From fhe Richmond Enouirer.

 THE PAST AND THE PRESENT!
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very blind animal Lands he can measure

 --terins and tides presage ''-but in most 1 other respects, he is as blind as mole. He can calculate the motions of the largest bod

 les in the Heavens. He can loresee ecllpses

 of the Sun and Moon. He can even some i times prognosticate the courses of the errat-

 ic Comet-but he cannot loresee the Politi-

 cal moyemeats of his own species in most

 of their most important elements. Upon the

 results of the late election, for instance, the

 wisest of us has been unable to see scarce beyond his nose.

 View the landscape, as it appears this time

 twelve months ago. The whigs were sure

 of the election of Mir Clay. He had just

 been to New Orleans where he had addressed

 his sanguine followers, and assured them

 that the signs were bright and almost deci-

 sive in every quarter of the Heavens. He

 was about to commence his grand Southern

 electoneering tour, 10 make assurance donb-

 ly sure. All his friends sympathsed with

 his feelings. They believed the election

 vas decided, and that he only wanted the l forms of the Constitution. to declare him

 the President of the United States. On the

 other side of inc picture, behold the demo-

 crats divided among various candidales.-

 Buchanan, Cass, Johnson, all had warm de-

 clded friends. In Virginia, the struggle was

 going on with great spirit between the friends

 of an Buren aud Calhoun. But look aloft, and you see a httle "Lone Starn elimmering leebly on the verge of the horizon. Many regard it-but no one is able to estimate the irresistible influence, which, as t wheels on in its solitary course, 1t is destined 10 exert upon the election, and, in fact, almost to con- HoI it.

 Trace MT. Clay on his mad and election- eerlng career He arrives at Raleigh in April. He has reached all important point in his journey, which, as Rousseau says of Pyrrhus. was only conducting him to that unfortunate tiie, which destroyed his life Beware, Sir of that ill-starred question, which Is to be your ruin. Take not the advice of the un- fortunate councillors, who are thronGIne around you from Virginia and Washington lie listens not to the warning of truth He writes that ominous letter, which Is to prove his ruin. He has, in an evil hour, and con- trary to his own solemn professions in his speech ot 1920, touched the spying, which puts into motion the tremendous machinery. that is to crush all his prospects The Mer- earY, Green bears his celebrated anti-Tex- as Raleigh letter 10 his anxious friends at Washington. They, as blind as himself. send 1t forth, and it returns, like curses, up- on his own devoted head. h vain, he stfug- gies against it. In vain. he has sought To pfopiliate the Abolition vote. In vain, does he then write letter after letter, first to re- move the impressions in the South. and then to revive them in the North-tIle mischief IS done-and the rising hurricane drives his barque to pieces upon the shores of Texas.

 On the other hand. far more eminent and cooler statesman wtites one ol the abIest documents of the age. He demonstrates in letters of light the constitutionality of the acquisition of Texas; but unfortunately hes itates about the praeticabiIity of it's iInmedi- ate annexation. The same irresistible inAu- ence operates upon his destinv-and at Bal tlmore, where MT. Clay was but a few days before taken up amid the acclamations of the Hhlg Convention as their candidate, only 10 be deieated-hc, ( Mir Van Buren, worthy of a better fate is superseded by another in- dividual, taken up without his knowledge. without even expecting it, and, as. it were, from the bosom of the people. We shall not paint the violent struggles which ensued; and the shock of the contentling hosts.-We shall not describe the blindness, and idolatry, and intatuation of the Wings, who had not the courage to change their leader, but fol- lowed him like WilI-o-the-Wis throngh all his blunders. We shall not pursue them through all their arts, through all their fol- lies, through all their humbngs-through all the infamous tricks, and amid all the thick darkness which obscured their vision. Nor shall we describe the glorious struggles of the Republican party-their attachment to principle, their contempt of humbugs, and their unflinching devotion to the fortunes of the Lone Star

 The results of the last twelve months events are written in the proceedings of this day. Who could have foreseen them twelve months ago.? Who. among the sons of men. was so highly gifted as a prophet as to pre- dict on the 4th of March, 1911, what should take place on this 4th day of March, 1915: and who Is Htis ddy to be honored by the first office in the world? Memorable dag! Shift the scene to Washington on this re- markable occasion. What do we see ]: On ly on Friday last, the s'Lone Staro of Tex as has ascended 10 the zenith, and unites in all her glory with the American constella- ton. On the very next day, Saturday, 1st et March, two other new States, Iowa and Florida. rise, like twin sisters, to the rank and dignity of full members of this glorious eonlederacy of twsay-njne iStues. And now on this day, behold the further consequences of the powerful will of a free people. Be- hold that immense multitude who are crowd- ing the area in front of the Eastern Portico oi the Capitol of the Union. Behold that brilliant procession which fills the Avenue. ! bearing to the platform of the Capitol the modest, unassumng and able man, whom the people have drawn from his retirement to place at the head of the nation No one now asks, ''Who is James K. Polk p The oaths of office he is now taking from the lips of the Chief Justice of the United States declage him to be the President Uis fr;o,l