The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1847-11-25
HENRY CLAY.

Saturday last. SAYS the Baltimore A.
merican Of Monday, was the day on which
the great Western Statesman agreed To
address the people Of Lexington. Ky. on
the nomcninus subjects Of tie Mexiean
War-ils authors and objects" The
New York Courier. referring 10 this pro.
ceeding on the part "f Mr.. Clay, thus hap
PLY expresses itself:
The position of Mr.. Clsy, withdrawn
As he has been from all participation III
public affairs since the war began-his
ransrendrnt abilnv-.he bol,lness and
! frankness which charartcrize all he dues
or says. and especially the undoubling
confidence in his patriotic purpose aud
single eyed devotion to the good Of the
GqHgpE &airb. dslip tcanLIi5j and 5.hs n r.
give very great influence to Whatever o.
pinions he may express upon the very
+ important topics which are destined, for
some years To come, TO engross The a,ten.
ton ol the whole community.
But besides all this, the present moment
Is peculiarly propiiious tn the public tc-
cepIinn Of Mr.. Gays address. The adj.
mInis,ralion is evidently al a non pins.
II is staggered BY the course Of events.
Our armies have conquered Mexico-we
have done all that war can dove hold
the seaporls, the leading cities. the capi.
tai itself Of the conquered rounry-ye,
pace flies before our victorious eagles
and seems quite as far off as when the
war hogan. VIVA, is 10 he done. Shall
we make our conquesis permanent, Who'll
ly or IN part! Shall we annex the roun-
Try we have subdued! Shall we hold
such part Of il as seems To us desirable !,
Behind the answer to any of these ques-
tons, lies long train Of difficulties which
sggravaie the INTRINSIC evil. and render its
solution impraclicable to the President and
his advisers.
Hesitation, vasciilation, division. are
manifested in all the deliberations of the
cabinet. Part Of them are bold-part are
timid. Part OF them are in favor of whole
sale conqmest-part fear that such a step
would prove both dangerous and unpopu-
lar. Part would go boldly aud bIindly
inrward in the path their own rash policy
has already opened. The others wou'd
retreat, or at least stop in career 50 fail
oI peril In the coun,ry-an'l especially Ia
themselves. The President. of course.
in the midst Of these conflicting opinions,
ia lrresou!e and undecided. Like all IT,
mid persons, when he affects holiness he
becomes simply rash: and rashness now
would be clearly fatal. The administra-
tim is at stand. Its own supporters have
no confidence in lis policy, or in its prin.
ciPles, because they are unavowed. 1t
presents no grand raIlying point for its
own pariy-ii raises no standard for lis
own follswers.
The inevitable result is, that iis follow
ers fail AWAY, or at least look elsewhere
for the guidance they need. Men will
not supper, policy which its very au-
thors dlstrust. The trumpet must not
give an uncertain sound. If i, would sum
mon It's hosts 10 the field where blows are
to be given as well az received. The
great body Of tine Democratic party
throughout the country, share the irrcso-
luton OF the President and bis Cabinet
or rather they find il impossible 10 give
full confidence TO an administration so ir-
resolnte and so disuustful of itself. In
this state. for example, the party is open
iy divided, no, simply upon questions cfI
stale policy, but on topics Of national con-
Germ. In Pennsylvania, also, there is .
very decided breach between the friend,
oi two prominent members of the admin.
Istrdtion, And The seeds Of the same dl.