I
- T1IOS. J. tMAVt
ntTOR AlfD PBOPRIKTOH.
tress had but adjourn? J to fan ihs embers at
ihome, ao as to create great fire when Conr
gress re-assemmea. the larttr soon be-
came the tnbjnct that displaced all others in
the publie miad Soudi Carolina particu- '
larJy led the van in opposition, and hr po- ' -pie,
enraged by th inspiring eloquence of a
lfavnc. a Hamilton; - and McDuiTm at last
eascafrrasv u,r"
dollara ptr
annum ae
; kail la larnw-
rithjat the Etat
rill be
r" vmJ
iaa type) Brat ineriio, one un t
teqietitiaet1ioa, twenty-Bra ecnli. .,
l-T "a ailTertiKmanti ol Ulerat aau "
a- ... j.. . kiiirt and a de-
diwUooof3Stperaent:.laaaa iron
regular pnaci toradrarUaerahy eaf,.
Letters to the Editor ami ba aoil-ptiiK
Vlll J nanrru j per - -
ba
jF-rota the Wnlcn Literary ExY. k Monthly Review.
Sketches of American Statesmen.
bt taivrt-s aaooKt.
HENRY CLAY.
The proper tfludy of mankind we are told
p man, ana wnat Detier moaei can mere De
or t!ie young men of our day to study, than
he justlv honored of our country, the States
ncn and Orators who are of us and among
living in uiiruwiiume, Dorn WIU U
ommuning with ur, making, as it were,
jheir ways our ways, and their thoughts our
Noughts. YYe are creatures of imitation,
very one to some extent influenced by his
How man, and all men, agreeably to the
esign ofa Good Providence, created for con-
i rrmg social and mutually- soinnHwncflur. 1
It is not good lor man to De alone, is a wise
i la.. .11" I
haxim intended not less for the every-day
Inprovements and business of life than for
finking men nnppier ana better in. their do-
iicstic reteiiohs. As it is true that "History"
Ph3hy leachingby Example' so 4
iniCt man, the prominent character in
Int history, is .destined through the power
I jih'ilosophy and example; and in just pro
Jirtion to his genius and talents, to work out
Evolutions and give character and importance
tithe age and country in which he lives. By
iminion consent he is made the organ ofa
arty numbering thousands mid thousands of
i iciw Ihe multitude look to him as an ora
e of wisdom. His opinions are heard, be
. vcd, acknowledged, enfonud, and all,
)t because men or partizarisare by nature or
j udy, man worshippers, Imt for the better
ason that they have ronliilcnce intlio hon-.
nndTht'egrlty of the 'lndwfiom'1heTlioa
i illingly and cheerfully elevate to the places
rartkiiria ttpbraniarJ..".
Tho etad v of man, then, u one of the no
irrtof stnJrcr, anchhone canrte' highersaTe
iie study of the Groat Creator, who fashion-
man after his own image. . It is noble be-
4usc his example is for the weal or woe of
iuoihatiidics,aud sUulicdW4lI.bc by Uw!
ass of men: to the one claf s a blessing,
it to the other a curse, to both alike exer
ig a powerful influence upon present hopes,
,! our future destinies.
Henry Clay is the firs! man I shall intro
icc to your readers. His name is register-
I as "the r athcr ot the. American System.
t; 'ilt ot them termsof honest rntseaha
icrreil upon bun by ie greatbmly oTAmerf'
in People, from a sincere respect to his
ini-iples, and an undoubted attachment to
e man. 1 lie most enviable notoriety ever
ksiowcu upon a piipiic maa by a "gratelul
oplc, was that bcBlov. ed by Alliens upon
me of her distininiished men. Aristides
lie Jutt" and Soi:ratcs ",he ff'he," were
4btcr and better titles than ever a nation or a
fople conlcrred Upon Kings or Princes.
ieh"a title has been fret4y granted tollenrr
I' Jav. He is tlie American Pacificator, and
known to have been a successful ncacoma-
r at a memorable period when the rain
and the winds blew and the storms came
freateniriir, m our political divisions, to
lake the firmest pillars of the republic to
ir loundation. Henry Clay, therefore, I
ist think, take him all in all, the most prom-
rnt man in the countrj-. In peace he has
erciscd all "mild behaviour and humility."
