New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-07-01

criions, without the bcneh, OF systematic ns,ruc-
ton. | studied law principally in the Office Of
lumcnted friend tine la,e Gov. BROOKE, then At
to.ney General Of Virginia, and also under the
pieces Of the venerable and lamcntcd Chancellor
WYTEE, for whom ] had acted amanueIisis.
obtained license to practice the profession from
the Judges Of the Court Of Appeals of Virgnia.
and e.iabished myself in Lexington in 1877, with
on, patrons without the favor or countensnce ofths
great or opulcnt, without the means Of paying ny
weekly board, and in the midst Of Bar uncon-
nony ds,ng gished by it.member. Iremember row
com fortabe thought should be if could make
( 100 Virginia money per year, and with what de-
light received the first fifteen shilling fee My
hope. wore more than realized | Immediately
rushed into a succes.u and lucrative practice.
Afterwards when was absent from the COun-
" Of Fayet,0. az the Oiympian Springs, without
my knowledge or rFeyiou; consent, was brought
forward IS d candidate and elected to the Gczcrnl
Assembly of Ibis State | served in that body
eral ycors and was isca transferred to the Senate.
I'D afterwards tho House Of Repre- sentatives 81
the United States. | viii not now dwell on the
subscqucn; events of my political life, or enumcr-
ate the Offices which have filed. During my pub
lie career, have had bitter, implacable. reckless
enemies. But II have been the object Of misreg-
resenta'ion and unmeriied calumny. man has
D'1N N'4DF'u OF IDHtitd pN Ubff ufsbiihS
and enthusiastic friends. have no rcproache'-
noue--to make towards mv country, which has dis
tiugui.hsd and elevated re far beys-d what hal
any RICH, to expect. forgive my enemies, and
hope they may live TO Obtsin the forgiveness OF
their own hearts
IL would neither be fitting nor il il my purpose
tn pass Judgement on all the acts Of my public life;
but hope shall he excused for one or two OBJ
servations, which the occasion appears to me to
authorize.
never but once changed my opinion any
great measure OF National policy, any great
principle Of construction Of the National Constitu-
ton. Ia early life, on deliberate consideration,
adopted the principles of Interpreting the fcdrrnl
Constitution which had boon 80 ably developed and
enforced Nv Mr. Madison, in his memorable report
TO the Virginia legislature, and 10 them, as I'M
der,tood them. have constantly adhered. Upon
The question coming up in the Senate OF III. Uni
ted States to rcchartcr tn. frs, Bank of the Uni
Ted States thirty year. ago, opposed the rechsrter
upon convictions which honestly cner'aincd.-
The experience of the War, which shortly followed,
the condition into which tho currency Of the cOun-
Try was thrown, withou, n Bank, and, | may now
add, ,Cr and moro disastrous experience, convIn-
ced me was wrong. | publicly stated TO my con-
.ttusnl. in a speech in Lexington, Chat which
had made in the House of Representative. Of the
laed States not having been ropor,cd) my rea-
sons for that change and they are preserved in the
archives of the country. appeal TO that record
and am willing to 10 judged now and hereafter
BY their validity
do not advert to the fact of this solitary in
stance Of change Of opinion as implying any per
sonal merit, but because it is a fact | WILL how
ever, say that think it ve,y Persus TO the util-
ity of any public man make frequent changes II
opinion. or any change, but upon grounds so sutll-
cicn, and palpabe that the public can clearly see
ard approve them. IL We could look through
window int the human breast, and there discover
the causes which lead To changes OF opinion, they
might he made without hazard. But rs it is IRA
possible TO penetrate the human heart, and di.n-
| guish between the sinister snd honest motives
Which prompt it, any public man that changes his
opinion once deliberately formed and promulgated,
under other circumstances than hose which have
stated draws around him di.trust, impars the pub
lie confidence, and lessons his capacity TO serve ms
| country.
! Twill take this occasion now to SAY. that am,
and nave been long satisfied, that it would have
been wiser aad more polite in me to have declined
accepting the Office Of Secretary OF State IN 1929.
| Not that my motives were not as pure and pat
rioic "a ever carried any man into public office
not that Inc calsmny which was applied TO the
fact was not as gross md un.ounded any that
vss ever propagaied Here somebody cried out
that Mr.. Carter Beverly. who had been made the
organ of announcing it. had recently borne t~si-
mony TO its being unfounded. Mr.. Clay said il
was true that he had voluntarily borne such ,esti
mony. But with great earnesiness and emphasis,
| Mr.. Clay said, want no testimony here-herc
-HERE-(repeatcdly touching his heart, amidst
trcmendou, cheers -herc is the best of all wit
nesscs OF my innocence. Not that valued friends
and highly esteemed opponents did not unite III
urging my acceptance Of the office; not that the
administration Of Mr.. Adams will not sincerely
believe, advan,ageeusly compare with that OF any
of his predecessors. in economy, purity, prudence
and wisdom; not that Mr.. Adams was himself
wantisg in any Of those high qualifications and up
right and patriotic intentions which were suited to
the Office. OF that extraordinary man, OF rare and
varied a,ianments. whatever diversity of opinion
NAV exist rs to his recent course in the House OF
Representatives, (and candor obges me TO SAY
that there are some things in il which deeply re-
gret) it is with no lees truth than pleasure that
declare, that during the whole period of his adj
minstraton, ANNOYED, assailcd and assaulted as i,
was, no man could have shown a more devoted at
tachment TO the Union and all its :rsa, interests
moro ardent desire faithfully TO discharge his
whole duty, or brought to his aid more useful ex-
rerencc and knowledge than he did | never
transacted business with any man in my life with
more ease, satisfaction and advantage than | did
with that mos, able and ndefatisabe gentleman,
as President of the United States. And will add
that more harmony never prevailed in any Cabinel
than in his.
| But my error, in accepting the office arose out
Of my underratisg the power of detraction and the
force of ignorance, and abiding. with too sure a
confidence in the conscious is,sgriiy and upright.
ness OF my own motives. OF that ignorance,
had a remarkable and laughable example on an
occasion which will relate. was travelling, in
1928, through, believe it was, Spotisylvania in
Virginia, on my return to Washington, in conpa.