Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1844-10-18

ble-showing that inirmity of purpose,
which is the evidence Of an eager, moon
reaching and unbalanced spiri,-an mfr
nifty Of purpose, which he manifested from
the very moment when he consented TO
write any replies at all, down to the pres
ent. last, expiring effort. We pass over
the comments, which rise TO our lips on
reading This crude and panic-struck pro-
duction. But nothing surprises us more
i'll the whole of its contents, than that a
man, who had been so much attached to
Texas; who had solemnly protested agains.
its cession in 30, and had attempted twice
to recover it in '25 and '27, should now
have the folly to come toward and say,
substantially, ''Oh! as TO myself, l have no
personal or individual motives for opposing,
nor have any for espousing, the measure.
| have no wish myself in the mat,er-and
all | wish is to please every body else. -
"Whatever be my particular views and o.
pinions" (which he has not the courage to
express, Il should be happy to see what
the WHOLE nation might concur in desir.
ing under the conditions stated" And this
declaration he now makes after the indica-
ton of his personal feelings in his recent
letter. But who does not see, for what
purpose this last letter is indited! Who
is SO blind as not to see, that Mr.. Clay, a.
Harmed BY the accounts he had received a.
bout the Abolitionists, writes it TO propi-
tate their prejudices; and, in fact, TO pre-
sent, OF all others, this single sentence,
'.Nothing was further from my purpose,
than to intimate any change Of opinion,
as long as any considerable or respectable
portion ofthe Confederacy should contin-
ne to STAND OUT IN opposition to the an
ne1ation Of Ieras.' But the Delphic
Oracle has spoken too late. The Conyen-
ton of Utica have decided against him
and upon the ground, not so much of .Aa-
neration, as Of Slavery, which Mr.. Clay
did not anticipate, and does not meet in
this last will and testament. There is an
other feature IN this remarkable letter.-It
is to be his last-and in it he goes appar-
emily the whole against Texas-and he a.
vows to the Aboliiionlsts, that it is his last
that he will change no more-that the
weathercock will shift no longer on its pi-
vot-but that he will remain true, eter-
nally true, to the unqualified declarations
of his Raleigh letter against annexation.
But, whilst he addresses these pledges
to the North, what will the South say OF
him! What hope does he hold out to
them? None. He closes the door for
ever. Like the inscription on the poetic
gates of He'll, there is ''No Hope,' writ
ten upon them. We shall! scarcely hear
Messrs. Leigh and Lyons, &c.. &C., aver
ring now, that Mr.. Clay is the very man
to get us Texas. Sou,hrons Mr.. Clay
has sacrificed this beautiful country for the
votes of the Aboliuonists, and to his own
ambition. What will you say What
will you Go? ..... .-.
From the National Integencer.
A LETTER FROM MR.. CLAY.
TO the Editors.
. ASHLAND, September %, 1914.
Gentlemen: Since my nomination at Balti-
more in May last, by the Wing Convention,
as candidate for the Office of President o. the
United States, have received many letters
propounding to me questions on public affairs,
and others may have been addressed to me
which | never received. To most of those
which have reached me have replied; but to
some have not, because either the subjects
of which they treated were such as that, in
/ respect of them, my opinions, l thought, had
hot fhov
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 oft the Pre-
sidential election, / shall henceforward re-
spectfully decline to transmit for publicali on
any letters from me in answer to inquiries up
on public matters. .-..a SAD
/ After my nomination, doubted the propri-
ETY.. as still do, of answering any letters up
on new questions of public policy. One who
may be 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 un-
committed upon all new questions which may
arise in the course of its administration, and
ready to avail himself of all the lights which
he may derive from his Cabinet, from Con-
gress, and, above all, from the public opinion.
If, in advance. he should commit himself to
individuals who may think proper to address
him, he may deprive the public and himselfoi
the benefit of those great guides. Entertain
ing this view, it was my intention, after my
nomination, to decline answerin for publica.
ton all questions that might be propounded
to me. But. on further reflection, it appeared
to me that if I imposed this silence upon my.
self, might, contrary to the uniform tenor Of
my life, seem to be unwilling frankly and
bfearlessly to submit my opinions to the pub.
lie judgment. /, therefore. SO far deviatec
from my first purpose as to respond to letters
addressed 30 me, making Inquiries in regard
to subjects which had been much agitated.---