Litchfield enquirer., 1840-09-10
MR CHATS SPEECH.

vile Whig:
 Mr. Presdent-Gentlemen of the Conven- on-Ladies-Friends and Fellow-CitiZens This day may be likened to the glorious and genial sun that now shines upon us. Clouds are occasionally fitting over it and obscur- ing for the moment its beaming rays, but truth will break through the mist and shine the brighter for having been for time oD- scured. By November next, the dark clouds which have been lowering above the poiltl- cal horizon will all disappear l congra'u- fate this vast multitude upon the glorious prospect before us.
 This, said Mr. Clay, is Convention ot the People, and he asked if he might not, without arrogance, revert to the cause of ms appearing before them. During the arduous contest in which he had been hong engaged, occasional clouds lowered about him, but con scious of the correctness of his motives, of the purity of his intentions, he stood out from the beginning dauntless, erect and undis- mayed.
 Had he visited Tennessee during the cam paign to which he had alluded, he would have disabused the public mind in relation to the charges which were made against him. In giving his vote, in 1895, for John o. Adams, he obeyed the wishes of his con- stituents. It had been charged that he did not do this, but that charge was unfounded. It was true that the Legislature of Kentucky at the time made request that he should give different vote; but that body, in ma king the request, went beyond it's province i; it had no right to interfere in the matter i; the right belonged exclusively to bis con- stituents in the counties of Fayette, Wood ford and Jessamine. Each of these counties sustained, approved and ratified his conduct at the time, and neither of them has ever to this day revoked or annuled that approba- tion. With respect to his motives for the course he pursued, he had nothing on this occasion to offer. Those motives were known 10 and would be adjudged by his God. He nevc: for moment doubted that the day would come when justice would be done him. Yes, he never doubted that brave, generous, patriotic Tennesseeans would be among the first to do him justice.- This, he felt, they had done. The welcome the processionA-the banners--and last, though not least, the many bright eyes that beamed, and the handkerchiefs that waived on the occasion-all spoke to him a lan- guage of true and heartfelt welcome as grateful as it was f1attering to his feelings.
 It was true that he had some reluctance, some mlsgivings, about making this visit at
 this time, which grew out of supposition
 that his motives might be misconstrued.- The relations which had for long time ex. istcd between himself and the llustrious Captain in this neighborhood were we'll un- derstood. He feared, if he accepted the in- vitation to make the visit now, that it might be thought by some that his motives were less patriotic than sinister or selfish. But he assured that great cssemblage that towards that lllustrious indvidual-their fellow-citi- zen and friend, he cherished, he possessed, no unkind feelings. He was great chief tain-he had fought we'll and bravely for his countrywide hoped he would live long and enjoy much happiness, and when he depart ep from this feeting vale of tears, that he peffecff ffn'Hr into the abode of the just, made
 MT: Clay said that, in addressing 'an as- sembly of so many thousands as he saw around him, when so many topics were croWding into the mind, he was at q loss to select theme. Shall l, he asked, dwell up- on ruined currency-upon the prostration or business-the stagnation of trade-and the destruction of commerce? Or shall l speak of the wasteful extravaganza of the present powers that be?
 MT. Clay said paper had just been put into his hands, which he had never seen be- tore, ln4s represented in the form of pyra. mid, the expenditures of the last three Ad. ministrations. He held it up to view and ex- plaincd it's meaning. He read some of the items of expenditure under the present Ad- ministration, which is so enthusiastically economical, and contrasted them with ex- pendltures, under the same heads, made by the Administration of John Quincy Adams an administration whose extravagance so shocked the sensibilities of tho whole nation
 But, MT. Clay said, this was not one of the themes he had selected to address the audi ence upon. He had thought to refer to, among other things, some of the very extra ordinary doctrines now advanced by those tion and regard for the State Rights doc trines. In this connection, he brought up l the ridiculous manHuvrc, in the United ! States Senate, at the last session, on the sub- lect of the debts of the several States. A | long Report was made that the General Gov. ernment would not assume the payment of those debts--a thing that nobody ever dreamed of! This report, of which an cx- traordinary number of copies was ordered to De printed for circulation, was drawn up, said MT. Clay, by your telow-citizen and ! an old acquaintance of mine. And one of the pieasur's which promised myself, in | making this visit to your beautiful town, was to meet ant talk over matters with him. But on my inquiry for him, learned that he ] was in East Tennessee. making speeches in favor of the present Administration An, ] said '. at his old occupation, defending crim. inals! [The manner in which this was said, surpasses description. Those only who saw it. or who are acquainted with Mr. Clay's gesticulations and style of speaking, can imagine any thing approaching the reality
 But there is this difference, said Mir. Clay, between my distinguished friends present and past defence of criminals. He is now defending great criminals of State, not be- fore q carefully packed jury. but before a