Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-08-06
SPEECH OF WEIR. CLAY.


Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
1t was given to our countryman, Frank
lin, to bring down the lightning from Heav-
en-. To enable me to be heard by this i'm
mense multitude, should have to invoke
to my aid, and to throw into my voice, it's
loudest thunders. As cannot do that, |
hope l shall be excused for such a use of
my lungs as is practicable and not incon-
sistent with the preservation of my health
And ] feel that it is our first duty to express
our obligations to a kind and bountful
Providence, for the copious and genial
showers with which he has just blessed our
land-a refrcshment of which it stood
much in need. For one, l offer to Him my
humble and dutiful thanks. The inconve-
nience to us, on this festive occasion, is
very slight, while the sum of good which
these timely rains will produce is very
great and encouraging.
Fellow-citizens, find myself now in 4
situation somewhat like one in which | was
placed few years ago when travelling
through the S :ate of Indiana, from which
my friend (Mr. Rariden) near me comes.
stopped at a village containing some four
or five hundred inhabitants, and / had
scarcely alighted before found myself
surrounded in the bar-room by every adult
male resident in the place. After a while,
| observed a group consulting together in
one corner of the room, and shortly after
l was diffidently approached by one of
them, tall, lank, lean, but sedate and So
Der looking person, with long face and
high cheek bones, who, addressing me, said
he was commissioned by his neighbors to
request that would say few words to
them. Why, my good friend, said !, l
f should be very happy to do anything graf
f flying to yourself and your neig hbors, but
am very much fatigued and hungry and
thirsty, and do not think the occasion is
exactly suitable for speech, and wish
you would excuse me to your friends
We'll, says he, Mr.. Clay, confess thought
so myself, especially as we have no wine
to offer you to drink!
Now, if the worthy citizen of Indiana
was right in supposing that a glass of wine
was necessary preliminary and prece-
dent condition to the delivery of speech,
you have no Just right to expect one from
me at this time; for during the sumptuous
, re past from which we have Just risen, you
offered me nothing to drink bu, cold water
:, excellent water, it is true, from the clas-
sic fountain of our lamented friend Mr..
Maxwell, which has so often regaled US on
, celebrations of our great Anniversary
Great laughter.
| protest against any inference of my
being inimical to the Temperance Cause
On the contrary, l think it an admirable
cause that has done great good, and will
| continue to do good as long as legal coer-
5 cion is not employed, and it rests exclusive
" upon persuasion and its own intrinsic
! merits.
! have great and growing repugnance
E to speaking in the open air to large as
scmblage. But whilst the faculty of speech
S remains to me, can never feel that repug-
e nance, never feel other than grateful sensa-
e tons, in making my acknowledgements un-
: der such circumstances as those which
! have brought us together. Not that l am
e so presumptuous as to believe that | have
h been the occasion solely of collecting this
o vast multitude. Among the inducements,
S cannot help thinking that the fat white vir-
It gin heifer of my friend Mr. Bergman
Y that cost 5000, which has just been served
/, up, and the other good things which have
e been so literally spread before US, exerted
n some influence in swelling this unprecedent
d ed large meeting. Great laughter
S l cannot but feel, Mr.. President, in Of
l. fering my respectful Acknowledgements fol
d the honor done me, in the eloquent address
e which you have just delivered and in the
}. sentiment with which you concluded it
= that your warm partially, and the fervent
;; friendship which has so long existed be
r tween US, and the kindness of my neigh
n bors and friends around me, have prompted
IS an exaggerated description, in too g lowing
n colors, of my public services and my poo
l. abilities
/. seize the opportunity to present my
l. heartfelt thanks to the whole people o
y Kentucky, for all Ethe high honors and dis
g tinguished favors which have received
II during long residence with them, at thei
e hands; for the liberal patronage which
y received from them in my professional pur
20 suit for the eminent places in which the,
!" have put me, or enabled me to reach; 70
re the generous and unbounded confidence
y which they have bestowed upon me at a.
es times; for the gallant and answering tidel
g, ity and attachment with which they stoo'
re by me, throughout all the trials and vicis
id STUDIES of an eventful and arduous life; an
I'd above all, for the scornful indignation wit
which they repealed and infamous calumny
err directed against my name and fame at
ed momentous period of my public career