New-York daily tribune., 1844-05-14

Mr. President, alter the able and eloquent &C.
dresses from our honored Kentucky friends, Use
not to iutrudc myself al this late hour upon the
attention of this great meeting BY making any
very extended remarks. Indeed, sir, | do not
know that it will be in my power to say any
thing which may serve to edfy or even smuse
any one gentleman present. have but single
purpose in view at this time, which | will dis
tincily state before l sit down. We, sir, of the
West, and more especially the honorable gentle
men here present from the vicinity Of Ashland,
are well acquainted with the opinions, the primer
pies, the character, and, may say, the whole his
tory of our only choice of Candidate for the Pre-
sidrncy-HENEY CLAY of him, sir, am not
qualified, and therefore shall not attempt to speak
have risen, sir, Ill this pubic manner, simply 10
PROFOUND fc": in.errogator!es TO the veteran pol
ltlcians-the ancient Democratic Wings here
scmhled from the Empire City and the Empire
State.
We desire to be informed by them something
of the true political character, opinions and pTln-
ciries OF the candidate oil the opposition, which
viii bc Martin Van Buren,. And who is Martin
Van Buren, and what has he done for his coun-
try was he ever the author Of a single measure
or proposition having for It's object the preserva-
ton of the honor and welfare OF the Nation
What then has been the course of Mr.. Van Bu-
rcn as politician and statesman ! and II Is upon
these points moreover that we desire correct H.
formation.
1t appears, sir, that in nineteen out of twenty
six States, he is tocrably well understood, and
verify believe that had h5 tue character and
principles (or rather want of Prnclplcsl been as
""eIl known III those few States winch gave hlm
tnelr support in his contest with Gen. Harrison,
IS they were in his own State, that lie would not
have received the vote Of one State IN the Cnon.
Sir, in that contest be neither received the vote
vi his own State nor that Of any other that either
bordered upon or touched 1t at any point. Take
from him Wig mia, South Carolina und Alabama,
gwen to him by John &. Calhoun-takc also the
small States of Arkansas, huInbugged Missouri
and benighted Illinois, and what mas he leit!-
Nothing but New Hampshire, Standing SOLITARY
and alone. Will any one now contend that II
will not be easier for Us TO carry one and all
these Tor Henry Clay in 1914 than 1t was to have
carried mnny of thoon Stnics which tvn did carry
for Gen. Harrison in 1910? And am fully sat
lsfied that if the coming contest shall be carried
through with the same enthusiastic spirit with
winch we commenced it at Baltimore and 1t Il
nov being carried on, that such will be the re-
suit. 1t is indeed surprising that man who,
like Mr.. Van Buren,, has been falthlcss 10 all
parties and TO all men, can expect that the people
will be faithful 10 him.
If history informs us right, Mr.. President, he
has belonged to every political party. We are tolc
that he commenced his political life a Burrltc,
then Lewisite, Tompklnsonan, ClInonian,
a Porcrte !, Rufus King man, Bucktall,
Cruwiordite, Clay and Adams man, Ca h1un
jackson man, a Van Buren, jackson man, aud Is
now real Slamm, Bang, Fanny Wright Loco
Fuco.
He has been on both sides of all the great cues.
,ons which have agtated the Councils oil the
Nation from his entry upon public life to the pre-
sent time. He has been both for and against the
Embargo, against and for the War, for and
soon after against the Canal policy Of De
Witt Clinton, against and for the admission
of Missouri into the Unon for and against In
tcrnal improvements, Tor ana against Tie BANK,
for and against the Tariff, for and against the
Congressional District System, against and for
Universal Suffrage, against and for carrying the
election of President to the House OF Representa-
lives, for and against the One Term principle,
for and against distribution Of the moneys
arising from the salcs OF the Public Lands aaainst
Pubic Lands, for and against general Bankrupt
Law, and for and against his own Army project.
HchasaIso been both for aud against every mat
who has been elected to the highest Offices, either
his own State or Nation--no matter on which
side lie acted before the clcction-he was always
sure to be found on the side Of the successful
candidate immediately after, ii he could be re-
ccived.
He is now irving 10 become again the head oi
a party held together by the cohesive power o.
public plunder," and must go down, for IT has no
hoacs; principles to keep it together. His creed
is that ''all is fair in politics. and he believes
that the people are corrupt that they can be
bought and sold like cattle in the market-tha,
every man has his price"-acting upon the sup
position that an enemy to-day may he Trend To-
.norrow-coquetting win every man ot influence
and when ne has succeeded IN obtaining Their
support, lie treacherously deserts them at The time
of their umos, need. Sir, what was his conduct
towards The virtuous Judge VIM. w. Van Ness,
the Patriot Tompklns. and his Country's grea'
bcnea,tnr, De VIII Clinton? Sir, his treachcry
! ingratitude and persecution drove them all, pre-
| inotUrely, down TO their graves; and there are
many now present. living witnesses of his dis
honest course-mcn who still live to experience
his base iHgratitude.
That he has talents of q certain order cannot
hc denied. He might nave attained dlstincuou
and s,lll been honest hut he has preferred tcpur
sue the crooked ieuor OF his wuys-and does II
more from cnojce than necessity.
His motto is, tn the victor belong the spoils.
ana yet his irtnls insis; 'hal he is Il g"oo Dem
acral. Wei. iet them have hn-we want NJ
such man with ms. We. sir, are engaged in a
contest for prnciples-dur Wing princliies-'he
same for which cur io-cfa,be'S Can't Ided, ana
:og which every true Wing has ever contendec
| from TIE Revolution down 10 the p.osent timc.-
Tnen, sir, IL US adhere to our principles, and
| proclaim them to :ha world
The wings o The prrss... d>y -"r~a~ .hii
ing confidence in the virtue, the patriotism
the intelligence OF the People. They believe
in none OF the opinions ana dogmas promuga-
ted by Martin Van Burcn, that the people
arc SO corrupt that they arc not capa-
bic OF orcxercising the right OF suffrage-that, in
in fact, 10 give the common people the right to
vote would "rcndcr Their elections curse rather
than = biessioU'-and that the farther the