Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1847-12-08
40lss 2 ;REENE, PnoralEron.
HON. HENRY CLAY'S SPEECH AND
RESOLUTIONS

hon. HENRY CLAY'S SPEECH AND
RESOLUTIONS.
We publish this week the resolutions
of Mr.. Clay, offered and adopted at # !
Lexington nesting. We should be nan.
py g iayor our readers with the speech.
= \ dId not occupy SO much space as 10
exclude much local aud foreign in,elli
gence. ltshall never be an error Of on rs
'Aas we laden our columns with long
speeches and long letters.
This speech we cannot regard as the free
offering Of Mr.Clay, but believe j, has been
concocsed and matured by the great lead
ING statesman Of the Wing party, and is
% Do made the rallying point, in the ge-
neral canvass Of l848. No reference is
made to the Bank, Tariff, Distribution
OF Sub Treasury, and yet these are the
great leading measures Of State r,,,;cv
beioro the country. The war il seized
upon and denounced as unjust. uncons,;-
'utional, and unnecessary. Is this the
honest conviction Of NJ. Clay, or has he
oeen prompted to this course from a de-
sire to conciliate the favor of the "no
'errltory, the Wilmot Proyiso, and the
an'.-war partisans?'' If he we're Invested
q all desire for the Presidency, might we
not expect to find him now, where he was
to be found in the war Of l812-nobly
battling in the cause Of his country, and
nanfully confronting and denouncing
those who are indirectly "giving aid
and comfort to the enemy?' TWAS then
ne combined with the orator, the patriot,
ana by the great power and vigor Of his
'nteltect,commanded the respect Of friends,
and awed into ignominious silence the
opposition Of enemies. It was then he
pronounced his master eulogy upon Free
- rade and Sailors Rights. 1t was then
ne proclaimed in thunder tones, avs
SOUGHT INDEMNITY FOR THE PAST, AND ST.
cURlTY FOR THE FUTURE" 1t was then
he opposed, with all the force Of his in
tellect, and the energy Of his character,
the Y. $. Bank. In short, it was then
that ne believed and acted with the De-
mocra,ic Party. He planted himself up
on the broad platform of Jeffe rsonian De-
mocracy, and acted for his country, in.
dependent Of party favor, and fearless Of
parry reproach. twas sufficient then to
know that his country was in danger, de-
handing alike the ardent and en,husias-
lie support of its friends. Butnow we find
him opposed to the war, and putting forth
every energy to defeat lis well-detined
ob]ects-opPosed to the acquisition of
territory, for fear it will extend the in
s1itu l'lI Of slavery-and opposed to SIN
/ demnlty Tor the past, and security for the
future" because, forsoo.h, he believes the
resident did not avow in his war mes.
sage: the causes Of the war. In the war
OF 1919, ne says it was unnecessary to
enumera'e the causes, for "the whole
world knew that it was war, wuged for
free trade and sailors rights" Was it
not equally unnecessary and useless to
enumerate the causes which led to the
invasion OF our territory and the assault
upon Gen. Taylor, a! the time the Presi-
dent recommended resistance on tie part
OF our government? In due time the
( President set forth in detail, all the diff.
culties which led TO the eruption be-
tive en- our government and Mexco--tra-
eng them back to period of fifteen years,
and citing the authority ofPresidenls Ad-
ans, Jackson, Van Buren,, and Tyler, to
prove that we had forborne exactinp re-
paration. until forbearance had ceased to
De ayirtue. Emphatically may we claim,
that 1.-THE whole world knew that it was
war Waged' in defence Of our soil, the
property, liberty, and lives Of our citi
zens, and 10 secure .indemnity for the
past, and security for the fu,ure.'' And
yet Mr.. Clay would recall the army, and
bring dlshonor upon the country, because
President Polk pursued the same identical
course that President Madison did, and
which Mr.. Clay then sanctioned and still
sanctions as just and constitutional. Mr..
Clny di-nl toe, he e7,,isi.;en az any
farther territory, and yet he would not
object 70 the proposition Of Webster, to
annex the Bay Of San Francisco.
Let us notice one more point in his
speech, and We leave the subject. Mr..
Clay says, tina: whilst Mr. Slidcll was
bending his why TO Mexico, Gin the char
acter Of Commissioner Gen. Taylor
was ordered 70 transport his cannon, and