Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-01-24
FRIENDS OF HENRY CLAY.

W
The result Of the recent Presidential Election
dissoired the party who acted together as the
friends of Mr.. Clay. 1t did not dissolve the
National Republican Party-that still exists, and
has been strengthened BY the recent accession OF
the President HIMSELF and a host Of his friends
and followers. 1t is known, however. that some
of the friends Of Mr.. Clay have not adopted the
creed Of the National Republicans-we ourselves
profess to hold different opinions on several points
connected with the poIicy Of the country. As
far, however, as the recent course OF South "a.
rolina is involved. there has been a union, with We
Nv few exceptions, in opposition to what we con-
slider to be the unfounded claims and pretensions
Of that State, and the friends Of Mr.. Clay have
m~agnanimously surrendered party feelings as
. peace Offering upon the alter OF their country.
Among the most prominent of the exceptions to
which we have referred, in reference to our
relations with South Carolina, is the editor Of the
Richmond Wing. His course has drawn forth
an eloquent letter from Cbas. ]. Faulkner, Esq,
OF Berkley, now a member Of the House Of De-
l~eestes, from which we make the following ex-
tract, approving its sentiments and language
To The Editor of The Richnrond Whig.
SiR-I have seen sith pain some reflections 10
YOUR paper Of this evening. upon the course which
IN. been pursued by those whom YOU are pleased
to term the "CIay party" IN reference to those
impor,an, question:, which have for some weeks
-uoros.ed the attention Of the House ri Dele
oaies. Not content, yourself, with abandoning
the high ground upon which that party has ever
rested its claims to the. favorable consideration ot
the wise and yir,uous Of the country. YOU have
not been sparing in your denuhcia,ion ofthe mo
tiyes of those ahn have not thought proper to
pursue with you the same eccentric course. Aud
Is il possible, sir. because we cannot concur with
YOU in believing that a State NAV lawfully para
iyss the Constitutional action Of The Federal Go
vernmsnt, & At Its pleasure dis>ul,e the P"!iic'i
COMPACT, that, therefore, we have - become I'M
pregnaied with the Vicar OF Bray spirit Of the
times'. Is IL in truth, your opininn, "that we
have become abserbed' III that polluted msss
who idolise at the shrine OF Power. fer the "s"oils'
which Power can besiowf Or do YOU believe that
we are lees pure and less patrtn':c 10 our present
course than when We had your gifted and spirit
ed co-operation in sustaining the broad pendant
OF our glorious Unioni Surely it does not be-
come one who has enjoyed Tie opportunities
winch YOU UdNc W ayPsSS"oh'"S "S "N
worth and patriotic purposes Of that party-its
devotion to principle to the permanent glory
and imDerishable interests of the nation-i,sd dis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS adherence ct personal ido-
iatry-its scorn Of Office Of knaSes 10 othce,"
and Of the Sc spoiis Of Office TO indulge in re-
Elections as harsh as you must know them to be
unmerited.
The principles Of our part, as I conceive them
applicable to the existing state OF atfa'rs, whether
they are 50 regarded BY their Industrious author
l have no authority for saying, have been admira-
bIv expressed by HENRY Clay hia,se'f in his
brief and eloquent address to the Convention
which assembled at Washington in Nav 1852
Our greatest interest in this World nbser-
we'd Mr.. CLAY, s'is our LIBERTY. Derived
from our ancestors, BY whose Salor aud blood IT
was established. it depends upon the vigilance,
virtue and intelligence Of the present generation,
whether il shall be preserved and t~ransGitted 10
~pss,erits as the most precious oil all earthly pos
sessions. Next to that in importance is our
UyIoS irdissolubl, connected With u, also deri.
we'd from the fathers Of our country. But what
we want is a practical e6fcienf md powetui
Uaion-one that shall impdrraily enforce the
laws towards all, whether individuals or commit
mites, who are Justly subject to their authority;
a Uniou, which If II shall ever be deemed neces-
sary TO chide one member OF the Confederac5 for
rash and Incorporate expressions. threatnins ITS
disturbance. will with equal dignity and irmuess
snatch the violated laws from beneath the feet oil
another member. Should l be called BY the
people Of the United States 10 the administration
of their Executive Government. it shall be my
earnest endeayor to fulfil their expectations. to
maintain with frmness and dignity their inter
ests and honor abrosd; to eradicate every abuse
and corruption at home; and TO uphold with vig"r
aod equality and justice. the supremacy OF the
Constitution and the Laws"
With US, the preservation Of the Union in its
Just supremacy aud power has ever been a cardi-
nal and fundamental principle; and while we
would At all times conf ne the Federal Cavern
ment strictly within its limited and prescribed
sphere of action, and uphold in their proper vigor
the rights, liberties and sovereignty Of the States,
we can never give encouragement to a proceeding,
come from what source and disguised under what
pretext it may be. whose tendency is to cripple
the Government. TO ALLEVIATE any portion OF our
country from the rest. or to snfeeble the sacred ties
which now link together the various parts-"-
Nh L-.C.~ -.-kor, f thsa EopfodarSev