men we shall not now discuss their general merits nor attempt to decide whether they are � who the interests of a party or that principles in a nation s life these four tower above the vulgar mass that drive a trade in politics are most conspicuous men � beheld far off at sea they have been long in public life and all four may be deemed for the of the president what has been conduct mr spoke nobly against and � for it also for the war mr � so often superior to party ties � is the author of and for the war these two belong to the party in power and men might have looked for their the two others are hostile to the administration have they been hostile to the war mr clay is a private man � and therefore has not been called on to take any official stand in relation to this matter but in december at the of a memorable event in the of america he was at table and made a reply which was thus reported in the ers of the time although leading a life of retirement am not wholly of the proceedings relating to the condition welfare and prospects of our and when i saw around me to night and old friends i felt in which i might serve to the done to my i have thought that i might yet be able to ire or the war lai a i shall not be able to do so however this year bat hope that will still crown our gallant arms and the war in an honorable peace to add yet more to the shame of america this speech was delivered at the dinner of the sons of new on the d of december met to the landing of the forefathers of new england on rock poor men in that blood of was there no tinge from the heart of the could they not on that day amid the the wine and the amid the and the and the great applause could they not for a moment think of those the world who came in the name of justice to found a state oh no how could they think of that there stood one of the foremost men of america hoping to capture or a the son of some woman that never injured him � who might go down heart broken and refusing to be comforted in sorrow to her grave alas � could he have known it � vain man how soon is he doomed to weep at the inscrutable providence by which his own son tne dear one lies slain in battle � not by a great but by some vulgar bullet of a nameless soldier who fought for his country her and her homes while the american fell and disgraced a willing murderer in that war so treacherous and so cruel the er who had hoped to a shall find but sad consolation kissing the cold lips of his only son is providence so inscrutable he who would deal death upon the sons of men � shall he not feel it in his own home but the great champion of the north that man of giant intellect which his three to himself among living men in magnificence of � he has stood on rock and his words which found a footing have gone as to be fore of mighty deeds � at least in men how broke the of that eloquence which so oft before had shaken every heart did he thunder in the and all over the land till wondering nations saw it from let us look at this he had condemned it struck a blow at the influence of our institutions � thank god i did not slumber over t at danger he had condemned the war it was unjust a war of a war the president s action was an the were no i the ted she has had nothing that to be called a and america strong and united in making war the had an important of die constitution yet mr could say at philadelphia d nevertheless war is npon ns are in the field are the sea we that the government in an and manner j to bring the to a if possible but while the war this and war while soldiers are on the land and on the sea i holding the of country and i feel and every american that they be and thej have done honor to the country to which thej belong where can we look for such calmness bravery and modesty as in these the most distinguished incident in the history of our of the good of the � of new raised amongst the people is perhaps that of the battle of banker hill i mi j t go further and say that al the newly and themselves behind some temporary but at the assailed a fortified nor was that all bat the day before addressing a body of young men who had never the justice of me war nor asked they were to fi t for or freedom � he could cheer and encourage them to fi t in a war which he declared and threatened to the president for be could bid them go and the stars of their country s banner such was the conduct of that man on whom nature has so her gifts � a intellect a heart of noble make la me what did he to end the war � to the president nothing so as to the war is concerned � no mouse in the wall could have lam or more snug all winter he sat in his seat busy � but with other the of the invasion passed by and said � ee is the friend of the war had he not a son invested in that enterprise such is 