Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-04-27
Mr.. Claws speech.

been deliveied entirely extempore, no full
report of it can be given. II must have
been, according TO all accounts, one of the
most effective and eloquent speeches ever
delivered by the great kentuckian. The
asscmblage on the occasion of the address
was one Of the largest which has ever
gathered in the Court yard Of Lexington,
the people having been drawn from far
and near by the desire Of hearing the
speech.
From The Lexington (Ky.) Lstenigeneer,
Mr.. CLAWS SPEECH.
We had hoped that the speech OF our
distinguished fellow citizen, delivered on
Monday last, would have been written out
for the press. We have been disappont-
ed, however, in this, and must content
ourself, and our readers must be satisfied
with the imperfect sketch we shall be able
to present from recollection.
The Administration Bank-Ta.
trbu:ion-limitaiion Of Execu-
tive power, aud the Bankrupt Law, were
the topics upon which he dwelt. He
spoke of the open bribery and corruption
now practised, and more shamelessly a.
vowed by the administration in tbs distrl-
button OF the patronage Of the Govern
meni, with the acknowledged and boaste d
purpose Of securing to the support Of the
Administration one Of the great parties
or the country. Mr.. Tyler had tried one,
and had found it clad in the armor Of
truth and justice--true TO itself and the
country--.mpregnable 10 all assaults, Ell
Their upon lis virtue or lis patriotism
neither to be awed by the frowns, nor
seduced by the promises Of power. Fooled
in this, he was now exerting all the vast
patronage Of his office TO buy up the de.
mocratic party to his support. Mr.. Clay
thought that, however unprincipled lead.
ors might be disposed to barter away their
principles for the sake of Office, the great
mass Of the party would scorn the efforts
made 10 bribe them. He said: "that he
had no hesitation 10 express his opinion,
as an humble and private citizen, that no
man, who had any feelings Of sef.respect
or honor or patriotism, could take or hold
any office, the tenure of which depended
on the Presidents will, subject to the de-
grading and disgraceful conditions which
were imposed upon its possession; end
that it would be the bounden duty of the
next President elected, be he Wing or
Democrat, TO purify The public service by
promptly describing all such contaminat-
ed incumbents. He hoped there were
many, he knew there were some, now 10
office who disjained to submit to any
such disgracelul conditions, and they
ought, and he doubted not, would receive
JUS, and iull consideration, and be judged
according 10 their capacity, honesty and
fidelity to thor country"
In connection with this subject Of gov.
eminent patronage, Mr.. Clay took ocea.
sion to sreak of the fact, that for the past
fifteen years, the Wings had been amost
entirely excluded from all participation
in The honors and emoluments of office.
lie said, that IN his opinion, if wing
president should be elected, it would be
his imp rative duty to do ample justice,
IN the administration OF the pablic patron
age, 10 the great WING patty of the coun-
ty--what he verify believed for years
had embraced majority Of the people of
the United Stats. That party fr ut'-
wards Of fourt en- years past, with the
exception of one month, had been sys.
temaiicaly prescribed and excluded from
oil public employments. Not only from
original appointments, but when they
held Office, thy have been hurled out to
make way, often for unworthy persons of
opposite politics. And SO far is Mr.. Ty-
Ter now pursuing this practice that he is
d smssipg men whom he put in, not only
without charge, without faGlt, without any
species of trial, but with full knowledge
that the duties Of their Offices have been
diligently, honestly and faithfully execut-
ed, and putting back in their places men
whom he had himself dismissed! Every
consideration of equality, of equity and
justice demands, SAID Mr.. Clny, that the
most full and complete PREPARATION Of the
injuries done to the Wing party should
be hereafter made. Nor would that be
prescription. 1t would be the severesi
rebuke of prescription. On the contrary,
to continue in Office men who hal been put
there by the Omission OF other and bet.
Ter men, for pol teal reasons, would be to
sanction, consummate and perpetuate pro.
scrption. But if i, could be regarded as
who is 10 bejustly reproach-
ed with beginning prescription in this
?'
"No man 1t more profoundly than he
did the evils which were likely TO grow
out Of struggles for the prize Of Govern.
ment, with the distribution of all its hon.
ors and Offices exclusively confined 20 the
party. He doubted whether
our system could long endure the conse-
quences Of such struggles. But he hop.
ed that remedy would be hereafter
found, either in the amendment of the
Constitution or the Law, to guard against
these evils"
Mr.. Clay entered a. some length into
the history of the efforts of the Wings,
during the Extra Session, to restore the
currency of the country in the establish
ment of National Bank. There is one
connected with that history
that has been generally less understood,
and more grossly misrepresented than any
other. We refer TO the 10th section OF
The second Bank Bll--its character and
he cause of its adontinn This yvas nv