New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-02-17
SPEECH OF HENRY CLAY
4, ,f,;,y IN tie R,lisf Of ia Poor Of Irriaas AZ
- C-1,rrs Fs5 & ISL

A. ~ Ascins ter t< htig y - ~"
Na5 C-la11s, ff7 :. i-t'
From the Delta
Nj CAY having been invited b the Committee Of
A.pvsrnsB, 70 sttend the meeting took seat ire
Governor An enthusiastic loud and apparently unan-
;neus cal f5r him was made By tie audience, and.
slowly rising from hi. seat he approached the foot Of
t5sp,sfor AID sddresssdt the meeting nearly as follows
Ar, presi7srf and Fsli0tr- CltI-cHs-I hesitated
% s,cao. the invitation which has brought here
heinz mere soourner and no, member Of this COM
rnunity ] doubted the propre'y OF my presence and
participation in The proceedings oil this meeting and
sppreheuded tnst ny motive might be nisgncers,ood
Bnt on consulting uyyAo- and considering that the
hraarit of the ohect Of this assembly 4 bounded by
no latitude nor locality and ought 10 be coextensive
with the whole hnEn family y seemed TO me thsi Al
considerations Of fsstdicus ceLcacy and etiquette
should be waived and merged in generous and mag
unanimous effort TO contribute 20 the relief Of the suffer
ings which have excited OEr feelings. II should be
misconceived or misrepresnted me eNpefience OF
long Bfe has taught that the best response 70 mis-
congestion and misrepresentation IL the fearless and
faithful dschsrge Of duty IL al the conditions Of life in
which We may be placed srd the best answer 70 ira
ducton sn6 calurny. Is CONSCIOUS recu1de and ne a
probation Of ones own conscience.
Mr. President Il were - hear that large numbers
Of the inhabitants Of Asia, o. Afrcs Australia. or the
rernoest part Of the globe daily dying with hun
ger and fsmine-no matter VIA; their color what their
religion or what their ciTilirstionwe should deeply
lament their condition and be rresisnby prompted #
possible q mitigate their sJerings But j rot the
distresses Of any such distant regions that hsve
moned US together on this occasion The appalling and
heart rend NJ dstresses Of ireland and rishnen form
the object OF present consultation Tat Ireland
which Ia. been in al the vcisstudes OF our national
existence our friend. and has ever extended 10 US
her wsrn1est sympsihy-ihose Irshmen who. in every
war in which we have been engaged, on every battle
field from Qnebec 70 Monterey. hsye stood By Us,
shoulder 70 shoulder and shTed in all the pers and
fortunes Of the conflict The imploring appeal comes
70 "a. from the Irish nation which Is identified with
our oxn be almost part and parcel Of ours, bone
of our bore and flesh Of flesh Nor Is i sny ortina
~ case Of human misery or few issaed OF death
BY starvation that g-s called upon 20 consider.
Famine s stalking abroad throughout Ireland whole
towns countescountless human beings, Of every age
and of both sexesat this vcry moment arc starving or
in danger Of starving desshi0r bread OF al the forms
Of dissolution OF hunan life the pangs and agony OF that
which proceeds from famine the most dreadful II
one dies ghng gloriousy torhs country he is checred
in his expiring BY the patriotic nature Of his
sacrifice lie knows that his surviving relations and
friends while lsmering his loss Will be grstifed and
honOred by hs devotion % his country Poets painters
scuptors hist0risns-wll record bis deeds Of vslor
and perpetuate his II he dies BY the sudden
explosion Of the boilers Of steamboat, by a
storm AZ death il quiet and easy and soon per
forms is mission few piercing shTeks are uttered be
sinks beneath the surface, and all IL m and silent But
death by starvation comes slow, lingering and
excrucsting. From day 10 day the wretched victim
feels his flesh dwnding his speech sinking his friends
falling around him and he finally expires in horrible
gard looks and streaming eyesher famshed children
cngng 10 her tsttered garments and Caring piieously
In her face begging for food And see the distracted
husband and father with palid checks, standing by.
horror despair depicted in his counter tortured
with the reflection that he afford succor OF relief
the dearest objects Of bis heart about 10 De snaicned
forever from him by the most cruel OF al deaths ms
IL fancy picture but II are 10 credit the terrible
accounts which resch from that theatre OF misery and
wretcledness il one Of daily occurrence. Indeed no
imagination conceive no tongue expross-no pencil
psinttbe horrors a the scenes when are mere dRy
exhibited
We are commanded by the common Saviour OF Ire
land and Il TO love another ourselves and on
this together with higher obligation hang ell the
law and prophets OF our holy religion. We know that
OF al the forms OF humanity ana b-nOvosncc none Is
acceptable in the sight OF God, than the practice
OF charity Let US demonstrate love. duty and
or gratitude Him, by liberal contribution to the
relief OF His suffering Irish children.
Ireland in respect 10 food IS differently stustai from
oil the countries Of the world. Asia has her abundant
supply OF rice Africa her dates ysfns and rice Europe
her bread Of wheat. rye and oats America double
resource in the small grains and never falling and
abundant supply Of Indian co-nat great supporter OF
animal fe-for which not hal. grateful enough
10 bountifu and merciful Proyider But the staple
food OF large parts Of poor Ireland Is the potato and
when It fails, pinchng want and famine follow II is
among the inscruable dispenatons Of Providence tina,
the crop has been bghted the last two years and.
hence the privsuon Of food and this appeal u the
pathy OF American hearts Shallt be in vain Shall starv
ing Ireand-the young and the old-dyng women and
children stretch out their hands for bread and find
10 relief VIII no. th. great city. the worlds store.
house Of al eXhsusiless supply OF all kinds OF food
borne 10 its Overlooking warehouses By the Father OF
Waters, act on this occasion in manner worthy Of It's
high destiny sod obsy the nohla impulses of the gene
rous hearts of It's blessed inhabitants
Fellow citizens, ordinary purpose has brought
together. This is political gathering II II had been,
you would not have me here. have not come to
make speech When the heart Is full and agitated by
its feeling emotions the paralyzed tongue finds
difficult Il il not ervid elOquence giljed
words that ireland needsbut substantial food. Let
rice to the magnitude of the duty which is before and
By generous supply from the magnitude Of means,
eynce the genuneness and cordially Of our sympshy
and commisseratiOn.
At the conclusion Of Dir Clsys speech one loud and
unanimous shout Of approval raised in which Off
GERS and audience participated