The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-10-01
A LETTER FROM Mr.. CLAY.


more in May last, by the Wing Convention, as a
candidate for the office of President of the United
States, have received many letters propounding
to me questions on public affairs, and others may
have been addressed to me which / have never
received. To most of those which have reached
me have replied but to some have not, be-
cause either the subjects of which they treated
were such as that, in respect of them, my opin-
ions, thought, had been sufficiently promulgated,
or that they did not possess, in my judgment,
sufficient Importance to require an answer from
me- | desire now to say to the public, through
you that, considering the near approach of the
Presidential election, | shall henceforward re-
spectfully decline to transmit for publication any
letters from me in answer to inquiries upon pub
lie matters.
After my nomination, doubted the propriety,
as still do, of answering any letters upon new
questions of public policy. One who may be a
candidate for the Chief Magistracy of the Nation,
if elected, ought to enter upon the discharge of
the high duties connected with that office with his
mind open and uncommtted upon all new ques
tons which may arise in the course of its admin
lights which he may derive from his Cabinet,
from Congress, and, above all, from the public
opinion.
II, in advance, he should commit himself to In
divduals who may think proper to address him,
he may deprive the public and himself of the ben
eft of those great guides. Entertaining this
view, 1t was my intention, after my nomination,
to decline answering for publication all questions
| that might be propounded to me. But, on further
roAo - al II
this silence upon myself, might, contrary to the
uniform tenor of my life seem to be unwilling
frankly and fearlessly to submit my opinions to
the public judgment | therefore so far deviated
from my first purpose as to respond to letters ad-
dressed to me, making inquiries in regard to sub
jects which had been much agitated. Of the an
sWers which so transmitted, some were intended
exclusively for the satisfaction of my correspon-
dents, without any expectation on my part of their
being deemed worthy of publication. In regard
to those which have been presented to the public,
misconceptions and erroneous constructions have
been given to some of them which | think they
did not authorize or which, at all events, were
contrary to my intentions.
In announcing my determination to permit no
other letters to be drawn from me on public af-
fairs, think it right to avail myself of the
sion to correct the erroneous Interpretation Of
one or two of those which had previously writ
i
leigh, letter in respect to the proposed treaty
annexing Texas to the United States, and have
since addressed two letters to Alabama upon the
same subject Most unwarranted allegations
have been made that those letters are inconsst-
ent with each other, and, TO make it out, partc-
ular phrases or expressions have been torn from
their context, and a meaning attributed to me
which never entertained.
wish now distinctly to say that there is not
r. Dts,Son .ol -,
my Raleigh letter to which do not adhere.
am decidedly opposed to the immediate annexa-
ton Of Texas to the United States | think it
would be dishonorable, might involve them in
war, would be dangerous to the integrity and har-
mony of the Union, and, if all these objections
were removed, could not be effected, according to
any information possess, upon just and admis-
sble conditions.
1t was not my intention, in either of the two
letters which addressed to Alabama, to express
any contrary opinion Representations had been
made to me that | was considered as inflexibly
opposed to the annexation of Texas under any
circumstances and that my opposition was SO
extreme that would not waive it, even if there |
were general consent TO the measure by all
the States Of the Union. replied, in my first
letter to Alabama, that personally had no OBJ
lection to annexation. thought that my mean
ing was sufficiently obvious, that / had no per-
as have none for espousing the measure; my
judgment being altogether influenced by general
and political considerations, which have ever been
the guide of my public conduct.
In my second letter to Alabama assuming that
the annexation of Texas might be accomplished
without national dishonor, without war, with the
general consent of the States of the Union, and |
upon fair and reasonable terms, l stated that
should be glad to see it. | did not suppose that it
10 ha |
every body would comprehend me as intending
that, whatever might be my particular views and
opinions, should be happy to see what the whole
nation might concur in desiring under the cond-
tions stated Nothing was further from my pur.
pose than to intimate any change of opinion as
long as any considerable and respectable portion
Of the Confederacy should continue to stand out
in opposition to the annexation of Texas
In all three of my letters upon the subject of
Texas stated that annexation was nadmissible
except upon fair and reasonable terms, If every
other objection were removed. In speech which
ndh to- Al O.