iid when the "blast of war has blown," he
8tou lrth the Man, the Patriot, and the
tesrrran.- The-last - words thatfcll from
I lips in the Senate Chamber were iu refer
ee to the Maine Dordcr War. His words
re tlie' words "or 'wjsdoTiranJ'lru
is for peace anfl quiet, and hohed thatdii
thJiort remnant of his lilt- he should
,l a!?fd ixM Great Britain, the Mother, aud
e Un wiStates, the Daughter, waging to-
i ruicr ayun a nerce anu uiomiy war. , jstia,
J (!od in his Providence ordained otherwise,
ft Vl the rlecree shirold ro forth from Great
f Iritain that sh? rinse tn hein the roriir. ttnd
f H the wrong pursued -determined to in
side our soil then he was for thelast, worst,
Jpailftil, -altmnriyc7yART"Maine "sTiouuT
to him as bis own Kentucky, arid in such
Jcontcst wcinW know 9odjircre.nc.betmn
u East and the West. Even American
fart responded to Mr. Clay in thir Fenti-
cnt, and it was with, delight that I saw andJ
ari an esteemed Senator from the North,
f grcafiTiscretTon,' judgment, aiid learning,
he mm by the haml awl tell hint mull i
my, as he betorc and afterwords told others,
.u ne was me man lor such an emerwnrv.
d that he had spoken tlie words of truth and
ohemess. In this, Mr. Clay was, as he is
Iways, the man best calculated to stwr the
i.lder of the National Ship in astonrr-firm
l devoted' yet cautions and honorable
Hi Constitution of the United Siiiies ' ami
Vlniori of the Cnnrndnrnnv. hi mnwil,,.
1 die Ark of our political safety.' With an
! ptachment to the Union and an enforcement
t I the principles of the Constitution, time
d airain he has said that the Remihlic waa
ke tlie strong man armed a terror ioiiie
rimout, and capable of subtluing foes with
Upon all occasions and' upon all questions,
lr. ('lay has spoken,! may say, with tlie
rcatest forecast and wisdom., One ofjiia
fruflg and often advocated 'opinioiu-t.s, that
'Ovrnmnt is 84rwt, tnB-olfo-rof -tlM I
"vfrnnient, trtisless, and that tlie trust and'
ie tmslecs were created for the benefit of
Pie tvnnlA' ITa waa nmnnrtlii first. Inn. tn
'iaelris voice 5n behalf of "free trade and
"amen s rights," and hit waswJlojiajuL
''5 she could know her own subjects, let
"f give thera an ear mark. Tlie colors that
Pated from "the masthead of ourshiasehould
rrn'dentials of our seamen!" Tliis in de-
'ice of naturalized citizens, whom Mr. Clay
pcdareJ, during the last war, were entitled
" North. Carohxa Powerful in moral, in intellectual, and in physical
VOL. XXX.
to tlie fullest protection from our GovcromcnJUxMxJClay-cxccllptTtTu' (ruiunyiitliod tFag(Hli-rclf dcaigiicdlya wranro! man
I have only time to allude to Mr. Clay s
many political opinions, and so well known t
are they that even an allusion is hardly ne
cessary. 1 w ish to give the reader, as well
as I can, some distinct idea of the man his
prominent traits of character, eloquence,
manner,&c, as shown in public life. Mr.
Clay, the man, is respected and admired by
all his political friends, arid by at least nine
tenths of his political opponents. This is,
perhaps, the warmest eulogium which can
be bestowed upon him, for in our country
and in our day it is a miracle almost to hear
a man speak well of his political adversary
lfiil mehearts oTinmiv of Mr
s onpo-
scrs, l know warm towards him. Many
here arcy who, urpon questions of great im
portance to themselves and friends, would
...
Bpouer.. tike his advice than that of almost
any other man. His advice is asked iu mat
ters the most interesting to his associates, and
when asked always given with the freedom
and candor of a devoted and responsible
friend. And from whence arises thin! you
ask uie. I answer in the language of Juni
us, because Mr. (Hay -has "that clear un
blemished character which comprehends not
only the inteirrity that will not offer, but the
spirit that will not receive an injury" and
because, too, 1 might add, he is one of those
men who .would as readily consult the in
terests of ar friend, in acting the friendly part,
as fie would- lua own, lie would never
counsel dishonor to a friend, and upon more
occasions than one has given that counsel
'which in the eyes oPtho' law or Uumaliity
has prevented the commission ofa dislioh-
frame. acfe iuuiesetueijicui , ot -pcrscna
oHftrpefer andjnr1reventiflff- personal fcttds,
Iu.Ui"e setjeiit orscnan
hehnffbecB a much and perhaps more ofa
pacificator, than in the introduction of meas
ures of public . policy which Jiayc calmed
the . '
-'I i i tronUometorm- that lewd .
The trirate (le anil rvmleml life oiiiwrct." ;
With more, than Ordinary shrewdness, Mr.
