Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-10-24

mcnarieS OF ~ Nirginian.' and nudge fer yor,.
selves. We wish TO Judge him by his own work.
and therefore we submit all the evidence a, once
along with the argument. lie, no man saw w.
have CARRIED it, Take it ali in all. and decide up
on The portrait from the lineameEls he has cravu
Ci himself:
FIR tic Enquirer
A Review OF the Letters Of Henry Clay
upon the suffice; or the Annexation OF
Texas.
II is not believed, that the annals Of party sta
leSy can present more palpable instance of the
sacrifice 81 principle .of tie purpose OF acquiring
power or case OF more shameless and open BIZ
dang ior the support oi particular faction or i'll.
icrest, Than Is furnished in the course OF Henry
Clay in relation 10 the question Of the Anncxaliou
OF Texas 10 this Union. Ii there was one man
III The whole Coniederacy, who, from his position
his residence and all the svmpalhies which ic
might be fairly supposed 10 cntera in and from his
course in relation to this question upon seyei.l
former occasions stood committed 10 embrace h.
cause Of the Annexation o.; Texas, tina, man ~,
Henry Clay. y Southern man ty birth. al:
/ Identified with her IN interest, and all would na.
luraliy suppose in feeling and sympathy. 10 III.
ference cGliG have been taircr ar more consi>,e:.
with the ordinary motives of human ac,ion. than
that he would nave been found the advocate d: 4.
measure which wcu.d strengthen that par, oi ,h-
ConieGeracT il which be resided while az Nh.
same time il promised incalculahc benefits 70 i..
whole country. Motives OF the most otdiraty
sc.!cSpccf and that desire 50 common 10 all. ~
preserve course %. consistency would have al
seemed 10 second the natural susgcStions OF iul,
and proprieW His indignant Gcrnnciation OF the
Treaty of 1919, hy which Texas was ccded 70
Spain, rs without warrant in the provisions Of ID.
Constitution, and equally a, var with the be>. o.
I. Il Il.
1926 and 1927 while Secretary Of State 10 .c-ac.
CURE this lost domain, are yet fresh in the memo.
Of the country And yet we have hchcld him r..
gardle>s alike of the Suggestions OF patriotism
consistency ard sel.,rcsicci, guaranteeing his op.
former wciconsidcrcd opinions 10 the dictates %
seliin;erest and tie supposed cyigencieS oi IT,
occasion. Nay more, We have seen him trs, q.
tempting the bold experiment Of holding dii'eru,
opinions upon his great question in different sea
lon> OF the Union, and when satisfied a;erwar',
tina, this course Of doub!e-Goal;ns would rroha
in tie crd lose him more votes than 4 hold
onen course upon one side orlhc other Of the QUE.
ton. We have seen him guilty OF the mos >ka..s
clubbing in his attempts 10 reconcile the pa1.
Bic Inconsistencies into which he had been t.ils
ea by his desire to please beth tie advocates ..
The opponents Of Annexation
II j. confidently believed. that hi;ei review
lie course Of Mr.. Clay on this question. villa
establish 10 all caniid minds the Truth ofhe i4.
aoira charge against hm.
And first i, is WORTHY 81 note, that Nj O.
has written 10 less than SIX letters. and Somc
them 81 considerable length. for the apparcet rtl
pose ot defining his position upon this que,
and il viii he seen that This gentleman WHO W
been held up hy his friends as distinguishes
the bold and fearless raHkne>s with whichheW
mugates his sentiments. aud Is one who alw;'.
expressed himself upon all public questions. w.
candOur and cIeainess which forbade aUGcgg'
OF hesitation as 70 his rca! opinions, has es-l,
cd his title 10 the high character which bis aar
Gates would have awarded 10 him ay wiring
letters upon the same SGbjec.-all Ia dife.g
parts of the Union, and all ct them >uhlec L. 81
actually receiving from his friends dilieIet cv
s.IuciiorS. |
4 briel recurrence 10 the circumstances ur'
which they We're written. viii probably accor, /
Is well for their an1gber rs for the r0vt,tg Il ~.
sentiments which they contain.
