Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-01-14
MIR. YARNALL'S ADDRESS

" W " e"y "Sos H'u itIt sumo anxiety 10
say toyon something in relation TO The OBJ
Ject and purposes Tor viii, il should be
convened; Yet can not since the occasion
has arrived, rise in your presence to ad.
dress you, without experleucin feelings Of
Unaffected embarrassucn You are a..
ready aware that the design OF your meet.
ing together has been To organize YOUR.
selves INTO an association for IN. purpose
OF correspond ng ard co operating with
similar ones throu1 hout the State Of Nir.
gina, IN Offering srme tribute of res.
pect, some tken OF gratitude TO the late
distinguished candidate Of The Wing par.
~. II is for this purpose that a society
has been recently formed IN The Civ of
Richmond, which has determined upon
erecting monument in honor of MIR.
Clay, as an evidence OF their regard and
admiration for his talents and patriotism.
They now, as we have been credibly and
officially informed. appeal to you TO unite
with them in this commendable underta.
king. They invite you. in common with
all the citizens from every section Of this
great Commonwealth, TO lend them YOUR
forts IN the CONSTRUCTION Of this patriotic
work. They ask you TO give them the
assurance that you, as well as themselves,
are capable Of approaching the great abil.
tiles and public worth of this distinguish
ed man, and that on are, moreover, " i'll
ing TO vindica'e his character from the
s'ain and dIshonor which has been at
tempted 10 he cas-; upon it in our recent
political struggle, by the leaders and press
OF the democratic patty. Ii may not then,
be thought inappropriate TO this occasion,
10 direct your attention tor short time To-
some OF the prominent features which
seemed TO characterize our late Presiden
tIal contest. II is not my in enliun To en-
croach upon your time by entering into n
discussion Ct the political questions of the
day, but simely to refer OIL to the manner
IN which that contest was carried on, bv
those wh' were unfriendly to the election
OF MIR. Clay. Wi;hnu, any specified
measures OF their own 10 present To the
consideration Of the American people, and
upon viii h to ask them for II fair expires
sion of their opinion not con'en, with Cd
posing The measures OF the Wing party, or
wnh exposing the faIIa@y OF the principles
which they advocated this party discard,
ed from The consideration OF the public
mind all the rominent measures Of Ma,
lIonai policy, that we involved in thai,
condst. and substituted in theta place. a
system OF wick, deliberate, and malignant
persecution against the character and fair
tame of our iilustrious candidate, that is
WI hut precedent ia the annals OF poIt-
ical warfare. They attempted, in he ia
oi evidence proceeding from tie hie hest
and most unquesrionable authority, given
under the solemn sanctions of piey and
from the lips Of the ministers of our holy
religion, to de'ame and destroy the ha,>
ac,er and moral standing of This cmincn,
man. They were no; satisfied with mere
ly examining his qualifications, or with
contes'ing his claims to The responsible of.
flee OF Pres dent OF ,he Unurd States. -
they were not satisfied wsih de,ermin a.
II OF The question, rs 10 wh,th or not
The best hars Of his life devoted To the
pubilI in!ercst--whe,her The wisdom and
experience watch he had acquired wrhin
The third OF century spent IN the public
service, wou'o moi have quail fed and eni>
tied him to fill the highest and most hOro>
fable Office within The gift Of the Ameri-
can people; but unable 10 resi- st this oon>
vIctlon Which his claims had wrought; upon
The mind OF every intelligent indi, iduaI.
and OF the hold which they we're Justly
emil led TO upon his sympathies and graft
Jude, these mInions OF party shifted The
issues that were involved in that contest;
they seized upon the private character Of
MIR. Clay, they aimed Gea,hblow at his
hard earned aud dear bong hit reputa'i uD
while they u, the same time "s;opped'up
The access and passage to remorse, that
no compunctl"us visi ings Of naIure shou d
share their lu purpose" This, trust,
you will agree wuh me ladies' is no, a
prejudced nor an unfair representation of
The course that was pursued by our poiti,
cal opponents in the la.e Fresid, n,ial con-
test, IN reieren"e to the character Of Mr.
Clay You viii remember that personal
abuse and vi'uperation composed the i'm
PIemeDis OF their warfare, and constituted
The chef elements Of their success. You
will also recol'ect that Mr.. Clay was cali
ed gambler and duellsi, that his morals
were denounced, and if ] may be permits
ted on this occasion 10 use the expression
o. another, that he was cast as il were
Into the fiery furnace of invective, but
that like the holy youths Of scripture, he
came out unhurt from the flo mes. unscalh
cd end unframed by the general conHag,
ration that burned and bluzed around him
IL may be said, that Mr. Clay is at thi,
present period Of his life, in the capaci,y
ot N humble private citizen, retired from
the halls Of o " public councils, and from
the theatre OF his eminence and fame.
more deeply seated in the hearts and afTac.
ions of the American people than at any
previous stage Of his history. They fee,
he wound which par pro6lgacy has at
tempted to intlict upon his exalted charac.