Clay has groat frankness. If offended hist
friends will soon know it. Every Uiing con
nected with ihc mauis clearahdabove board.
and rnost "devoutly do I belicfe" him iheapa
ble of deepption 6r hypocrisy, orJ of kiiQWr
orwe.:, . tii;spoiuungoi uua.tiaul in air, unp
cnaracier mo omer uay,airjc!ui.wno.iuipws
c"manmucn better than I do, remftrked to
me that it wftsupto a cerfein occasion, many
years since, when in Ijcxington, Kentucky,
that ho first learned to love and admire Ilen
ry Clay. In conversation with some' one,
Mr. Clay who is of a r.arm and ardent tem
perament, became . healed and excited so
much that his passion got the lietter of his
judgment. Language waa used towards hisr
opponent which his own heart in a moment
of calmness condemned. Mr. Clay felt dial
he had done WToiifr," and promptly made a
manly and satisfactory apology, and in a
Unannert4oo, as public as the insult had been
given ' l o one w ho knows- al r. Clay w til
believe that he was influenced by any kind
of fear, except the fear , of doiny wrong.
Since commencing this article I have met
with another and well authenticated anec
dote, characteristic of the man. Mr. Pres
ton, the Senator from South Carolina is the
author, and tlie anecdote was told by him in
the eood city of Philadelphia since the ad-
journmcrrtof Congress. 'Oironeoccaaion,'-
said Mr. 1'rcston, whilo addressing a mee
ting of political. Jricnds, "Mr.Clay did me
the honor to send for, and consult with me.
It was in reference to a step ho was about to
lake (probably die Pre-emption bill) I
suggested to hi in," said Mr. Preston, "wheth
er such a course as he proposed would not
ruin his own prospects, and injure those of
the whig parly. J he answer given to a,lr.
Preston was characteristic of the man. It
,waa,au ansa czxaxshj,,, .o..G8orga,Waslungr.
ton hunsell, and one which could have been
uppermost only in the mind ofa noble-bear-J
ted patriot and statesman, devoted 'to tho
welfare of 4he Republic : "I did not send for
vou." he said, in reolv to Mr. Preston's
sugjrfistion; "to ask what might be fhe effecls
ofthe purposed movements on my pronpec't,
but whether it was tight. I had ratUer be
RIOHT THAJt BE PRESIDENT.
Both these anecdotes illustrate strong points
in Mr. Clay's chRracter,- It sltowa a noble
nuiul, one which only a truly good and great
man could cxlubt, thus to conquiv. oue-s
pride, and to control one's passion, and one's
interest and ambition too, so as to make a
wronjr, a right, by atoning for injuries ia-
fl icted from prejudice- or any oUior cause.
How many hcart-buramga would be sooth
ed, how many animosities would die with
in men' breasts, how many noble lives
saved, passions hushed, wrongs repented
oi, ana injuries forciven would there be
if thus one to another men would vindicate
themselves by tlie confession of an undoubt
ed wrwr,-
But there U one other and perhaps nobler
wait "1 cnaracier oeionginir to Mr. Clay, I
uii:n ui in, w w uuivvuiH uoeriyfvnow in
beiiaii oi rsjuth America, and; anon' in d
tence oi me , wronirea ureckto-dav. (or
Poland, and - Uwnorrow and always, ao b
spffef tor tu Ireeet Ircettom atjwtne. ,Ae
ly i sea ioo ncnvvm it errant munao t.
The amelioration of the condition of man
has always been one of the prominent ob
jects of his life. His speeches from the mo
tifetrjf the last made, have been distininiish
r.c . ik. t.o., l.. .i:i;..:.t.
ed for their enlarged and liberal sentiments.
He has a heart capable of feeling for the
distresses of all mankind, and a voice ever
ready to vindicate the right of man.. What
ohiison said of Garrick, I may say of Mr.
lay with perhaps one exception in which
RALEIGH, X. C. WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, IS39.
an. "lie hail seen every part acted by L.ar-1
riek performed equally well by other per-'
rick perlormeil equally well by ouier per
sons, but lie Had never seen any one
but lie nau never seen any one who
could perforin so many parts so well." Mr.
Clay performs cvcry part equally well with
others, aud in one point of character he most
certainly excels all other men in our coun
try, lie has great, a superior genius, the
genius of a far-reaching mind that looks be
yond the davs and the inohlhs and the years
that are, and forms correct conclusions of
what the present will bring forth years and
years to come. With (renins he has great
tact. and talent too, and muled to this deep
feeling "and long experience. The promi
nent lauit ol tnc man is a firmness ot char
acter, which, if it is not the parent, is at least
the brother of obstinacy. I would as soon
attempt, Jo remove,., a mountain by ;.aij ,e$erejsc.
of ordinary faith, as I would attempt to change
the mind of Mr. Clay when fairly made up.
