Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-07-10

Ec dinner gire,s By the friends Of HENRY CLAY
a, Washington, on the 5th Of July 1850,
Gen. JONES addressed the Meeting With
M little reluctance, he said, he yielded to the
EXPRESS wishes and requests of this most respect
.bie company in rising to contribute one niue
.tream to the great flow of public sentiment uls
hay: il seeming to be expected that on TINS ocea-
-iolf there should be something SAID oy nun ID
70 the name and the sentiment Just apPaudeu %
irstly and so unanimously. When say 'ha'is
IS with reluctance that yield 10 the WISHES VI
The company it is not that feel within my o'oon'
single doubt of the rechtude OF the Feelings eA-
hibited on this occasion, but that from man
csqses I feel myself wholly incompetent 10 w
Justice to them. h., oaI,oa
forth such enthusiastic applause; shoGiu ieaily
baya identified himself with the glory OF MS couh-
trv in the hearts and affections OF his country
,rsn Who have known him only at a distance
Wr Jones said, was proof of high public desert
Mt ~ those who had observed, as ne had done,
Iis career from his early outset IN me- Punhc
,nA rr;yatp. end seen the enthusiastic and non
nroble man ripened into the patriotic and uSefui
staesrap, it was not surprising that he shou'"
b,ve M, hold on the feelings of his coantrymen.
Om the contrary it was matter OF surprise u,i,
rbere should exist any american bosom uia' G'u
NOT under all the circumstances cherlsn ior
49, ,ar,a and Character high respect. mat
4bav have not been greeted throughout the who'e
ps1nbTc a. they have been this day IN this place.
i tLs resuIt onlv Of that fallble Judgment when
haIon0s to human nature. When such Il man Us
bs co,nes 10 bc distrusted, must We not ash our
,elves. what has truth 10 do win the po'iuea'
contests of our day? All that can say Is ICON
.;nued Mr.. j. that If there be any American CIT,
h.,s IA
;zen who now suspects, or ever haS suspeI'eu
+be genuine patriotism and nool,neSS OF lhe char-
ac4er of 1ESRy CLAY, there Is no man ""'
L,o,cs him ina, can for moment i0in IN any thing
ike condemnation o. him. an Wiling 10 uoPe
+b,t among the many Of his political ad'ersaries,
,bs ns,;udce againsthim Is not the frat eta mali5-
,,nt motive, but of honest motives operated upon
49, ,nairnant passions When, Slr, am told nt
, nnblic man. whom have known from youth
IN manhood, In puIbc anil private. whose whole
i;e ba. besn honorable 10 himself aud honorable
= his country. that in solitary exception Yield
nor his integrity he Na- fallen V!ciiui to deiuued
a,n,irinn. | AN called 10 believe paradox. |
lam caued to believe, that he wh' s,a"ds at the
head of Ds5lie and i,dtc excellence tdis an'eaSy
sacrifice TO the all-dapnag SIN OF uhiidt'o"ed
.mh,ti,n. That this accusation has been urged
-o,irst Mr. CLAY by his enemies. with ~ much
,s,l A. fo. a moment 10 have staggered the be-
Iarofa considerable portion OF the people, is
9Th too manifest and too dep!0rabe. On that
.nh;ect Sir. / have always had but one uniform and
snba.;tatinr opinion. So far from Mr. CLAWS
HAVING Given way to corrupt motives IN the coarse
.t;c6 he took in the election of President of the
r-n;fpI State, by the House of Representatives.
tIatect was. to the apprehension of all who knew
H., ,,,v,ng causes oft. one of the purest of self
J,.atsi NatyiOtism. What Is the act Tor which
ms ,.rsecutors would condemn him, ana what
80 motive OF that act: The act was his having
alect.i. among several political competitors, one
IN. g.. rreC,rre1 to others-One whom he had
encountered in political collision before, aud
,,L,n he selected from amongst Others with whom
ol.oIe had come in conflict before. But is it to
h. liberated. in civilized country, that political
differences shall generate inexpliCob|e ha;e?-
n Shall II be denied TO men. after differing on
n,litical matters. to meet, and not merely forget
and forgive the past but TO join heart and hand
IN nromolr the great cause of the public welfare:
Thor. IA no man. who looks back TO the period OF
that election, but knows within his own bosom, that
NJ Gay was not free to choose according to his
iulvid,al preference. Perhaps in this whole
as.eYnbly there are not tea men who would have
AGREED. at that time that either ithe candidates
was man whom in all things they approved
and admired beyond every other man. The Sc
lection of men to public trusts Is often governed
AZ circumstances. After all, in great popular
,lecticns. YOU must 70 with the mass, one way
or o.her: individuql opinions must be solved and
| ,mal-amated in the great mass OF public sentl-
ment. If we cannot obtain our own preference
IN ;he exclusion OF others. we must make a COM
promise with public opinion, and fix our choice
| au the candidate whom we prefer in the next de-
cree. 80 that # proper allowance was made
for he position in which Nc. CLAY found himself,
il eould not be said that Mr. c. did not on that
occlsou. make a choice which any honest man
mi,ht have made.
Rat the course of Mr.. CLAY in making that
.'.aice had been attributed to personal motive
Il miserable sortlrl motive, which who ever
Knows him knows that ne would have spurned
with scoru and contempt. And this motive
4 v',sNas Il: To become the head of a Depart
i q, Yes. to become the Head ola Department
!, Is. -.s,itiou attributed to him. who with moth
n. oty his reputation and his public services to
Sustain him. might have looked down from a
2 4 cmineuCe on ninety-nine out of hundred
Vi sc who au the high Offices ofGovernment!
o look back to the majority of those who have
-. - ,iE,;,l a,,.iDprc., iv thP government. and