The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-16
The Speech Of the Hon. Henry Clay, for the
Keller OF ireland.

The spexch of the Hon. Henry Clay, for the
Keller OF ireland.
The Hon Henry Clay. invited to attend the
meeting held in New Orleans the 9TH Inst In aid
Of suffering ireland and being loudly called for by those
present, addressed them a. follows -
Mr. PREsIDEnT AND FELLOW CIrIfsNs-
hesitsted 10 accept the invitation which has brought
this community doubted the proprety of my presence
and participation in the proceedings OF this meeting. and
apprehended that my motive might be misunderstood.
Button consulting my pillow,1 and considering that the
humanity Of the object Of this assembly is bounded by
with the whole human fsmy-it seemed to me that all
OF ssdous decacy and etiquette should
be wav cd and merged In generous and magpanimous
effort to contribute the relief Of the susrings which
have excited our feelings II should be misconceived,
or msrepresented, the experience of long life has
taught me- that the best response to msconcepon and
misrepresentation is the fearless and faithful discharge
duty in all tho conditions of life in which may be
placed, the answer TO trsduction and csiunny, is
conscious rectitude and the appreciation of ones
heart Mr.. President If we were to hear tina. large
numbers of the inhabitants of Asia or Africa or
lia or the remotes part Of the GLOBE daily dying
with hunger md famineno matter what their color
their or What their ciyl;z atonwe should
deeply lament their condition. and be resisibly prompt
ed possible TO mitigate their suifsriDgs But il is not
the distresse OF any such distant regions that have
moned US together this occasion. The appalling and
heartrendins dresses oil Ireland and rishmen form the
object OF our present consultation That Ireland which
has peen In all tins vicissudes oil national existence
our friend, and las ever extended to her
sympathy-thoss rishmep who, in every war In we
have been engaged, on every battle field, from Que.
oec 10 honteieJ nave stood by u.s. shoulder to sh ul
der and shared ali the peris and fortunes The conflict
which ident lied vito wn as to be almost part
and parcel Of ours, bone of bone and flesh OF
flesh Nor is it any ordinary Of human misery ora
called upon to consider. Famine is stalking abroad
throughout Ireland whole towns counties -countless
human ben-s. OF every age and of both this
very moment are starving in danger of starving to
death r bread. O all the forms Of dissolution of human
le, the panss agony of that which proceeds from
famine dreadful. II one dies nghtng Clio
Tousiy for his country he ia cheered in OK prng mo
nenis oy the patriotic nature OF his sacrifice He knows
andff lara
ms ioss Will ne grated and honored by his devotion
his country Poets painters, scuptors. INTERCHANGEABLE
he dies 10y tue sudden explosion Of boilers of steam
boat, or by storm at sea, death is quiet and easy
are uttered he sipks beneath the surface and all is still
and silent But death by starvation slow lnger
ing ana excIucis'ins From day to day the wreched
friends falling around him. end he finally expires in hor
fiole agony Behold the wretched Irish mo,her-with
haggard looks and streaming eyes her famisned child
rem chngpg to her tattered ling piteous
~ IN ner face, begging for food And distracted
husband father, with pald Checks standing by, horror
and despair depicted in his eountenanco with
the reflection that he afford succor or relief to the
dearest objects of has heart about be forever
IRON him by the most cruel Of all deaths This no fan
cy pcture but If We to credit the terrible accounts
which reach from that theatre of misery and wretched
ness, Is It one OF daily occurrence Indeed imaxna
uon can conceive-no tongue expressno pencil paint
the horrors of the which there daily exhibited
Ireland III respect to food, IL differently situated
all the countries Of the world Asia has her abundant
supply OF rice; Africa, her dates, yams and rice Eu
ble resource in the small grains, and falling
abundant supply Of Indian c0rntha great supporter OF
animal hfe-ior which We not halt grateful enough
10 bountiu and mercitui Providence. But staple
food OF large parts OF poor ireland is the potato and
when 1t fSs pinching want and famine follow. 1t j.
among the inscrutabie dspensa0ns OF Providence that
the crop has been the two last years. hence
Inc priv alton OF ood and this appeal the mpahy Of
American hearts shall 1t be ia vanl Snail starving
!reiand-the young and the oid-dyiug women and chI
dren stretch out their hands bread and find no
relief Win not this great city, the worlds house
OF an exhausess supply of ali kinds Of food borne to
its overlooking warehouses; by the Father Of Waters
act on thus occasion In worthy OF its high
tiny and obey the noble impulses Of hear
OF its blessed inhabitants! We commanded by the
common Saviour oil ireland and u.s. to love one ano
teer as ourselves aud this together with one higher
oDigahon hang all the law end prophets OF our holy
religion We know, that OF all the forms of humanity
end benevoence none IL acceptable in tho sight
God than the practice OF charity Let demonstra ate
our love- our duty an, gratitude to Him. by liberal
contribution to tue relief OF His suffering Irish children
yellow Citizens, no ordinary purpose has brought
geiher This Is no political gathering II it mad been
you would not have here. / have not come to
make speech When the heart Is full and egiatcd by
its own feeling emotions tho paraly tongue finds NJ
terance difficult IL is not tervd eoquence gilded
words that Ireland needsbut substantial food Let us
r'se to the magnitude OF the duty which is before
and by generous supply from the magnitude of our
means evnce the genuneness and cordially Of sym.
pathy and con MISE ration.