention was to meet In
| the same city on May II. The Official
/ organ of the whig party was the Ma
! tionaI Inteliigencer, while the washing
/ ton Globe represented thefruling Demo-
cratic powers. On April 81 there APP
peared In the National IntelligenceT an
/ open letter from Mr. Clay saying be was
opposed to the annexation OF Texas with
out the consent of Mexico, as II would
mean war In the Globe Of the same day
| there was published an open letter from
Mr. Van Buren, saying that he was OPP
posed TO annexation of Texas without
/ the consent of Mexico, as Ii would mean
/ war This remarkable coincidence OF the
simultaneous publication of the Identical
views OF the two leading candidates for
! President caused a tremendous sensation.
Andrew Jackson, old but wise. saw
/ that it meant the defeat OF Van Buren,
and he Immediately groomed his dark
| horse for the race. Delegates to the
Z 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 to rescind
Van Buren, instructions. When the con-
vention met Van Buren, had majority
/ Of the delegates on the first ballot. but
/ the two thirds rule, the product of his
/ own scheming, was in effect. On the
ninth ballot James X. Polk of Tennessee
was named, as Jackson had planned two
weeks before, and the convention de-
clared for the Remuneration Of Texas
and the reoccupation Of Oregon" Texas
had been claimed under the Louisiana
| purchase, and the Oregon country as
! far north as "hfty-four forty" was
claimed by right of discovery. Texas
was wanted TO add to the influence of
the slave states Oregon was claimed
TO give hostage to Northern Democrats.
The campaign was conducted with great
skill by the Democrats, Mr.. Polk succeed
ing in being a high tariff man in Penn
/ sylvania and allow tariff man In South
Carolina. The telegraph was invented
and the first news It ever carried was
that of the nomination Of Polk. But 1t
extended only between Washington and
Baltimore. Since it has spread all over
the country It is no longer possible for
candidate thus ito be all things to all
men,"
CLAY PETITIONED
TO FREE SLAVES.
Clay had been nominated by acclama-
ton by a convention which denounced
Texans as murderers and adventures
who were unworthy to be considered as