In tins respect he even goes beyond tlie late
President of the United Slates, who would
sooner pluck put! an eye or cut off an arm
than sacrifice an opinion, whether right or
wrong.
As a debator. Mr, Clay's object seems to'
be a desire to carry his point. With less
power to fix his mind on the one ercat sub'
ject before him than some other men, he
nevertheless brings lor ward an argument and
an analysis and eloquence which produces a
magic effect upon all classes of hearers. I
have said Mr. Clay has genius and talent,
by which I mean no more, than that the God
of Natare has endowed htnrw'iUr great abili
ty, and that tic has improved to' the bo3t ad-
taiTtag? the; ten talents bestowed npon hint,
to me, is an ability to carve out iiew and im
portant plans, through the execulien of rthich
the nation is to receive "public good, and if
Mr." Clay Is to b(L applauded for any one
Jjyhjtagje! Jbrihe. great
j ...... . ... urn.
vocatcd in the Halls of Congress, all of them
designed to benefit the people of the United
States, and none of them ever failing to cort-
r ' .tA . i ....
i it tiiat ueiiciii .wncn put ltiio operation.
This power I call genius because -it is he
result of superior mental gift, a power of
tivating the works Of nature. Tli iWm who
can Judge .correctly. o the future- from the
present, who with an eye of propltecy be
holiUi, as it were; in , vision, the consequen
ces, good of evil, resulting from tliis decis
ion in law, and fromlh.it diistruetioii of a
measure of public policy, Avho has the pow
er to meet the strong by argument, tho tim
id by firmness, the susceptible by eloquence,
tho patriotic and well-meant 'multitude by
fervent appeal, warning the one and tlircat
ning the other enclt a mirid is gifted with
true genius and capable of conferring an im
mensity of good upon a state or country,
especially when scn ingthat country in her
national councils. ruen a man h;
i lite liji oftit uh Ni'nir lohiriic
All kiiHln ol'aryaincnl anil (niimi ilrcp
A 1 rqHcation prompt, md reaasu Mitxijj,, .
For Ilia ailmntagt: slill iliil mki- am) sli r c '
To rrmk the wecjifr lanh, )iw lankier weTi
He hail Ilia dialect iiut dirtm-nt (kill,
( ntcliiiig all riMoui in tiisrruRof U'
Tltat he did in the central tiomni rt-ij;',
(Wyoung.flf plit- and acxeittodi eue!mutriLn
With all thispowcr, Mr. Clay iB whol'.y
free fromvanity and ostcntatioa. .. Like.mQal
men he may have been proud of the applansa
bestowed upon him in early life; ' but ho is
opyomi ii now,- mm whiiu- uruumi linn you
sec a tnronr oi inicnor men wnosrr pnae
and self-ostseui rover them like a garment,
you find Mr. Clay apjiarently unaltered and
uninfluenced by the effect of his own efforts,
no matter what their influence on others.
In his pacific measures, Mr. Clay reminds
me of a great merit in the character of Pcr
ideau The safety of htsmcasureIira!i the
tfroat principle which guided the action of
the Athenian. Tolmides, we arc told, at
the head of some of the bravest and most
spirited of tho Athenian young men, was
preparing to invade itetia at an inoppor
tune moment."" lie labored acalmtstir' Wm
vert hint from, his purpose, making use of
these memorable words; "If you regard not
the opinion of Pericles, yet wait at the least
for the advice ot time who is the best ol all
counsellors!" Great caution andirreat wis
dom were the rreat merits of Pericles in
war. They' are among Mr. Clay's merits
when bringing forward and proposing meas
ures of public policy in time of peace.
THE LAX D BILL, MR. CLAv'S KLOO.CEXCE, tc.
Of MrCiaVs voices marm er ofilebate,
and other peeuliarities I will here say some
thing. First, of hi voice, because it is Mr.
Clay s voice, and I know of none like it a
mong the list of orators I have heard at
Washington, ' or elsewhere. It is one of
the first peculiarities noticed by the stranger
who hears him sneak. It falls upon the
eaWorThoTicarcY wUraniTienfti'ecThesrdf
soft music, demanding the attention and
enlisting the feelings and sympathies of the
dullest hearer ctfpawl of betng;lhflufcnced
by "sound. :The tones of hi own roicc, 1
sometimes beneve. master his own judg-
menfc-Tliriee-liate- i heard him -during'
tlie few vears oast, when alluding to one of
hie favorite subjects (the Distribution of
the Publie Iands) hit own feelings- have
earried. him beyond the1 bounds of legisla
tive uiscretion. 1 have seen almost every
I .i. : r - - :,i.Iti. .i . t ii..:i.u-nJ ;n.T
mingling their feelings in common with
his, their heart touched and tlieir best
sympathies called forth, together, and hur
ried on like the mountain stream mingling
with ths impetuous torrent when borne s
long to the ocean and Bwceping all before,
But it is only when Mr. Clay has fell hini-
resources the land of pur sires, and the home
impeached, ana his actions misjudged that
you see these outbreaks of passion.
