Washington telegraph., 1847-12-15
SPEECH OF Mr.. CLAY.
Al the Mass Meeting al Lexington Ken,
tueky, on Saturday, Nor, Is, iSai
. xn GsxrtpuRN.

country, In regard TO the unnatural VA
with Mexico. The pubic mind is agila
ted aud an,luus. and is filled with scfIoni
appfehenaiOns as 10 its indefinite eontinu
ance, and especially as to the eonseqnen,
ces which lis termination may bring forth
menaeing the harmony, II not the existence,
of our Union.
Il Is under these circumstances pie
sent myseli before yon. No ordinary oe
easion wnnld have drawn mp tram the re-.
liremenl in which live; but, while a single
pulsaiion Of tho human heat remains, Il
should, II necessary. ba dedicated to The
servce ol ones country. And have hlp d
that. although ! am private and humble
citizen, an expression oi the views aud
opinions entertain, might form so ne litle
addition 10 The general stock Of inorma
iian, and afford small assistance in dc.
livering our country lfnm tue pelils and
dangers which surround il.
have eome here with n. parposa Ia
aliempl In make iine speech. Of any am
biliuus afmoiical display. have brought
with me nu rhetorical hnqnis IN threw in
iothis assemh'ner. In The circle ol the
.year, aulumn has caine. anl The season Il
Savers has passed away. In be p'ogfess
al Yeas. my spdns iime has gone by, anl
an, in the auuinn uf lie. aud feel tie
frost o age. Ms desire and aim ara Ia
address ynl. earnestly, seriously ani plain.
~. upon the gravs aud mlmeuluus subjects
which hase brought Us together, Aud |
am masl spliciluus thai not solitary word
NAV fall from me offensive Ia any parry or
person in the whole extent ni The Union.
War. pesiilencr. aud famine, by the con
m,n consent of mankind, ane the three
greatest ealanlies abirh can brtall our
species; aud Naf, a. the most dfslul, Just.
/, stands foremost and IN front. Pestlrnee
and famine. no donbi iof wise although IN.
scrulable purposes, are infections Of Prov.
idencr. Ia which It's uur duty, therefore,
10 bow uh Obedience, humble Submission
aud resignation. ILrlr duration is not
long. anl their favages are limited. They
bring. indeed. grrai aill cliun whilst ihsY
last. hIl sueiely sum RECEIVERS iio.n their
effects. War Is the voluntary work of our
own hands. anl whatever frnroachrs Il
may deserve shauld he directed 10 ouf.
selves. Wh-n II break. out, il duration
Is indefinite aud unknaWn-iis sieis,iluies
arr BIZ Irn irom onf view. In The sacri.
Zee oi human lie, anI IA the waste ul ha.
man Treasure. IN is lussrs and IN It's bur.
thrns, Il effects hllh belgpfeui nations.
anil hs sd effects n mung e1 hld.rs, Of
deah, aul Of irs-uI tiiun. endure long at.
ter i,s .aaulrr. ate hasard IA peaes. Wai
nnhiugss .s.eirly dsufhsis peaceful aud
regular inllsn. aud scatter. p,ii.anuis
ssrds If aIssea,r and mmafmIiiY. wh eh
..,in.nus In sernluaIe aud nllise Iheii hans.
II iuillenae iung 4issf ithas eeazsd. Das.
zhag h, IL giucr. panp aud naeenlry, /
brgris ,pnt d Mid ,dIrnlufe aud 10.
mauic eHtrfpnEr. aaI often disqntiuss
,hl.r whn ein ,af, "a "a. Al ~ iheif rriurn
frum lhr hiolly held. Of bhl,e. from en-.
gagng IN The Industrious AMI peaceful 'o
caliun, ul hle.
We are in"rned ly statement which
is apparently rurrel, that The number III
our counlyntu SLAM ia this la"rnlable
M-xiran war, lhnIgh II has tei been al
onll Il inlnihs existence, i equal To onr
half oi tbs whole American loss during
The seven yrars war ol the Ie'oluiionl Aud
venture to us.rn lhai the expenditure ol
trrasufr, which II has occa,ionrd. when d
is Girly aseerianrd and lapled up. wall be
iuunI To be mons than b llf II the prcunl.
ary cast oi the war ul our in ependrnce.
aud lhi. is the condition ol the parry whose
arms have been every where aud constant.
ly victorious
How did wc unhappily get involved in
ihi. war; Il was predicted as the consr.
qlcnee Of the annexation Of TeHas 10 the
United Safes. Ii We had ~, leSas, we
should have NJ war, The people were
told that Il tina, event happened, war would
ensue. 1hel were told that The war be-
tween Texas and Mexico had nol been
terminated by a lreaiy u peace; that Mex
leo still claimed Texas as rcyoiled prov.
inre. and that. II We received Texas in
our Union, we look alcng with her the war
existing brtWeen her AMI Nrtico. Aud the
Minister OF Mexico formally announced
TO the Government at Washington, that hi,
Sh.uion wuud consider the ANNEXATION oi
Texas Ia The unnrd States ~ producing a
state Of war BHallhis va. drnied by ihe
pahiLans ol annexation. Ihry Insisted
ae should have ~ war, and even impn'eh
10 those who lureIold II sinister motives Tor
their groJniirss prediction.
Bu. noiwilh,lauding state ol virtual
wal urcessarily resumed from the lacl ol
annexation Of one ol lhr bcliigrwnis Ia
the United States, actual husllIllies night
have been probably ayered by prudence
moderation. aud wise s'ulcsmsnship. Il
General Taylor had been permitted to re.
main, where bis own good sense prompted
him to believe he ought TO remain, atihe
point Of Corpus Christi; aud. II negolia.
lion had been opened with Mexico In true
q lin. ..a.....isutt.., t.u. ,ap a