. Ben Hardin; his times and contemporaries, with selections from his speeches. era lawyer in Congress. Both wereself-reliant and confident, but, henry clay. while the overweening confidence of Clay betrayed him into over-looking or underestimating the difficulty of his schemes and the powerof his opponents,* Hardin more wisely undertook nothing that washopeless, and only that which might reasonably be attained. Har-din was the superior in forecast. Clay had many of the attributes of the courtier, and especially thatsocial tact and power that are such important elements of political suc-cess. H
. Ben Hardin; his times and contemporaries, with selections from his speeches. era lawyer in Congress. Both wereself-reliant and confident, but, henry clay. while the overweening confidence of Clay betrayed him into over-looking or underestimating the difficulty of his schemes and the powerof his opponents,* Hardin more wisely undertook nothing that washopeless, and only that which might reasonably be attained. Har-din was the superior in forecast. Clay had many of the attributes of the courtier, and especially thatsocial tact and power that are such important elements of political suc-cess. He possessed that suavity and grace of manner that give togenius an added charm—that indefinable air of the cosmopolite whichplaces him rn rapport with the brotherhood of man. A happv illus-tration of Mr. Clays sjiaviter in modo is an incident related of his sen-atorial life. After the admission of Arkansas, its senators differed in * Says General Preston : When Mr. Clay was in doubt about what course to pursue, he acted onthe principle of Hoyle, and took the trick. W^>. 350 BEN HARDIN. pronunciation of the name of their constituent, one calHng it as spelled,the other Arkansazu. When Mr. Gay happened in the Presidentschair, he varied his pronunciation of Rackensack to suit the views ofeach cf the honorable gentlemen. On the other hand, although of excellent colloquial powers, had often the manner of a philosophic cynic, with an unmis-takable touch of provincialism. Hardin was the superior lawyer. Claythe greater statesman. No attempt will be made to contrast their ora-torical powers, which in many respects were entirely dissimilar. While they stood shoulder to shoulder in face of the common enemythey were not in entire political accord. In ante-bellum days a shade,not always clearly defined, divided the W^higs—a distinction that inlater times has faded from all parties. Among the earliest Republi-can theories was incorporated the idea that the landholder shoulde
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublisherlouis, bookyear1887
