"a great favorite," as he says, "in the family and in deed with every one
who knew him." He mentions the fact that his friends and near
connections, the Stackpoles, are in Washington, which place he considers
as exceptionally odious at the time when he is writing. The election of
Mr. Polk as the opponent of Henry Clay gives him a discouraged feeling
about our institutions. The question, he thinks, is now settled that a
statesman can never again be called to administer the government of the
country. He is almost if not quite in despair "because it is now proved
that a man, take him for all in all, better qualified by intellectual
power, energy and purity of character, knowledge of men, a great
combination of personal qualities, a frank, high-spirited, manly bearing,
keen sense of honor, the power of attracting and winning men, united with
a vast experience in affairs, such as no man (but John Quincy Adams) now
living has had and no man in this country can ever have again,--I say it
is proved that a man better qualified by an extraordinary combination of
advantages to administer the government than any man now living, or any
man we can ever produce again, can be beaten by anybody. . . . .
It has taken forty years of public life to prepare such a man for the
Presidency, and the result is that he can be beaten by anybody,--Mr. Polk
is anybody,--he is Mr. Quelconque."

I do not venture to quote the most burning sentences of this impassioned
letter. It shows that Motley had not only become interested most
profoundly in the general movements of parties, but that he had followed
the course of political events which resulted in the election of Mr. Polk
with careful study, and that he was already looking forward to the revolt
of the slave States which occurred sixteen years later. The letter is
full of fiery eloquence, now and then extravagant and even violent in
expression, but throbbing with a generous heat which shows the excitable
spirit of a man who wishes to be proud of his country and does not wish