In the long session of '35 and '30 when
the Iand Bill, familiarly known all over
the country as Mr. Ciay s Iind Dill, for
the last time passed tlie Senate, I, shall nev
er forget the speech then made by him, and
the ellect it produced upon trie treat body
of the hearers. Mr. Clay was reciting his
own connection with that measure from the
moment of its inception, to the time when
(icn. Jackson thought it incumbent upon
him to refuse his signature to the Bill which
had passed both the Senate and the House
by large majorities. "
II is allusion to. and vindication of. the
moves which prompted die introduction of
that measure, the stern opposition he had
met widi-he uncompromising
tnc ijxccuuvc, aim sonic oi nis menus, to
the incisure itself, 6t so much, ashc be
lived, because the measure was bad, as be
cause it was his measure, the position in
which he had been placed, designed to hu-
miliato him, and intended to thwart the ex
cciition 6f a favorite and truly-patriotie rneaa-J
tire;-ii(Ul this coupled, with-keen and natu-
rally sensitive feelings, quite unnerved him,
and in soite of everv disnosiiion nnd ftrtrt
1 . . 1
choked for utterance. He was trrieved
with the recollection of unjustifiable , inju-
rics. I know that it W -sometimea an easy
turn? or a man to ween at the ellect ot his
owa adf mld.clatM.:of - wi veva
there ts tMitJ'onO step from th fluoluae - - to
tlie ridiculoiia " an thorn in hat aaa . frnm a
. . . '
Luan bd. and MfiAUiiff lua lalfl
spdkenm an impassionetl mannefvflnd a
story equally adr told wlicre the heart is
wantinff and insineeritv nnnai-cndir mani-
fest. -Mr. ()lhy mroiig feeling-may give -
t he cue to his stronir pynremnintt nf wmk inn.
to con&ol ins reelings,. I saw Mr. Clay Pcn not noaru oy aii present. . i no imer
auite in tears, amrhearrl hia voice fulinr est, if any thine, soemod to increase bI Mr.
but Wte vote of a-maa attikettluV chord tuLbLli!?!'
his own heart, which is responded to in the
hcarU. of - Uk-lwarew ranking the heard
and the hcarpr beat in the unison. Musjc
charms the car. take rnnrivn the hnnrt. and
exerts, at times, an all cQntrolling'influence
unon die .interior.
t Jliko ilia tie all
I i - , . - -
difliiAUtiui-i.aUiff.r filriw mmiUinHiniit
and sympathies. KighUy aUuned.it has a
power almost super-human. Mr. Clay s
oice is fenent and docp-toned-reaching
the recesses of tho aflbetions, and exerting a
bewitching power over the hearer. The
Poet tells us that v " j
i no numan voice is
Them is in soulsasympatl.r with sounds, jor trio uivine mission or tiic rmimtcrot our
Ana ss the mind is pitched tlie ear is pleas'd ligibn, nd to profit by his peaceful exam
With meltin; airs, or martial brisk or grave, pies. I entreat that portion of my country
Some chord in nnion with what we hear I women who have given their countenance to
Is twicUed wiihiiwts and the he.it repliM." abolition, to remenvber that they raro -"ever
Eloquence, the Rhetoricians tell us, is most loved when moving in their own ap-
the art or talent by which a discourse is a- propriate'arid delightful sphere; and to re
dapted to its end, mid it is ( 'iecro, I believe, lloct that the ink which they he in sub-
wno says mat tne great an oi an orator is tne Brnoing wim umir isur rnuiua uumiuu pc
selection' of his topics. . In eloquence, pas- titions, may prove but the prelude to the
sion.lmagination, wisdom, and will, arc all shedding the blood of their brethren. I ad-
eotrcerticfl. Trneeloquenceis born of Na
Hire,' arid as Nature's offspring, it derives
beauty, strength and power from use. Voice
and manner arc part orits magic machinery, evitably lead to the most calamitous conse
and in diese gifts, Mr. Clay, although horn quenccs. And let us all, as county men, as
an orator, is doubly so by improving the first
guts oi lion ven..
