Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-09-08

dian authority upon which the treaty was ne
gotiated, and solemnly protesting against ITS
obligatory force upon the Cherokee people. :
In spite of these memorIals--in spite OF all
the opposition that was made by himself ana =
others to the ratfcntion OF such treaty, 1t
was ratified sgalnsi the votes of Hlteen Sona-
tors. that of his colleague and himself being
az the number Aud thus the Cherokees.a a
uropl, VINO had always been friendly to the
United States, and who were represented at
Washington by delegates aS civilized. rs or
dcrly and decent IN their appearance as mem
hers Of Congress. are stript of their entire
country, and the people Of the United States
are subjected to the payment of five million
six hundred thousand dollars. Ii is proper
and just to mention that one Senator who vo-
ted for the ratification the treaty (and 9TH
ers are believed to have acted under tho same
impressions) declared in his place that he did
not believe the instrument to be treaty, and
that he voted for it because he apprchended
the Chcrokccs would be exterinlnatcd by the
whites if not removed. Mr.. Clay had believ-
I'D that no consequences, however deplorable,
could Justify the ratification Of on instrument
a. a tisaly, which was deficient in the essen
tlal requisite of the concurrence of two con-
tracing parties. But he believed, also, that
these consequences might have been averted
~ of the United States.
Mr.. CLAY said, that he had again and a
gain warned his countrymen Of the danger,
illustrated by all history, of clcvating to the
Chief Maglstracy, man possessing no other
than mere military qualifications. He never
had coniended or thought it improper to place
at the head of public affairs, Il citizen who
united to knowledge of the art Of War and
experience IN conducting it, the requisite at
taInments for civil administration. On the
contrary, such union Of qualifications con-
stituted great recommendation of the per.
son IN whom it might be found. 1t was de-
sirable that the first officer of the Republic
should If possible, be Intimately acquainted
with, and have experience in every branch
of administration, civil. military, naval, and
diplomatic. The wider the circle of his
knowledge, the better for the country, if it be
united with virtue and integrity.
We have now had seven years experience
of the administration Of Chief Magistrate
who brought into the office no other than
military preiensions. The time, or the oc-
caslon, was not suitable to review fully his
administration Of the civil government Of the
country. But all will admit that we had n
right 10 expect that the military affairs of the
Union would be administered with skill and
ability; that any wars, in which we might be
unfortunately involved, would be conducted
with vieor, promptitudc and success; and that
under his auspices, our arms would acquire
additional renuwn and fresh laurels. Has this
expectation been realized? Let the misera-
bic Slack t,awk war tell, in which millions
of dollars were expended, and so little eilici-
ency was displayed, considering the amount
Of means employed. Let the more Disgrace
tul Seminole war testify, in which the untu-
torcd Oseola. with four or five hundred wretch
ed outcast Indian warriors, has bafflcd the
skill of three or four Major Generals of the
United States, and all the immense force
brought at vast expense TO operate upon
him, cutting off or defeating corps OF our
troops, and bcsieging, with an inferior force,
one Maj" General with his army, reducing
them to the shameful necessity of revolving
subsistence upon the flesh ofhorses and dogs,
! found IN the same cntrcnchment with them
selves! During the session, his colleague
and himself had coDversed about the exped-
ency OF Offering to the administration to con-
tract, in behafof the State Of Kentucky, to
capture and deliver West of the Mississippi
every Seminole Indian at FIVE hundred dollars
! per head. The execution of such contract
would have saved a million or two of dollars
to the Treasury Of the United States
! Mr.. CLAY next alluded to his intended re-
! trement from the Senate Of the United States.
! One session of the term for which he was
last elected, still remained. He felt the full
| force Of the implied obligation which every
man who accepted Office contracted to serve
during the period tor which he was appoint
! cd. unless some strong reasons existed for his
! resignation. That consideration might pos
slby carry him back once more to the Senate,
although it was his real wish now to retire.
r lie would, at all events, positively decide in
, due season, that the State might be fully rep.
resented. But beyond that period he had nc
desire to continue in the Senate. And, al.
though he entertained the profoundest graft
tude for the confidence so long and so otter
reposed in him by the State of Kentucky,ant nc
should ever feel n decp and thankful sense o
the friendly wishes of his fellow citizens to
! retain him in that body, he could not consent
to be again candidate for seat in it. And
he hoped the State would turn its attention
to some other citizen. lie admitted that emf
nentIy prosperous as the whole Union un-
doubtedly was in the general business and
concerns of the people, its political condition
was far from being safe or satisfactory. He
was convinced that foul corruption had pene-
trated almost every branch of the administra
ton, and was gradually poisoning the whole
! government. He admitted it to be the duty of
- every citizen to employ, to his latest breath,
all his abilities, and every energy he posses
sed. IT necessary. to serve his country; and
he would willingly remain in the public coun-
cils, and exert himself hereafter, as he had
faithfully done heretofore, to- preserve oui
free institutions in the utmost purity, If ht
f believed he could do any public good at al
proportlonate to the private sacrifices which
he should make. But he had been n long
80 1,.,~