The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-07-28
MIR. CLAY'S SPEECH.

I
Robertson, who presided, offered the follow
ing sentiment, which be pfeiaced with up
proprlate remarks:
HEYnY CLAY Farmer Of AsLioad, Patriot ana
PhtaHthropist--th American Statesman. and
uTrfralted Orator Of the Age-illustrious abroad
beloved at home In long career Of eminent
public service, often, ike Aris'tdcs, he breasted
the raging storm Of passion and delusion, and by
CHEERING himself a sacrifice, saved the Republic
ana now, like CiHciHnGtus and WaslipgfOa.
having Voluntarily retired to the tranquil walks
OF private life, the grateful hearts Of his country.
men will do him ample Justice; but come wha;
may, kentucky IcW stand By him, and still con.
tinue TO cherish and defend, as her own, the fame
OF son who has emblazoned her Eseutcheou
VIII immortal EenowD.
After the evidences Of feeling which This
sentiment elected had subsidized, Mr.. Clay
rose aud spoke as follows
AIR. President, Ladies md Gen'lemen-
1t was given 20 our coun,ryman, Franklin,
to bring down the Lightning from Heaven.
10 enable me 10 he heard by this immense
multitude, | should have to invoke to NV
aid, and to throw into my voice, its loudest
thunders. AS cannot do that hone
shall be excused for such an use Of nv
lungs as is practicable aud not incousis,en;
with the preservation Of my health. And
feel that i is our first duty, TO express our
obligation tc Kind and bountifu Prov
dence, for the copious aud genial showers
with which be has Just blessed our land-a
reifeshment, Of which il stood much in need.
For one, offer TO him my humble and du
iiIul thanks. The inconvenience 10 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, lind myself now in a
situation somewhat like one in which
was placed few years ago when travelling
through the State Of Indiana, from which
my friend Mr.. Rariden) near ne comes.
| stopped at a village, containing some four
or Eve hundred inhabitants, and | had
scarcely alightCd before found my self sur
rounded in the Bar.room by every adui,
male resident Of the place, After while,
| observed q group consulting together in
one corner OF the room, and shortly after,
| was dtfidenlly approached by one ofihem,
tall, lank, lean, but sedaie and sober
locking person, with long face and high
cheek bones, who, addressing me, said he
was commissioned by his neigb5ors, 10 re
quest that would say few words TO them.
Why my good friend, said |, | should be
very happy 20 do any thing gratifying to
yourself and your neighbors, but am very
mrch iaiigued and hungry and thirsty, and
do not think the occasion is exactly suited
for speech, aud | wish you would excuse
me to your friends. We'll, says he, MIR.
Clay, confess thought SO myself, espe
clally as We have no wine 10 offer YOU to
drink.
Now, if the worthy citizen of Indiana
was right IN supposlng, that glass of vine
was necessary preliminary, and q prece.
lent condition, TO the delivery OF speech,
you have no Just right 10 expect one from
ne at this time; for during the sumpuous
-epas from Which we have lust risen, YOU
)tiered me nothing 10 drink but cold water
excellent water, II is true, from the elias
nc fountain of our lamenled friend Mr..
Maxwell, which has so often RECALLED US on
OF our great aunlTersarv.-i
Great laughier)
protest against any inference Of my DO
ne inimical 10 the Temperance cause. On
he contrary, think i, an admirable cause
ha, has done great good, and will continue
o do good as long as legal coercion is not
Employed and it rests exclusively upon per.
uasion, aud its own intrinsic merits.
have great and growing rcpugnance |
o speaking in the open air TO large as.
emblage. But willis, the faculty of speech {
emains to me. can never feel that re. .
'ugnsnce, never feel other than grateful
ensations in making my Acknowledgements
Ini'er such circumstances as those which
lave brought US together. Not that am
o presumptuous as TO believe that have t
een the occasion solely Of collecting this {
as, multitude. Among the Inducements :
annot help thinking that the fat white vir.
in Durham neiler of my friend Mr.. Der. (
imam, that cost 5000, which has just been i
erved up, and The other good things which /
ave been so literally spread before US, ex. /
rted some influence in swelling this un :
recedentedly large meeting (Greai '
lughler.) {
| cannot but feel, Mr.. President, in offer.
,g my respectful Acknowledgements for the i
onor done me, in the eloquent address /
'hich you have just delivered, and in the
cntlmen,s with which You concluded il, 3
nat warm Partially, and the iervent friend. q
hip which has so long existed between Us, c
nd the kindness of my neighbors and /
-lends around me, prompted an exaggera.
ID description, in too glowing colors, Of a
~ public services and my poor abilities. a
seize the opportunity to present my
eartfelt thanks TO the whole people Of Ken.
lcky, for oil the high honors and ds,in. +
uished tavors which have received, dur. 5
lg long residence with them, a, their 4
unds; for the liberal patronage which re- G
eved from them in my professional pursuit a
II tho emp en-, places in which hey have pu, G
re, or en.6led mo TO reach; for the gene c
ous and unbounded confidence which they {
ave bestowed unon me nj n II ,ipes fnr tho {