At4smy-diuiign-jtL-tliifl moinfiriLJtt give.torjLJtiujmjhM thetrialB or the
tliose of your readers who have notseen and Kovolution, and if adTiereiTto, it wUTcbn
heard Mr. Clay? a jlistiniU
To introduce linn as ho. is, for j have no. the dispensations of Providence, be reserr
wish to paint his character j:i false or oxtrar- ed for tliem.",.. ..- :.-y " ,
agaijt colors. One of tho brightest oma-j Mr.,Clay closed his speech -- two hours
ments of the Republic; tliougli 1 believe hun earlier than the time, of adjournment.. An
to be, I must ak you to go with mo into the attempt was made to go on with the busi
Senate Chamber at Washington. Tlie scene 'noss of the body, but it was . impossible, so
shall be a frequent one, and die occasion fa-' strong were tho impressions left upon the
miliar to almost every American reader. It minds of the hearers. Senators, Members
Was anOceurronceofbtit a- fewe4i
when a thousand hearers listened to one ofthe 'crowd of listeners ahove stairs, were all ex-
orator's most m;istcrly and eloquent displays
or power. Unc evening, early in l'ebruary;
it was whispered through tne streets of
Washingtbn, only between the hoiirs of ad
journment and meetlngbf ;the Stehaiiei fjwn
one day to the other, that Mr. Clay was to
speak in reference to the abolition of slavery,
andlhe merita oLllie -slave question. TlIe
Senate met at 12 o clock .and soon after 10
an immense crowd had collected within the
walls of the Chamber. Every niche, jrrev
ice and foothold was occupied, and as many
as were within tho walls were driven back
unable to force an entrance. It was during
what is called the morning hour, that Mr.
Clay arose to present a memorial from be
tween one and two hundred of the citizens of
the Districtof Columbia, praying Congres
to do what could constitutionally be done to
discountenance the movements of the Aboli
tionists. - - '
Mr. Clay was "calm as a summer's morn
ing" in the midst ofthe excitement, and the
bTuliimt display around him.'The Sena
tors, who, however much love they may
have for speaking themselves, have litde for
the. hearing of speeches from others, except
upon occasions hot Ordinary, were very gen
erally in their scats, watching' with lynt
eyed .vigilance the new movement of their
.frirad, epponr
ers and Reporters were hns'jTih" noting
down the opinions of the. Speaker. The
Gendemen's Gallery a sort of stocked pris
on houseoften likened to the Calcutta
The multitude there had their eyes fixed in
tendy upon the man whom the President of
the Senate formally announced as "the
Senator from Kentucky." Opposite was
the Ladies' Gallery, equally full, but filled
with the beauty and fashion of Washington
City and with the gay and intelligent multi-
of our -affections
ions." f - ,
2&
rtudrrwho congrctnto at th Metropolis du-
rniij a session of Uimgrcssr rro:rt every nook
and corner of tlio Union, and from almost all
parU of the world. A breathless silence
roig.ied throughout the Ch:tm Ser, and not a
word was lost which fell from tlie lips of the
speaker. Mr. Clay's naturally hjmely face
was now the picture of earnestness anij intel
ligence. His voice, .
"Musical as A polio's lute."
was turned to molody, and every wonl was
spoken easily, naturally ah J with great ef
fect. Some of his noblest passages were ut
tered upon this- occason in a manner of pe
culiar power, and his eloquence "flowed
like a stream Tod froin aiTliliumlahT Ipfingt"
In that speech, and in nil others I saw an
other of Mr. Clay's peculiar powers and one
which distinguished all his diplomatic cor
respondence when Secretary ..of State, and
wlielifomng'tiu country abroad'. '"' 'aiimle
to the clear, luctd, logical arrangement of his
argamd'ut, ind tho chiistrf and appfoprirtW
languazd in which it was clothed, a model
for such compositions, and remarkable for
thTatrwhose-carlvadvanciees were so
few as the early advantages of Mr. Clay.
Hut a word more onue Abolition epaac,;!.
