The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-10-29
SPEGCEg OF srgEc. EE.EE:.
AND OCCURRENCES ON THE DE-
LIVERY OF AN ABOLITION Pc
Triton TO HIM AT RICHMOND,
JNmJANA

INDIANA.
On the first of October, 1872, Mr.. Clay
beng on his way from Dayton, in Ohio,
10 Indianapolis, the seat OF Government
of the State OF Indiana, to which he had
been previously mpited, stopped at Rich
mond, !iourishing town in that state,
where vast slullitude, amounting to fiji
teen or twenty thousand, had assembled
to meet him, and greet and welcome his
arrival among them. After taking some
relreshmcnt, he repaired TO IA stand, pro-
Sided for the occasion; from which nc adj
dressed the immense assemb lagp, i'll his
accustomed manner, on the public topics
OF the dav 1t is not intended TO report
any part of that speech, which was rccci-
we'd with enthusiastic applause. After It's
close, Mr.. Clay was informed that MIR.
Menderhall was present and DESTROYS OF
presenting petition TO him, and he was
requested for that purpose to ascend the
stand. He did so, and delivered the pc
tilion to Mr.. Clay. lie handed it to
friend who read italoud to Mr.. Clay, and
to the assembly. The petition played or
requested that Mr., Clay would forthwith
liberate all his slaves, unjustly, as il al
legged, held in bondage, and placed the
application principally on the ground that
by the Declaration of American lndcpsn-
dence, it is declared, shat all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable
rights" SC.
After the reading of the petition, the as
sembly manifested great sensation; some
cried on. pull him (Mr. Incidentally
down, and high degree of eXctement
of anger, and of Indignation were klndlmg
against him. The slightest manifestation
of displeasure on the part of MIR. Clay,
might have exposed Mr. MendcnhaIl to
great personal danger. But, Mr.. Clay
rose, with perfect caImness and compo-
sure, and first addressed the multitude, in
strain of persuasion and entreaty. He
hoped that Mr.. M. might he treated with
the greatest forbearance and respect. lie
assured his fellow-cilizens there collected
tina. the presentation of the petition had
not occasioned him the slightest pain. nor
excited one solitary disagreeabIe emotion.
If it were to be presented to him, he pre-
terred that it should be done in the face
of this vast and respectful assemblage.-
He though, he could give it such an an
swcr as became him and the subject of
which it treated. At all events, he en-
teaed and beseeched his ielow-citzens,
for their sake, Tor his country's sake, for
his sake, to offer no disrespect, no indig
nifty, no violence, in word or deed, to MIR.
Mendenhall.
This appearing to compose the assem-
bly,, Mr.. Clay bowed to Mr.. Mendenhall,
and addressing him said:
will now, Sir, make to you and to this
petition, such a response as becomes me.
Allow me to say that think you have not
conformed TO the independent character
of an American citizen, i'll presenting
petition to me. am like yourself, but a
private citizen. A petition, as the term
implies, generally proceeds from an lne-
rior in power or station TO a superior; but
between us, there is entire equality. And
what are the circumstances under which
YOU have chosen to offer il2 am total
stranger, passing through your State, on
my way to its capitol, in consequence OF
an invitation with which have been hon
ored to visit it, 10 exchange friendly sal
utations with such of my lellow-cllizens
of Indiana as think proper to meet me,
and accept of theirt ospitality. Anxious
as am to see them, and to view parts of
this State which had never seen, came
here with hesitation and reluctance. be-
cause apprehended that the motives of
my journey might be misconceved and
perverted. But when the iulfilment OF an
old premise to visit Indianapolis was in
sisted upon. yielded to the solicitations
of friends, and have presented myself a
mong you.
Such is the occasion which has been
deliberately selected for rendering this
petition to me. am advanced in years
and neither myself nor the place of my
residence is altogether unknown to the
world. You might, at any time within
these last 25 or 80 years, have presented
your petition to me at Ashland. If you
had gone there for that purpose, you
should have been received AMI treated
with perfect respect and liberal hospitali-
ty.
Now, Mr., Mendenhall, let us reverse
conditions, and suppose that you had
been invited to Kentucky TO partake of its
hospitality; and that previous to your ar
rival, had employed such means as
understand have been used to get up this
petition, to obtain the signatures of citi-
zens of that State to petition, to present
10 you, to relnqush your farm or other
property, what would you have thought
ofsuch a proceeding Would you have
deemed it courteous and, according to the
rites of hospitality?
know well that YOU, and those who