Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-08-07

- may
be heated seven times hotter, and seven
ty times more, he will come out IN.
scatbed by the fire of malignity, bright
er to all and dear to his friends /; while
his enemies shall sink with the dross of
their W vile materials.
Mr.. CLAY, after the above toast
had been read, addressed the company
as follows
M. President, Friends and FstorV. Citizens
beg permission to offer ms hearty
thanks, and to make my respectful &C.
acknowledgements, for the afectionaie
reception which has been given me dur
ing my present visit TO my old Congress
sional district. and for this hospitable
and honorable testimony of your es-
TEEN and confidence. And thank YOU
especially for the friendly sentiments
and feelings expressed in the toast which
you have Just done me the honor to
drink. always had the honor of know
ing tina. | enjoyed, in a high degree,
the attachment of that portion of M
fellow citizens whom | formerly repre-
sented but | should never have been.
sensible of the strength and ardour of
their affection, except for the extraor-
binary characte: of the times. For
near two years and a half have been
assai!ed with a rancor and bitterness
which have few examples. have
found myself the particular object of
concerted and concentrated abuse and
others, thrusting themselves between
you and me, have dared to arraign me
for treachery to your interests. But
my former constituents, unaffected by
the caIumnies which have been SO per-
severingly circulated to my prejudice,
have stood by me with a generous con
stancy and a noble magnaniDity. The
measure OF their regard and confidence
has risen with, and ever surpassed, that
OF the m~alevolence, great as it is, Of my
personal and political foes. thank o
gentlemen, who are a large portion of
ny late constituents. thank you, and
every one Of them, with all my heart,
for the manly support which have uni
formly received. IL has cheered and
consoled ne, amidst all nv severe tri-
ais and may ] not add that it is hon.
durable TO the generous hearts and en-
l%ightened heads who have resolved to
protect the character of an old friend
and faithful servant
The numerous manifestations of your
confidence and attachment will be a.
mong the latest and most treasured re.
collections of my life. They impose on
me obligations which can never be
weakened or cancelled. One of these
obligations is, that | shall embrace every
fan opportunity to vindicate that char
acter which you have so generously
sustained, and to evince TO you and to
the world, that YOU have not Welded TO
the impulses of a blind and enthusiastic
sentiment. feel tha: | am, on all fit
occasions, especially bound to vindicate
myself to my former constituents. 1t
was as their representative F; it was 10
the fuldlment of a high trust which they
conhded to me j; hat | have been &C
cused of violating the most sacred of
duties, Of treating their wishes with
contempt, and their interests with
~ireachery. Nor is this obligation, 10
my conception of its import. at all weak.
ened BY the dissolution of the relations
which heretofore existed between u.s.
/ would instantly resign the place hold
in The councils Of the nation, and di-
rect, appeal TO the suffrages of my
late constituents, as a candidate for re-
election, If | did not know that my foes
are o fthat class whom one rising from
the dead cannot convince, whom moth
ing can silence, and who wage a war of
rmination On the issue of such an
appeal, they would redouble their abuse
of me and of you for their hatred is
common ta us both.
They have compelled me so often TO
be the theme of my addresses to the
people, that | should have willingly alb.
stained on this festive occasion, from
any a~llusion to this subject, but for a
new and imposing form which the ca
lumny against me has recently assumed.
i am again put on my defence, not of
any new charge nor by am new adver-
sary /; but of the old charges, clad in a
new dress, and exhibited by an open
and undisguised enemy. The fictitious
names have been stricken from the foot
Of the Indictment, and that of a known
and substantial prosecutor has been
voluntarily offered. Undaunted by the
formidable name Of that prosecutor, |
will avail myself, with your indulgence,