II j. in the memory Of ALL that Mr.. Clay,t
ring the course OF The asi fall. wiaie' ana tlig
paid proiractcd WISH rpm iaSHtss 10 the >oa.t
crn States He had business IN Louisiana. 20
business in Mobile, ami then in Georgia, ard '.,
in south Carolina and then most important 'a.
ness in North Caroline, and you vel. r"meu.w
MessrS EditoiS that he, hy the merc>l accitcr
the world, happened 10 drop iE'o Old NHel
JUS, before her last Spring elections. also double"
on iusiacrS. The character Of ihat iu>irc,> h.'
10 this dav. remained somewhat envr!opei
mystery, though Is this very lGs. gentleman
cuPied portion OF his time At least in Mash
elcciionecring speeches. i; might not peTiaF>
vc:r unchafitah!e 10 suppose that il bal pos
4 remote reference 10 The Presidency, ir VIII
he was then prospective il not an acga
Glazed candidate Great curiosity, it viii be
mcnbercd, existed during portion Of this Ie.
rs 10 The opinions of Mr. Clay, upon the ggo':
oil the annexation o.! Texas, and >undfy ateia
were made To get nj his views upon this >n'
during his pilgrimage through the South; bur
You well remember, for a long time without -
cess. His bpaHce possibly had prevented h.,
slowing that reflection npon the subject which
importance demanded: Or was it ypSsbc thai
wished 10 see how far the feelings Of the Son
crn portion OF the CoH;ederacy were enlisted
behalf of this great measure with view OF el 4
bling himself TO take such ground upon u
sl;!jcci, aS they wouii probably s'i>'a \
white NJ the same time lie might hop Il
reconcile that considerable and respects Z
portion Of the Conicderacy," whom Mr. Ca 4
seems TO have iorescen iIom the FIRST, woGl. 4
found in bitter hostility 10 this question
whose votes might he Of service N Il c'0l
contested election? After deliberate sUrvc,
tie whole ground, and full consultation wit
81
Raleigh, with depuatiors ;iom other places
finally determined upon his course, and aca
iBsly, Manifesto No !, Was issued from thar
communicating 10 the cXpcctan; country 'h"'f'
u the great oracle Of Nhiggery. uron ihis
important question. Whatever conS;ruc..ol
have been pa; on t!ia, leucr, by those 0! ms
with whose peculiar ofinioas' on the sur
views Did not happen t. cc:Hcde, the;r w.
rational doubt On liz public mind general
his Raleigh eIi,tle placed him in 4 pof''
Incorporating opposition % annexation.
}ers0aa}y and PoliicaiN For Il reru.a %
letter viii show, that Rot only did Mr t!ay
oppose annexation, because, 10 use his Own i
gnage, il would be n measure COMPROMISE
national character, involving Us Certainly
war with Mexico, probably with Other iof
rowc.s, dangerous Ia the Integrity al he o..
nexpcdieEt III the present financial cendnc
the coGniry, and Eo; called for by any gcneia
preston Of public SENTIMENT" but ne went
Their, ana so tar from then exhibiting any part u
inclination 10 annexation, on the ccnuaU II
found arguing in effect against II, even Il n'I
difficulties were removed We find HIM u,i.I
this strong language, that Sin the future ff." r.
OF events il is probable there " i'll be yo.ut II
or foFci5le separation OF the British North j"
rican possessions from the parent counJy - j.
he declares, that be was strongly inciin h
think. personally OF cougse) that it MI
best for tic happiness oil all parties, iaa'
that even, they should bc erected into >e?e' II
and independent Republic With the Cans
Republic IN the one SIDE and Teas or a.
the United States, the friend Of both bei"F
them. each would advance lis own happiacs'
such laws as were best adapted 10 lis le'l