New-York daily tribune., 1844-10-02
Ry This Mornings ilali.
From the Naaon-l I1,ellisenecr OF YESTERDAY.
Letter from Mr.. Clay.

States have recsScd many letters ProPound'ng
To HE questions on public .iiai7s, and Others may
have been addressed ,O me whch | never re-
coive. 70 III, - o those winch hsTe reached
me haze replied bat 10 some have not, he
cause either the SUBJECTS OF whch they treated
were such as that, II respect oi them, my opin-
IONS. thought, had been sufficiently Prmu'-
galed. or that they did not possess, IN Iny ludy
msnt. sufficient importance TO require IN atS"er
from me desire now to say To the pubic
through YOU. that. considering the near appp-ch
nj N, Prcsidelta! Election. shall h.nccioEwarc
resDecti,llly decline to transmit for publication
any letters from me IN answer 10 mquneS upon
puohc matters
Ancr NV domination. doubted the P'opnety.
/ a. / sril do of answering any letters uPnn ne"
q,:cstlons ot pubic policy. One vino maY hs "
candidate or the Chiel Maglstracy OF tie Nh
tion II elected ought L. enter GP N the olsch'is
OF lie high duties connected with that office WIN
his mind open aud uncommtted upon all new
questions which mag arise IN the course of hlT
administration. am ready tp avail himself oi ali
| the lirhts which he may derive from nus Cabi-
uc,, ftom Congress, and. ab we sl', rom tue Puo
lie opinion.
If.ina advance, he should commit himscli tolnt'
yiidu,ls who may think proper to address hln. he
,ray deprive the public and himself al The bsncii'
of those great guldcs. Entertaining tins vie", 1t
was NV intention, after my nomluation. To docI'ac
Answering for publication all questions that might
| h, nrnn.uudcd 10 ne But, on further reflection.
If appeared to me that ii imposed his S'!eHro
upo,, ivsclfi mig Int contrary Ia the UNIFORM tenor
oi nv life. seem to be unwilling frankly and lear
! lcsslv to submit my opinions to the Puoiic JUICY
mcut Therefore So far devlatcd from my inst Pur-
nose AS TO respond to letters addressed 10 me, mak
ing inouiries IN regard to subjects which ha''
| h,cn much scitated OF the answers which 81
transmitted, some were intended exclusively ioT
the satisfaction o! my correspondents, without
any expectation on my part OF their being deemed
worthy otpubicaiion. In regard to those whlca
have been presented 10 The public. misconceptions
and erroneous constructions have been gwen To
some of them which think they did not author
ise. or which, at all events, were contrary 10 my
intentions.
In announcing my determination to permit no
other letters 10 be drawn from me on public Of
fairs. think it right 30 avail mysrfot the occa-
sion to correct the erroneous lntcrpretat.oMo OF ore
or TWO of those which had previously written.
In April last addressed TO you, from Raleigh,
letter IN respect to the proposed treaty annex'ng
Texas TO the United States, and have since ac-
dressed two letters to Alabama upon the sal;
| subject. Most unwa5ranicd allegations have
been made that these letters arc inconsistent
with each other, and, 10 make 1t out, particular
phrases or expressions have been torn from theIf
context and meaning attributed to me when
| never entertained.
| wish now distinctly to say that there is no;
a feeling Il sentiment, or an opinion expressed /"
nv Raleigh letter to which | DO not adhere.
am decidedly opposed to the immediate annexa-
ton of Texas to the United States. think !.
would be dlShonorablc, might involve them III
war, would be dangerous to the integrity and
harmony Of the Union, and, II all these O0loctlons
were removed, could not be effected, accordIns
to any information | possess, upon Just and ad
msslblc conditions.
II was not my intention, III either OF hc lw1
letters which addressed to Alabama, To- express
any contrary opinion. Representations had been
made to me that | was considered lntlcXlhly
opposed to the annexation OF Texas under any CIR
cumstances ; and that my opposition was 50 eX-
rcmc that would not waive II, even Il there were
a general consent the measure by all the States
of the Union replied, IN my first letter to Ala.
bama, that personally had no objection Ia an
ncxation | thought that my meaning was suili-
cicntly obvious, that | had nu personal, private,
or individual motives for opposing, as have none
for es1ouslng, the measure, my judgment belbg
altocc influenced by general and political
considerations, which have ever been Tic guide Of
my public conduct
In INV second letter 10 Alabama, assuming
that The Annexation of Texas might nc accom-
plisled without national dlshpno!, without VA,
with the GENERAL consent Ol the States o the
Union aud upon far and reasonable terms, s,n-
ted that | should bC glad to ste IT, dldnOl sup
nose that i, was possible | could bc misunder-
stood lmagncd every body would colnpre-
hend me RS intending that, whatever might bu
INV particular views and opinions, should be
happy 10 see what the whole nation might concur
IN desiring uudcr the conditions stated. Nothing
was further from my purpose tnan to intimate
any change ot opInlon AS long as amy cnnsldtrd-
bic and respectable portion OF the toniederacy
should continue to stand out IN opposition to the
Annexation OF Texas.
In all three Of my lcIteIs upon the su,DecL ql
Texes stated that Annexation was inadmssl
ble except upon fair and reasonable terms, II
every other objection were removed. Ia speech
which adore ssed to the Senate Ui the United
States more than three years ago, avowej my
Onpostlou for the reasons there stated, IT, the
assumption, by the General Government ol the
| debts of the several States. 1t Was hardly,
therefore, to be presumed that | could be III lavor
Of assuming the unasce,tained debt of foreign
Stale, with which we have no trdternal tes aud
whose bad faith or violation OF IT'S engagements
can bring no reproaches upon us.
Hayiug thus, gentlemen, made the apology
which | intended, for my OMISSION To answer any
letters OF inquiry upon public affairs which may
have received announced my purpose 10 decline
| henceOrward transmitting answers for Publica
ton to any such letters that may hereafter re-
ceiye: and indicated some OF tnosc which /
have forwarded against the erroneous consuuc
tons to which they have been exposed, have &C
compshed the purpose vi this note, and remain,
re respectfully, your obedient servant,
lIessrs. .GALEs Il SxATOS. H. CLAY.
The Great Eastern Convention in Penn
sylvania-30.0OO wings in Council.
Correspondence Of The Tribune.
PHILADELPHIA. Oct. !.
This was glorious day for tie W:ugs Of the
City and County of Philadelphia. The bright
sunshine burst forth this morning in all It's glory
and beauty, and gave promise OF mild and beau
,ifrl day. From a very early hour in the morn