Mr Clay sPke for two nou or n J
durini no time, I believe, was there a word
, . i i t . mi 1
L'l;iy drW to the conclusion of his speech
na paragraph of which tho concluding ona
I must send yon, spcliarjacteristia isit of
.luwiunfa uuiui man, ivcau itanuim
ifflic
- . :.-.- nrumj.twM- p.uvAiwTeryx
.tU) il Oltr politicid horizon. U it nOtObKUr
..ii i : l l. .1. . . . T
"ut : otaroMwuiMw-wMww
a'people before so blessed aa we are, if true
to oursclvesT Did. ever any other nation
con
proupKruy, ui irTv.uiiuas anu oi Kioryi our
ewa, anu visimo. it was cieariy uiscernea
l tho coramencemeitt, and distinctfy aooa
",reu8" ",,r w 'rr' oa w w
tonly run upon it, and destroy all the e-lori'
ous anticipations of the high destiny that
awaits nsT ' lbpicccli the 4lH)lilibnisU them
obiectii of humanity ami
ra"ieHW cmjiiuyracniwHiuir ciicrgiua, cl
llH5m wiect one or more narnnuaH, utn uoua
not mreaven mi uiuuge our country m oioou.
call upon that small portion of the clergy,
w,icn na ont itself l; these wdd and ruin-
ous schemes, not to lorget the holywiature
Ture alt the inhabitant of the treeStateeto
rebuke and discountenance, by their opinion
and their example, measures which must in-
friends, and as brothers, cherish in unfading
memory, tne motto wnicn oore our ances
. cited. Tho presiding officer could no long-
i er preserve order, and the" Senate adjourned
in confusion. No man but Mr. Clay eould
have made such an impression upon an au
diertce, many of thoui. campaigners, ,wh
in a time of peace and in a tiius of war, for
a quarter of a century had heard either the
thunders of war or Ihe syren toned notxs of
peace sounding in their ears. t . , , ,
THE COXmOXISK BILL.
I shall refer to butone other prominent act
in Mr. Clay's public life, and then cease to
weary your patience. It is the most me
moralde in Mr. Cby's life which has been
fiillofevcnut. 1 mean his history connect
ed -with the passage of the Compromise Bill
in the session of -1832-3.1. This was one
of those great eveuts that make a deep a
never to be forgotton impression upon a
man's mind. I well remember the history
of this Bill, and I watched its progress keen
ly from its inception to iui end. . The Tar
iff of 1823 with the discussions . that led
to fl pawageiJiad exasperated -our south
ern countrymen to such an extent that even
their hot language but feebly- expressed the
fervency of their idea. ; The BUI had been
made bad by its enemies, I who wishful, to
make it so bad that even its mends would
disown it and wherever, evin in opposi
tion to its friondsrthcy eould engraft upon it
a ""rrirtsr-TjbTio'ximi -tmrtcrtinir-4teni'i'--thy;
- t -: O ' f
seized the opportunity bo as to fasten to it
leads, that would drag it down of their own
. i. .. . -! : '
wctirni. - rne irienos oi tne I arm, ii is ;
u... t, tuf anthnf vniK
things about, and though "a monster" some I
of them owned it to be; as a whole, yet tliey :
thought it well proportioned injuome of iu
parU The Bill, however, was passed a-j
mid an agitation that could not subside upon
iu passage. U was soon evident that Con-:
nicy tiitru iu uuv ucuajim i, - " t I
i ..! l.. . .1 ;...i...ir. i
u-..,.i- .uutt 1 Cl'i41 vj uuuau
pityiBiw-wnnTiTT
pen war. Indeed, United Mate vessels, of . -.
war were stationed hi the port of Charles
ton and tort Moultrie was strongly gam-
one! by United States aoldiers. i he rai -.
mstto button .andTthe nul UfyingTeockad -were
visible emblems of the sovereignty into -which
every individual in the State was mil
tying hunaclf and Charleston bristled
with war, and Columbia. : rang with elo
quence. r The famous proclamation of Gan- ?
cral Jackson added but fury to the element
and every attempt to. appease the storm
was vain as every attempt to queu iw --n
llayae, who, la his great speech, so well
known by the great ans wer of Mr. Webster,
had just introduced the new doctrine of nul
lification into Congress, had retired from .
the Senate to be Governor of'lha little nation .
nullification was creating and Mr. Calhoun
had taken his place. General Hamilton
was Commander-in-Chief of tho Vf ru
tiaoii there was none of the,.ostreiy " .;
ef South Carolina and George- MeDttfT
acted : aa ' mmistcr plenipotentiary in the
House of Itoprescntatives. Seldom had
ny State ever put forth so many aide men,- f
and if aptitnde. eloquence, tact or eouraire .
wuld have -wuried "Trtttttrtframthnndy'
i t. - .iV.-.ii,-'
would pass throuirh liert unscathed.
Tbe Senate of the V nitca states in 4 s sz r.
