The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-11-19

FRIDAY NIGHT, NOV. 10, Is47.
"The Lexington Platform"

Anc Lexington FAatIOrAhs'
We commend to the attention of our readers the fol
lowing powerful article from the pen OF An Old Man
IL just and eloquent protest against the wing policy
as embodied in MIR. Clay's speech aud resolutions.
1t is not to be doubted that this demonstration of Mr.
Cay-anxiousy il has been looked for by the wings
and loudly has been hailed by them advance-has
yet when fairly presented, been received with GOODNESS
and disappointment The rhig journals seem aston
tstei to find how unpromising and how unpopular then
party creed appears The ingenious and elaborate
statement Of Henry Clay himself, They at that
there is nothing in the Lexington resolutions rouse the
enthusiasm OF the American people to their support
That we have ourselves brought this upon us by
our own act; that indemnify is not to be had nor looked
for from Mexico for her past outragcs and robberes and
OF the evils and sacrifices occasioned by the which
ner rulers have denounced against and waged against
us; that California with its noble ports and its broad val
leys now usyn possession and won by the patriotic
vaor of armies to be giuen up in discontinue be-
fore the braggart threats of suugated Mexico that the
fertile region between the Nueces and the Rio Grande,
though claimed by both republics, is to be regarded
rghiiuly belonging to the jurisdiction of Mexico,
and inhabited by her citizens, and be wrenched
from our Union by the " fxation" of the Just and
proper" limits of Texas; that no territory!" is
henceforth to be the motto and the watchword of the
Anglo Saxon this continents and that the Civil
cation of Popular Power going forth under the sacred
shield of constitution, has now found Its faed
limit which is inscribed Thus far shalt thou go and
no farther !"-a this is the Lexington PLATFORM on
which the great Wing Party is astonished and dis
mayed to find itself standing for solemn judgment before
the American People Thesejust these and none other
are the responses which wing partisanshp now pro-
claims to us from the blazing lines of Buena Vista,
from the bloody deles OF Cerro Gordo and the dsman
tied ramparts of Chaputepec IAs--just ths-is the
wing voice to from the captured Metropolis OF the
Aztecs 1t speaks to us of renunciatlon OF retreat OF
bitter and shameful discomftureof indemnity sacr-
feed, of advantage flung awayof glorious deeds done
all in van-of victories teemng with grandest results
when wisely comprehended and valued, yet turned to
dead ashes in the grasp of dwarfsh opposition" policy
which cannot rise to their just and noble elevation
And worst of all-and most crushing to wing hope
this gloomy voice esounds from the tripod OF the oracle
at Ashland tits a bitter disappointment. Corwn might
rave Webster might equivocate and palter. But still
there was hope in the "Mill-boy OF the Slashes =!
'Harry of the West" when he last spoke, longed o
slay Mexican )" and when he speaks again-such was
Inc nope oil MS plTty-u Will Uc VI Po"ct
of patriotism which the people hear, if not with
thusiasm then at least with patience He has spoken
and in the tone of not few OF the wing journals that
hope has turned to -concealed chagrin and dismay
And yet-and this is the crowning calamty-what one
section of the universal wing party wings object 10
anything which wing MIR. Clay has felt himself forced
to saw What one political architect have the wings in all
their ranks capable OF improving the Lexington platform
The fatal issues in Mr. Clays resolutions are issues
which as wing he could neither escape nor alter
When he mounted the rostrum to speak, he found him.
self doomed beforehand by the whole policy OF his party
TO utter sayings hard and grating to the OF pa
otto people What he could soften, he has softened
What he could gloss over he CLOSED over ingenious
w. He has made saiful effort to unite the struggling
sections of his party But he could not change the ma
ture of things It was beyond his powerit is beyond
any human power-o make systematic opposition to the
cause of the country appear to be either pop
ular or patriotic The wings, then, ought scarcely to
blame Mr. Clay for the bad ana ominous look of their
creed in his hands The plain fact is, that party
Mey haze no creed an relation to the aohch bear
Main and connected statement before the country One
Of their issues here and another there may do well
enough. But it will not do at all to put all the wing
issues into one and the same schedule Most poenty
az the wings may profess to 'believe" their doctrines,
thew are not slow in perceivng that it is not "malice"
only but sheer discontinue ohave them set down p
For the Union.
MIR. Clay and the War.
Like Mr. Clay am in the decline of life, and hold
office in the government Unlike Mr. Clay, visions of
office fit before my mag naton. expect nonehope for
none--want none.
am disappointed in the positions taken by that gen
tIeman in relation to the Mexican war; thought him
patriotic and when it announced that the "Farmer
of Ashand'-the greatest living statesman of the
age"-was about to from retirement and give
sci to his counrymen, did expect display OF lofty pa
triotsm as well eloquence-something in rebuke of
the spirit which sacrifices country to partysomehng of
which the true American, wing or democrat might be
Justly proud. Alas how different is the result
Let consider how Mr. Clay proposes to put end
the
tsMr CLAW said ,pds o,posed entirely TO