Page:Life of Henry Clay (Schurz; v. 1).djvu/158

146 erybody expected. But when he interspersed that advocacy with keen criticism of Monroe's attitude concerning that subject, — criticism which had a strong flavor of bitterness in it, — the effect was not to his advantage. The unfriendly tone of his remarks was generally attributed to his disappointment in the matter of the secretaryship of state. Not many men like to see personal resentments carried into the discussion of public interests; and in this case, to make the matter worse, the demonstrations of resentment were, in the shape of oratorical flings, darted at a President who was by no means a great man, rather a man of moderate parts, but who was regarded as inoffensive and well-meaning, and as honestly busying himself about his presidential duties, — one of those respectable mediocrities in high public station, with whom people are apt to sympathize in their troubles, especially when unnecessarily attacked and humiliated by persons of greatly superior ability.

But the disappointment of the aspirant for the presidency was so little under his control that he permitted it to appear even in another of his great endeavors, which, in order to succeed, required particularly prudent management. This was his effort in behalf of the Spanish American colonies, which had risen against the mother country, and were struggling to achieve their independence.

It has been said by Clay's opponents that his zeal for the cause of the South American patriots