tain, Henry Clay.

As is well known, the principal antagonist of the renowned Whig
chieftain was Andrew Jackson. Earlier in their political careers,
both had been earnest supporters of the administration of President
Monroe, but at its close the leaders last named, with Adams and
Crawford, were aspirants to the great office. No candidate receiving
a majority of the electoral votes and the selection by Constitutional
requirement devolving upon the House of Representatives, Mr. Adams
was eventually chosen. His election over his principal competitor,
General Jackson, was largely through the influence of Mr. Clay;
and the subsequent acceptance by the latter of the office of
Secretary of State gave rise to the unfounded but vehement cry
of "Bargain and corruption," which followed the Kentucky statesman
through two presidential struggles of later periods, and died wholly
away only when the clods had fallen upon his grave.

Triumphant in his candidacy over Adams in 1828, President Jackson,
four years later, encountered as his formidable competitor his
colossal antagonist--the one man for whom he had no forgiveness,
even when the shadows were gathering about his own couch.

"The early and better days of the Republic" is by no means an
unusual expression in the political literature of our day. Possibly
all the generations of men have realized the significance of the
words of the great bard:

"Past and to come seem best;
Things present worst.
We are time's subjects."

And yet, barring the closing months of the administration of the
elder Adams, this country has known no period of more intense party
passion, or of more deadly feuds among political leaders, than was
manifested during the presidential contest of 1832. The Whig party,
with Henry Clay as its candidate and its idol, was for the first
time in the field. Catching something of the spirit of its imperious
leader, its campaign was recklessly aggressive. The scabbard was
thrown away, and all the lines of retreat cut off from the beginning.
No act of the party in power escaped the lime-light; no delinquency,
real or imaginary, of Jackson--its candidate for re-election--
but was ruthlessly drawn into the open day. Even the domestic
hearthstone was invaded and antagonisms engendered that knew no
surcease until the last of the chief participants in the
eventful struggle had descended to the tomb.

The defeat of Clay but intensified his hostility toward his