Mr. Clay, though laboring under a cold and great fatigue, replied in his usual happy manner. After entering the Hotel, and a short rest, he held an informal reception, when the principal people of the town and neighborhood were presented. There was, of course, no time for conversation, but Mr. Clay made many facetious remarks to his admirers as they passed one after another during the hand-shaking.
CAMPAIGN OF 1840.
In December, 1839, Mr. Peyton was a delegate to the National Whig Convention, which met at Harrisburg, Penn., to decide between the claims of several rival candidates for the Presidency. General Harrison, of Ohio, was nominated for the Presidency, and John Tyler, of Virginia, for Vice President. And immediately afterwards the celebrated "log-cabin and hard cider" campaign commenced. Log cabins and hard cider became the party emblems, and both were features of all the political demonstrations of the canvass, which witnessed the introduction of the enormous mass meetings and processions which have since become common in all Presidential elections. There was more clap-trap and less appeal to reason in this than in any Presidential election in our history. Harrison was chosen by a vote of 234 against an electoral vote for Van Buren of 60, and was inaugurated at Washington March 4th, 1841.
MR. PEYTON'S SPEECH IN THE CANVASS OF 1840.
On his return to Virginia, such was his taste and so pressing the nature of his private affairs, that he took little active part in the celebrated canvass.
But upon the occasion of a grand mass meeting at Staunton on the 28th of October, 1840, he spoke in the Court House to a crowded audience of ladies and gentlemen, and made a magnificent speech, showing up the political life and character of Martin Van Buren, his political tergiversations, intrigue, subserviency, treachery and heartless selfishness. It was like a prosecution of a prisoner at the bar, and persons who were present declared that they had never seen or heard anything like or to equal to it.
MR. PEYTON'S SPEECH IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.
Having much business to be settled Mr. Peyton attended the Autumn term, 1840, of the Superior court of Albemarle and was invited by the "Central Tippecanoe Club" to address the people. The "Charlottesville Advocate," edited by the talented Thomas Wood, a man who had few superiors in Virginia as a writer, thus refers to it:
"Mr. Peyton made one of the most felicitous efforts we have heard during this whole canvass. We shall not undertake to report his speech; we would do him injustice by such an effort. We will say, however, that few speakers are better qualified to entertain and instruct the public mind in reference to the great questions now agitating the country. He understands thoroughly the character of Martin Van Buren.