The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1847-12-16

SPEECH OF MIX. CLAY
Il The Mass Meeting at Lexington, kentucky,
on Saturday, November II, ISL.
From the Lexington Observer and Reporter
Concluded
d. we want, for our own happiness or
greatness, the addition Of Mexico 10 tho OK
listing Union Of our States? Hour popula-
tion was too dense for our territory, and
there was difficulty in obtaining honorn-
bly, the mems Of subsistence, there might
be some excuse for IN attempt tn enlarge
our domnions. But we have no such npol
ogy. We hive already, in our glorious
country, a vast and almost boundlcss ter
ritory. Beginning nj the North. in the
frozen regions Of the British Provinces. il
stretches thousands Of mles along the cnnsts
Of tho Atlantic Ocean md the Mexican
Gull, until il almost reaches the tropics. u
extends TO tho Pacific Ocean--hordcrs on
those great inland seas, the lakes, which
separate us from the possessions Of Gren,
Briinin-and il embraces the great father
of rivers, from its uppcrmost source 10 the
Bilizc, and the still longer Missouri. from
ils mouth TO the gnrgcs ot the Rocky Noun
tains. Il comprchends the greatest vnric-
" Of the richest soils, capable Of almost nil
the productions of the earth, except tea aud
coffee, and the spices, mud il includes every
variety Of climate which the hear, could
wish or desire. We have more than ten
thousand millions Of ac,cs Of waste and un.
settled lands-cnough for the subsistence
Of ten or twenty times oar present pnpula-
ton. Ought we not TO lie satisfied with
such country? Ought VIC not to he pro-
fbundIy thankful 10 the Givcr of NIL good
things for such q vnst md bouniiin land?
j. it not the height OF ingra,tudc TO Him,
20 seek by war and conquest, indu'ging in
spirit Of rapncity, to acquire other lands,
tho hamcs and habita,ions Of large por
ton al his common chldrcnf II we pur-
sue the object OF such n conquest, besides
mo:tgaging the revenue and resources of
this country for ngcs 10 come, in the form
of an onerous NATIONAL debt, We should have
greatly to augment that debt b. m as
sumption Of the sixty or seventy millions Of
III, national debt Of Mexico. For take il,
that nothing is more certain than That, il
we obtain voluntarily or BY conquest, for
eicn nation, we acquire il with all the in
cambrances attached TO il. la my humble
opinion, we are now bound, and morally.
to pny the just debt Of Texas. And VIC
should be equally bound, by the same obi
CATIONS, to pay the deb. Of Mexico, il i.
were annexed 10 the United States.
OF al the possessions which sppertain
to man, in his collective or individual con-
di.ion none should be preserved aud cher
ished with more sedulous md unremitting
care than that Of M nnsullied character.
j is impossible to estimate il too highly, in
society, when alta ched to an individual,
nor can il be exaggerated or greatly mag-
nlicd in . nation. Those who lose or nrc
indifferent 10 il become just objects discern
aud contempt. OF all the abomnable
transactions which sully tho pages Of histo-
~, mono exceed in enormily the dismcm-
bermcnt aud partition Of Poland by tho
three grcnt continental powers d lussia,
Austria aud Prussia. Ages may pass "a
way, and centuries roll round, but as long
40 human records endure, all the world will
unite in cxccrating the rapacious aud de-
testable decd. That WINS accomplished by
overwhelming farce, md the unfortunate
existence Of fatal discussions and divisions
in tho hcnrt Of Poland. Let us avoid ailix-
Ing 10 our nnmo and national character
similar il not worse sti.m,. am afraid
we do not stnnd well in the opinion Of 9TH
er parts OF Christcndo,n. Reputation has
brought upon us much reproacl. All the
nations, | apprchend, look upon US, in the
prosecution of the present war, Us being
actunted By spirit Of rapac'y, and nm in
ordinate desire for territorial aggrandize.
mcnt. Let us not forfeit altogether their
good opinens. Let us command their ap-
plouse BY noble exercise oi forbcarancc
and Justice. in the elevated station which
we hold, We can safely afford 10 practise
the godlke virtues Of moderation and mag.
naninnity. The long series Of glorious tri-
umphs achieved by our gallant commanders
and their bravo armies, unattended BY sin.
gle reverse, justify us, without The Inst dan
ger Of furnishing the nntional honor, in dis.
interestedly holding out the olive brancL
Of peace. We do not want the mines, the
mountains, tho morasscs and tho sterile
lands Of Mexico. 1'o her, tho loss Of them