The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-04-25

RITCHIE, would deny to him the hospitality which
even the savage in his wigwam would extend to
the stranger.
Mr. Clay here read to the audience portion
Of the article from the Enquirer advising the de-
mocracy of Petersburg to avoid his presence, and
by their conduct to rebuke him for daring to visit
their town; and lie followed the reading with
commentary of such whitening sarcasm and ridi-
cule, as it is impossible either to describe or for
get. We have heard of torture by the rack and
at the stake but we had rather resort to them Tor
RECREATION, than to have been the subject OF The
condign punishment which Mr. Clay inflicted on
the editor of the Richmond Enquirer. That these
orders Of Mr.. Tom Richie had been rebuked by
The Democrats of Petersburg and the adjacent
counties, was proved by the fact that amidst the
dense mass which surrounded the stand, were to
be seen the faces of many ardent Democrats,
lighted up with the enjoyment of the castlgatlon
which was administered to their churlish leader.
Mr. Clay assured the Democrats that Mr..
Richie was mistaken in saying that he had come
among them as san Elecioneerer and as ga
Conquerng Hero that he should ask no man
for his vote-that he should bring neither "War,
Pestilence, nor Famine" among them. And if
such had been his designs-if he had come "to
plant his foot f" on the soil of Virginia as inva-
ding foe or ruthless oppressor, why are the De-
mocrats of the Old Dominion invoked to flee from
his approach,- -why does not GENERAL RITcHIE
and drive him back!
He said that this article was in character with
the course pursued towards him by General
Richie for twenty years past On every great
question of public interes the wilfully perverted,
and illiberally declined to publish, his views and
speeches. That even on the exciting and mo-
mentous topic of Abolition, he had often grossly
misrepresented his opinions, and then refused to
nndeceive his readers by the publication of his
speeches on this subject. Mr.. Clay said that he
had been before charged with ambtion-never
until now with dishonesty that he was ambitious
above all things 10 be an honest man. Liberal
and unjust towards him as had been the political
of General Richie, he did not suppose that
even he would deny him the common courteses of
life, the usual Inequalities of his native State, in
passing through it ia the pursuit of his journey
home-ward.
He made no boast of his own hospitality, but
he had never allowed political differences to in
terfere with the rites of hospitality, which he felt
to be due from him alike to his acquaintance OF
all parties who happened to visit his own State.
He had evinced this disposition towards the only
member of Mr. Richie's family who had been in
the vicinity of his residence. And on the occa-
sion of Mr.. Van Burens tour through the South
ern and Western States, he not only received
him as his own guest for several days when he
reached Kentucky, but requested his political
friends to join the cOrtege assembled at Lexing-
ton for his reception.
Mr.. Van Buren's tour was a much more ex-
tensive than his (Mr. C.'s) would be, yet
Mr.. Richie thought his (Mr. V. B.'s) desire to
visit these interesting portions of his country
might with innocency be INDUCED. But the in
slant he (Mr CO. approaches the land of his ma
tivty GENERAL FHTcHIE-supposing that the
Democrats will dress to the right, march and
conntermarch at his bidding-ssues the order
that they are to show towards him none Of "the
generous old-fashioned hospitality of the State"
After disposng of General Richie" and his |
"order' in manner which could not be surpass-
ed and which every liberal Democrat in the |
crowd richly enjoyed as being well merited, Mr.
Clay proceeded with one of the most mastery |
indications of the Protective policy we have |
ever heard or read. This sentiment has been ex- |
pressed by several intelligent gentlemen whose
views of the Tariff question had been different
from his own. We shall not attempt anything
like sketch of his remarks on this and the other
prominent questions of the day which he review
ed on this occasion.
On the subject of National Bank, he said that
his own opinions and convictions were well known
throughout the country.
He took brief and able view of he policy of
a Distribution of the Proceeds of the Sales of the
Public Lands, showing the great injustice which
had been done to the old States, and especially
to Virginia, by the defeat of this measure. After
posed to very unpleasant weather, he said that he
must now beg to be INDUCED with coming TO
conclusion.
Although he had attempted from the beginning
of his journey to resist all persuasions to make
speeches, he had been FORCED to do SO by the
calls and appeals from his countrymen, until he
found himself as hoarse as any county candidate
in Virginia at the conclusion of Spring cam
paign.
He made jocular conclusion by saying that
he would now deliver up his juvenile friend, Mr..
Tom Richie, to his Democratic friends around
hm-and he prayed Heaven that they might
never be induced by contemplate, heartless
wretch of an editor, to forget what was due from
them as Virglnians, and as gentlemen
we have thus attempted to give a sketch of
Mr. Clays remarks in Petersburg. 1t is most
feeble and imperfect but we know that our friends
abroad would like to hear something of what he
did say, and therefore we have attempted to gra-
tify them.