Chapter XXXV.

earthly consideration would have ever tempted Tne to vote for a bill with a PALPABLg FALSEHOOD Stamped on its face. Almost idol- izing truth, as I do, I never, never could have voted for the bill." Of course, Mr. Clay's patriotism so far differs from that of the gentlemen alluded to, that it cannot lead hhn to sacrifice truth for the cause of his country. He then goes on to remark, that the war of 1812, against Great Britain, was of a widely different character from the present, being ajicst war, and so admitted by its op- ponents, who, from motives of policy, refused to support it, and that in consequence, "they lost, and justly lost the public confidence," that is, they lost their pohtical ascendency. He then asks the following very significant question : " Has not the apprehension of a similar fate, in a case widely different, repressed a fearless expression of their real sentiments in som.e of our public men V This interrogatory has all the force of an assertion. To what public men does he refer ? Surely not to Mr. Polk and his party. His remarks irresistibly confine his question to the " some " Whigs in Congress, who, from fear of losing their popularity, as the Fed^*alists had before done, voted for the " palpable falsehood," the war and the sup- plies. If he intended to intimate, and on no other suppo-