The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-11-24
MIR. CLAY,s GREAT SPEECH.

reproduction of Mr.. Clay's Great Speech,
as prepared by himself for the Lexington OBJ
server, to which journal we are indebted Tor
copy.
It is the speech of HENRY CLAY, His
mighty genius burns and breathes in every
line and word Of It.
speech OF Mr. Clay, at the M4ss'Meeting at
Lexington, Kentucky, on nturday, Mo-
vembcr IS, 1s47.
After the organization Of thu meeting, Mr..
Clay rose and addressed it Substantially as
follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
The day is dark and gloomy, unsettled
and uncertain, like the condition of our coun-
try, in regard to the unnatural war with
Mexico. The public mind is agitated and
anxious, and is filled with serious apprehen-
sions as to its indefinite continuance, and es-
pecially as to the consequences which its
termination may bring forth, menacing the
harmony, if not the existence, Of our Union.
It is under these circumstances, present
myself before you, No ordinary occasion
would have drawn me from the retirement
in which live; but, whilst single pulsa-
ton Of the human heart remains, it should,
if necessary, be dedicated to the service Of
ones country, And | have hoped that, al
though am private and humble citizen,
an expression Of the views and opinions |
entertain, might form some little addition to
the general stock OF information, and afford
small assistance in delivering our country
from the perils and dangers which surround it.
j have come here with no purpose to at
tempt to make fine speech, or any ambi-
tious oratorical display. have brought with
me no rhetorical boquets to throw into this
assemblage. In the circle Of the year, au-
tumn has come, and the season Of flowers
has passed away. In the progress of years,
my spring time has gone by, and ] too am
in the autumn Of life, and feel the frost Of
age. My desire and aim are to address you
earnestly, calmly, seriously and plainly, up
have brought us together And am most
solicitous that not a solitary word may fall
from me, offensive to any party or person in
the whole extent Of the Union.
War, pestilence, and famine, by the COM
mon consent of mankind, are the three great
est calamities which can befal our species;
and war, as the most direful, justly stands
foremost and in front Pestilence and fam
inc, no doubt for wise although inscrutable
purposes, are infections of Providence, to
which it is our duty, therefore, to bow with
obedience, humble submission and resigna-
ton. Their duration is not long, and their
ravages are limited. They bring, indeed,
great affection whilst they last, but society
soon RECEIVERS from their effects. War is the
voluntary work Of our own hands, and what
ever reproaches it may deserve should be d.
rected to ourselves. When it breaks out, its
duration is indefinite and unknown--its VI
cissitudes are hidden from our view. In the
sacrifice of human life, and in the waste Of
human treasure, in its losses and i'll its bur-
thens, it affects both beligerent nations; and
its sad effects Of mangled bodies, Of death,
and Of desolation, endure long after its thun-
ders are hushed in peace. War unhinges
society, disturbs its peaceful and regular in
dustry, and scatters poisonous seeds of dis
ease and immortality, which continue to ger
inmate and difuse their baneful influence
long after it has ceased. Dazzling by its
glitter, pomp and pageantry, il begets a spi-
ritof wild adventure and romantic enterprise,
and often disquai6es those who embark in
it, after their return from the bloody fields Of
battle, from engaging in the industrious and
peaceful vocations of life.
We are informed by statement which is
apparently correct, that the number Of our
countrymen slain in this lamentable Mexican
war, although it has yet been Of only eigh-
teen months existence, is equal to one-half
of the whole of the American loss during
the seven years war of the Revolution -
And venture to assert that the expenditure
of treasure which il has occasoned, when it
shall come to be fairly ascertained and foot
ed up, will be found to be more than half of
the pecuniary cost of the war of our indie
pendence. And this is the condition Of the
party whose arms have been everywhere and
constantly victorious
How did we unhappily get involved in
this war II was predicted as the conse-
quence Of the annexation Of Texas to the
United States. If we had not Texas, we
should have no war. The people were told
that II that event happened, war would en-
sue. They were told that the war between
Texas and Mexico had not been terminated
by treaty Of peace; that Mexico still claim.
ed Texas as revolted province and that
FIVE received Texas in our Union, we took
along with her, the war existing between
her and Mexico. And the minister Of Mex
leo formally announced to the Governmen
at Washington, that his nation would consi
der the annexation Of Texas to the Unite
States as producing state Of war But a
this was denied by the partizans Of annexa
ton. They insisted we should have no wa
and even imputed to those who foretold j
sinister motives for their groundless predi'
tion.
But, notwithstanding state Of virtu
war necessarily resulted from the fact Of al
nexation Of one Of the belligerents to tn
United States, actual hostlities might hav
been probably averted by prudence, mode
ration and wise craftsmanship. If Gener;
Taylor had been permitted to remain, wher
his own good sense prompted him to believ