33 was nearly equally divided as to its po
litical character and in- it was jomaJmt-!.
rate and many able men. Clay, Webster
and Calhoun were the strong men-ot whose a . -iiitelloctiial""
uporiority-there was but litde i:
doubt. The adroit Forsyth, the aoble- .
heartod Frslinghuyacn, the cool and cunning - ,
but able Wright pe witty Holmcs,hhe polf
Ishcd .. Sarairuo, tho roitirh but gloriotte
Clayton, nnu. jdver-tonguod Grundy, ihe
iron-bonai and strong headed Ewuig. were
the Senatorr or Thar aafrTnere were In--
deed, but two or three littla menwho no
where could have been, big, for almost all
had a character, and a character, for no mat-'
ter what, is seldom got without some cause. " .'
The WMioOn?M nStltffi
bio for .violent discitsslons "npon thr Tn if
wttliout any prospects 01 a sotttoment ol tne :
vexed question. Indeed the adininistMtion -of
the Federal Government, mado tip of the4 - -
elements it. was, coul4,jnot, or would not
ettle-rfc The administration natera-from . . . ,
Pennsylvania, and Mr. Dickcrson of Nt'.'.
Jersey were high Tariff men, and woyld not 'j
yield to the demands ' of the South au4 it ; .
wits very doubtful whether New York wish- ,
ed foir scttlemenL for ilia Tariff interest in L'
Now York was not only strong, but Chore ,
n Amt pJTMIl 1 fig ii TMniTlnl II ir ..
oui.oi .una qusuuu . .
long as it Was open inasmuch as the oppo-v' -silionof
0i3 South and North could not
then coaiesctwfor action.
In this condition of things when Cod ;
gress assembled in Dccemlier", 1832,'-Mr
Clay found the country. During the months
of December, and January, it was remarkahla ,
that he scarcely ever took an active part-in
Tariff discussions. - The House," it was . - V
clearly seen, could agree upon no Bill, ,
though a- Bill known vlrf-thrinnn? Yct-;!
plank's Bill, was tlie constant theme of dis
cussion. It was almost demonstrated at
last, as February was drawing to an end.
that on the 4th March, Congress would ad
journ without passing any bill of modifies-- "
tion thoujrti the ontonnanet or south Car-
olina, nulltlying the kw-of 4828irarwcll-r .
known, and the threat was boisterous- that
any attempt to enforce it in South Carolina
would lead to blooodshcd 'and civil War."""' '
Though there probably was a disposition to
modify die act of 1828, yet tho nullification
of South Carolina had added to tho original
difficulty ofa sctUement, for many reasoned
wrthMrrAdarnsrthat if Congress -then le
gislated, it legislated under a threat, which
wowu oe pernicious prccouuni. nir. iay
howevor, and notwithstanding,' teaolved .in
February to introduce his famous Compronv
ise Bill. It was not at first received with
much favor, and thera did not seem to be
hardly t hope of its passage. LThe leading
Administration cienators, uenton, x orsyin,
and Wright, settheir faces decidedly against
itr T he-Tarift'tteirators - fronrNewEngg
landVere jiot ' iwfrie
prrmahility of iu success by the usual vote
of parties, t spectator would have predicted
its defeat by two votes to one; M r. Web
ster at once denounced it as a surrender of
thoTwhle prinelnles of Protection 1 that Mr; T y
: Clay had so o
ropenty ofthe eountrvr and another em- ' ;
vmumenLMMM&teh progress. what:: '.
now, and then, seemed and insurmountable
one, in the strong Argument that such bill ;.,
of revenue must originate in the House of - y
Representatives.' These arguments Mr.
Clay but poorly "met, but he parried and
vaded them the best he could, and yet - - -he
pressed the passage of his Bill as a .
panacea lor his counntry s ills." t j
1 Very well rocotiect tlis afternoon nd . "
the evening when the discussion comraeno
ed on this Bill. I do not : mean the set , -speech,
with which it was introduced but ; '
the extempore discussion, - which when it
springs up amony powerful men, upon a great "
and exciting topic, is one of the most glori- ' ' .
bus fcMU of lulellecV an obacrving
can ever banquet upon. It was nearly '
dark in the Senate Chamber when the) dts- ' .
cussion was under full.way, tho spectators, IT ,
who usually throng th galleries having : "
gone home, expecting to hear nothing more,
and the reporters in weariness of a long VJ
day's wdrk, having either dropt iheir pensj - -
ot relreaied. Jlo iheir jfl asets to.writo.out the :.:
doings of that day for the newspapers of .
the next. . The discussion was never re-
...I. 1 !. it...
purwu, anu u iMuuomo uuv una
Mamlwn of tlie House of lienreanntativna
' - I -
ever heard It. It nad the great advantage,
too, over almost : all the discussions in
Washington, ; the question must be settled
within a very short time, as on the 4th of
March Congress must adjourn, and that as
it broke up all tlie previous organization of