Mr. Clay’s next misstep was one of precipitation.  General Jackson, after a three years’ war upon the Bank, was alarmed at the outcry of its friends, and sincerely desired to make peace with it.  We know, from the avowals of the men who stood nearest his person at the time, that he not only wished to keep the Bank question out of the Presidential campaign of 1832, but that he was willing to consent, on very easy conditions, to a recharter.  It was Mr. Clay’s commanding influence that induced the directors of the Bank to press for a recharter in 1832, and force the President to retraction or a veto.  So ignorant was this able and high-minded man of human nature and of the American people, that he supposed a popular enthusiasm could be kindled in behalf of a bank!  Such was the infatuation of some of his friends, that they went to the expense of circulating copies of the veto message gratis, for the purpose of lessening the vote for its author!  Mr. Clay was ludicrously deceived as to his strength with the masses of the people,—­the dumb masses,—­those who have no eloquent orators, no leading newspapers, no brilliant pamphleteers, to speak for them, but who assert themselves with decisive effect on election day.

It was another capital error in Mr. Clay, as the leader of a party, to run at all against General Jackson.  He should have hoarded his prestige for 1836, when the magical name of Jackson would no longer captivate the ignorant voter.  Mr. Clay’s defeat in 1832, so unexpected, so overwhelming, lamed him for life as a candidate for the Presidency.  He lost faith in his star.  In 1836, when there was a chance of success,—­just a chance,—­he would not suffer his name to appear in the canvass.  The vote of the opposition was divided among three candidates,—­General Harrison, Hugh L. White, and Daniel Webster; and Mr. Van Buren, of course, had an easy victory.  Fortunately for his own happiness, Mr. Clay’s desire for the Presidency diminished as his chances of reaching it diminished.  That desire had never been morbid, it now became exceedingly moderate; nor do we believe that, after his crushing defeat of 1832, he ever had much expectation of winning the prize.  He knew too well the arts by which success is assured, to believe that an honorable man could be elected to the Presidency by honorable means only.

Three other attempts were made to raise him to the highest office, and it was always Andrew Jackson who struck him down.  In 1840, he was set aside by his party, and General Harrison nominated in his stead.  This was Jackson’s doing; for it was the great defeat of 1832 which had robbed Clay of prestige, and it was General Jackson’s uniform success that suggested the selection of a military candidate.  Again, in 1844, when the Texas issue was presented to the people, it was by the adroit use of General Jackson’s name that the question of annexation was precipitated upon the country.  In 1848, a military man was again nominated, to the exclusion of Henry Clay.