Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-11-30
SPEECH OF MR.. CLAY,
AT THE
u.ss Meeting AT Lexington, n.y.,

Ladies' and Gentlemen:
The day is dark and gloomy. unsettlcd.
nd uncertain. like the condition Of our
.ountry. in regard to the unnarufal war
iii Mexico. The public mind is agita-
led and anxious, and is filed with serious
an,rebensions as 10 It's indefinite continu-
ance, and especially as TO the consequent
eos which its termination may bring forth.
menacing the harmony, if not the exist
ence Of our Union.
II is under these circumstances | pro-
sent myself before you. No ordinary oc
casion would have drawn me from the re-
,irement in which live; blt, whilst
single pulsation of the human heart re-
mains, it should. if necessary. be dcdica-
ted to the service Of ones country. And
have hoped that, although 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 pcrils
and dangers which surround it.
have come here with no purpose to
attempt To make fine speech, or any ann
bilious oratorical display. have brought
with me no rhetorical boqucts TO throw into
this assembly. in the circle of the year;
autumn 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 upon the grave and momcn-
tous subjects which have brought Us to-
gethcr.. And am most SOLICITORS that not
a solitary word may fall from me. offensive
10 any party or person in the whole extent
of the Union.
War. pestilencc, and famine, by thc
common consent Of mankind. are the
three greatest calamitics which can bctal
our species: and war. as the most drcful.
Justly stands foremost and in front. Pes
thence and famine. no doubt for wise al
though inscrutablc purposes. are infections
Of Providence. 10 which it is our dufy.
therefore 10 bow with obedience. humble
submission and resignation. Their dura
ton is not long. and their ravaocs are Inn
ted They bring. indeed. great ailliction
whilst they last. but society soon RECEIVERS
from their effects War is the voluntary
work of our own hands; and whatever re-
proaches it mnvdcscrve. should be dircc-
ted to ourselves. When il breaks out is
duration is Indefinite and unl.uown-ite
vicisstudes are hidden from our view. IN
the sacrifice of human life. and in the
waste Of human treasure. in its losses and
III its hurthcns, il affects both bcligercut
nations. and its sad effects ofmanrlcd bod
ies of death. and of dcsolation. endure
long after its thundcrs are hushel i'll
peace.
War unhingcS society. di<turbS lis
peaceful and regular industry. and scatterS
poisonous seeds of disease and immortal
itv. which continue to terminate and diff
fuse their banciul influence long after it
has ceased. Dazzling by It's glitter pomp
and pagcantrv. it begets a spirit of wild
adventure and romantic enterprise. and
often disqualifias those who embark in il
after their return from the bloody field of
battle. from engaging in the industrious
and peaceful avOcatious of life
We are informed hv a statement which
is apparently correct that tn" number Of
our countrvman slain in this lnmrntablc
Mexican war. although it has vet been Of
only IS months existence. is equal 10
one half of the whole ofthc American loss
during the seven wears war Of the Rcvolu-
ton! And | venture TO assert that the OK
penditure Of treasure which it has occa-
stoned. when il shall come to be fairly as
certaincd and footed up. will be found 10
be more than half of the pecuniarv cost
of the war of our Independence And
this is the condition Of the party whose
arms have been every where and constant
ly victorious.
How did we unhappilv get involved in
this war! 1t was predicted as the conse-
Ot of IN
United States. Ii we had not Texas. we
should have no war. The people were
told that if that happened. war would en-
sue. They were told that the war between
Texas and Mexico had not been terminal
fed by treaty of peace; that Mexico still
claimed Texas as a revolted province:
and that. if we received Texas in our
Union. we took along with her. the war cx-
listing between her and Mexico. And the
Minister Of Mexico formally announced
TO the Government AT Washington. that his
nation would consider the annexation of
Texas to the United States as produciny
a state of war. But all this was denied bv
the partisans of annexation. They insis-
ted we should have no war. and even inn
pu,ed to those who foretold it. sinister mo-
tives for their groundless prediction.
But, Notwithstanding state of virtual
war necessarily resulted from the fact OF
annexation of one of the beligerents to the
L. States actual hostilities might have been
probably averted by prudence. mo5era-
ton and wise statesmanship. If Gen.
Taylor had been permitted 10 remain
where his own good sense prompted him
Ia believe he ought 10 remain, AT The noint
of Corpus Christi; and. if negotiation
had been opened with Mexico. in true
spirit of amitv and cancellation. war pos.
sibly might have been prevented. But in :
stead of this pacific and moderate course
whilst Mr.. Slidell was vending his way 10
Mexico with his diplomatic credentials.
Gen. Taylor was ordered TO transport his
cannon. and TO plant them. in warlike at
titude. opposite 10 Matamoras. on the
east bank of the Rio Bravo. within the
very disputed territory the adjustment Of