New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-07-01
SPEECH OF HENRY CLAY
II The Greet Barbecue at Lexington. June 9


sys, President Of the Meeting, Mr.. CLAY arose
AID spoke a, follows:
Hs Yt,siDfsr, LADIES' AND GENTLEMES:
IL wa, given to OGr country man, FRANKLIN, 10
bring down the lightning from heaven. Toenabe
ne IL be heard Lr this immense multitude, should
haze 70 invoke to my aid and to throw into my
,,i O.. its loudest ihundcrs Az cannot do thai,
,pc shall be excused for such use OF my
3 t., IS practicable and not inconsistent with
80 preservation Of my health. And feel that it
j. osIr hr.t duty t. express our obligations 10 Il
kind and bouutifll Proyidcnce, for the corous and
genial showers with which he has Just blessed our
iaod--f rcsrcsameut of which it stood nuch in
need. For ore, offer to Him my humble and
du,Tui thanks The Inconvenience. to US, on thi.
festive occasion j. very slight while the sum Of
good which these Timely raiss will produce isyery
great ard encouraging.
Fellow citizens, ird myself now in a situation
somewhat Ike ono in which vas placed "a few
gears ago hen travelling through the State Of In
diana. from which nv friend (Mf RARIDFH) near
me comes. stopped at village containing some
four OF Eve hundred Inhabitants, and had scarcely
allelrcd before fosnd myself surrounded in the
Lsf-room BIZ every aduli male rcsidcn, of tho place
After a while | observed group consulting to-
gethcr IN one corner Of the room, and shortly after
1 ives dilidoniiy approached by one u them, Il tall,
lanL lean but se1ate and sober locking person,
with a long face and high check bones, who ad-
d!e,srg me- said be- WINS commissioned 10y lis
ncighborI to request that ! would say few word.
10 them. Why, my good friend, said /, should
be- very happy to DO any thing gratifying to ysur-
self and your ~ shbors but | very mucn IA
tisucd aud hungry and thirsty, and d. 10, think
the occasion Is exactly suitable for speech and
| wisi .ou would excuse me TO Your friends
Nh l. IL | |
mysolr especially a. We have no wine to offer you
10 drink
Nov, If the worthy citizen Of Indiana WAS
rich. in siioposiug that n glass of wine was me-
ccssrry preliminary and precedent condition to
the delivery of speech, you have no Just right to
expect one troe me- at TN. time; for during the
su'ppiuous rcpast from which VIC have Just risen,
vca offered me nothing TO drink but cold water
cs,.,lcni water. il il true, iron the classic toun-
tel. Of cur Iamcnlcd friend MIR. maxwell, which
ms. so often rcsaird Us on celebrations Of or
great anniversary. Great laashtcr]
protest against any inference OF my bcins
iniincei to the Temperance Cause On the con-
ira,,. think il AN admirable cause that has done
greet good, and will continue to do good as loag
as legal coercion is cnpoy 3D. and II reefs cx-
cfrsi,ely upon persuasion AID il, own intrinsic
merits.
have a great and growing rcpugnsuce -
srcoliag in The open air to large assembling. -
But " hils the faculty OF speech remains to me,
can never feel that repugnaDce, never feel other
thas grateful sensations, IN making my sckpow-
Judgments under such circumstances as those
wmrA nave brought us together Not that am
So prc.umptuous a. 10 believe that have been
the ncca.ion solely of collecting ,hls vast multitude
Among the Inducements, | cannot hell thinking
,hn, the FAT white virgin heiicr of my friend Mr.
-.
served Up. and the other good thing, which have
been az literally sproad before Us, cxcrtcd some
influence in .wclliu. this unpreccdentcdy large
meeting Great laughter.
! canno, but feel Mr. President, III Offering my
respectful acknowledgements for the honor done
mo, ia the cloqnent address which you bavc Just
delivered. aud in the scstiment with which YOU
concluded it, that your warsl partaliry, and the
fervcnt friendship which has So long existed be-
tween u. and the kindness OF my neghbors and
friends around mo, have prompted an exaggerated
descriptions in too glowing colors, OF my public
services and my pos abilities
seize the opportunity 10 present my heartfelt
thanks To the whole rsople ct KENTUCKY tor All iie
high honors and distinguished iavors which Lave
received during long residence with them, 81
their hands Tor the liberal patronage which re-
ccived from them in my professional pursuit; Ion
the eminent places in which they have put me, OF
enabled me 10 reach; for the generous aud un'
bounded confidence which they hive bestowed up'
on me- ut all times for the gallant and unswerv-
ing fidelity and attachment with which they stood
by me. throughout all the trials and vicisstudes OF
an eycniiul and arluous life; and. above all, fol-
the .cornlul Indignation with which they repealed
an infamous calsrnny directed against my name
and fame at q momentous period ut my public
career. la recalling To our memory the circum
IL D. Hal. al
a.toui.hmeat at the ndefarig ability with which III,
cal,nlny wa. propagatcd and the Jealous partisan
use 10 which il was applied, net only without cvi
dcncc, bu, IN tho face OF full and complete rsiu
iation. Under whatever deception, delusion OF
ignorance, i, was received elscw here with YOU. m,
friends and neighbors. and with the good people Of
Kentucky. II received no countcnsnce; but in pr
portion to the venom and the maevslencc of ii,
circulatisn was the visor and masnanimity will
which was generously supported tphcd 10y
consciousness of the injustice of the charge
should have borne myself with becoming fortitude
if had been abandoned by you rs | was by 81
latse portion Of my soun,rymen; but 10 have
been sustained ami yindicarcd as was by the poo
pie OF my own State, by YOU who know me bsst
and " HON had 50 many reasons 10 love and es
TEEN. greatly chcsled and encouraged me in m,
onward progress Eternal gratitude and thanks
~ Tao from me.
A thank YOU friends und fellow-ci,ilsns, tor YOU
distinguished and enthusiastic reception OF me TIN:
day. and for the sxcellc nee and abundance OF ,ht
Bsrbacuc ,ha, has been provided for our entertain
mont And thank. from The bottom OF my heart
my tsrcountrywomcn for honoring and grscins anC
adding brilliancy this occasion BY their nuucrcu;
aiicsdanoc 1.-THE decacy and refinement OF then
sex will no, SHOW them 10 mix in the rou:hei
.csnes of human life, msy be sure that when
ever, BY their presence their smiles and aPproba
ton are bestowed. it ia ~ ordinary occurrence