Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-12-02

Mr.. CLAY arose and addressed u Substantially
as follows -
Ladies and Gentlemen -
i The day is dark and gloomy, unsettled
and uncertain, like The condition of our
country. in regard to the unnatural war
with Mexico. The public mind is agllated
| and anxious, and is filled with serious up.
prehensions ss to .ls indefinite continuance,
! ond especially as to the consequences which
its termination may bring forth, menacing
| the harmony, if not the existence, Of our
Union.
Il 1t Is under these circumstances present
myself before you. No ordinary occasion
! would have drawn me from the retirement in
! which live ; but, whilst a single pulsatlon
! Of the human heart remains, II should If ne
! cessary, be dedicated 10 the service OF one s
! country. Aud | have hoped that, although
;. | am private nDd humble citizen, an ex.
preston of the views and opinions | enter.
tain might form some luIe addition TO the
general stock Of information, and afford a
small assistance IN delivering our country
from the perlls and dangers which surround
II.
Il have come here with no purpose to at.
tempt to make fine speech, or any ambi-
tious oratorlcal display. | have brought with
me no rhetorical bouquets TO throw into
this assembagc. In the circle OF the year,
! Autumn has come, and the season of flowers
has passed away. In the progress Of years,
my spring time has gone by, aud I, too, am
10 the autumn OF lite, and feel the frost Of
age. My desire and aim are to address,
you, earnestly, calmly, seriously and plainly,
upon the grave aud momentOus sub lects
which have brought us together. And AIN
most sollcltous that not solitary word may
fall from me, offensive TO ony party or person
in the whole extent Of the Union.
III War, pestllence, and famine, by the com.
mon consent OF mankind, are the three
greatest calsmities which can beial our spe
cies and war, as The most dlreful, Justly
stands foremost, aud IN front. Pes,Ilence
and tamlne-no doubt for wise, although IN.
scrutable purposes-are infections Of Provi
dcnce to which It is our duty, therefore, to
bow with obedience. humble submission, and
resignation. Their duration is not long, ant
their ravages ore limited. They bring in
deed, great pilllcuon, while they last bu
society soon RECEIVERS from their effects
War Is the voluntary work Of our own hands
and, whatever reproaches It may deserve
should be directed to ourselves. When i
bre0ks out, It's duration is indefinite and un
knuwn-ts vIcisslludes are hidden from ouI
view. In The sacrifice Of human life, and il
the waste OF human treasure-In lis losses
; and n its burthens-It affects both belger
ent nations /; aud It's sad effects of mangled
bodies, Of death, aud of dcsoaiIop, endure
long after It's thundcrs are hushed III peace
War unmnges society. dsturbs It's peaceful
and regular industry, and Ccattcrs poisonous
seeds of Diseases and immortality, which con-
tnue TO germnate aud dlfluse their bane iul
influence long after IT has ceased. Dazzling
by It's glitter, pomp, and pagentry, 1t bcgets
q spirit Of wild adventure and romantic en-
terprize and often disquallfes those who
' embark in II, alter then return from the
bloody fields OF battle, from engaging IN the
industrious and peaceful vocallonS OF life.
H We are informed by statement, which is
apparently correct, that the number OF our
counlrymen slain IN this lamentuOc MeXl.
can war-alihough 1t has yet been OF only
lS months eyIstence-ls equal TO ore hall
| Of the whole American loss during the seven
: years war of the Revolution And ven
ture TO assert, that the expenditure Of trea.
sure which it has Decentralization II shall
come to be fairly ascertained, aud footed up
will be found to be more than half of the
pecunlary cost Of the war Of our lndepen-
deuce. And thus ls the condition of the
party whose arms have been every where
and constantly victorious
Il How did we unhapply get involved in
this war IL was predicted as the conse-
quence of the annexation of Texas to the
United States. II we had not Texas, we
should have no war. The people were told
that if that event happened, war would ensue.
, They were told that the war between Texas
and Mexico had not been terminated by a
treaty of peace that Mexico still claimed
Texas as a revultcd province and that u
we received Texas IN our Union, We took a.
long with her, the war existing between her
and Mexico. And the Minister of Mexico
, formally announced to the Government at
Washington that his nation would consider
the annexation of Texas 10 the United States
cs producing a state Of war. But oil this
was denied by The parllzans Of annexation.
They insisted we should have no war, aud
even imputed to those who foreiold II, slnls
< ter motives for their groundless prediction.
/ But, Notwithstanding a state OF virtual war
h, necessarily resulted from the fact OF annexa-
: ton of one OF the belhgerenls 10 the United
J. States, actually hoslIlllles might have been
. probably ayerted by prudence, moderation
and wise statesmanshlp. If general Taylor
> had been permitted to remain, where his
own good sense prompted him 10 believe he
ought to remain, at the point OF Corpus
Christi and # a negotiation had been open
ed with Mexico, IN a true spirit OF amIty and
conc illa,lon, war possibly might have been
pre~ented. But, instead OF this pacific and
moderate course, whilst Mr SIideI was
5 bending his way to Mexico, with his d'pIo
1 matte credentials, General Taylor was or
, dered to transport his cannon. and to plant
them, IN a wurlkc attitude, opposite To Mat
omoras, on the east bank Of the Rio Bravo
within the very disputed territory, the ad
iustment of which was TO be the object o
Mr Sdelrs mission. What else could have
transplred bot conflict OF arms
Il Thus the war commenced. and the Presl
|, dent, after having produced II, Appealed Ia
, Congress. A bill was proposed TO raise 30
900 volunteers, and m order to commit al
who should vote Tor It, preamble was m
serted, and falsely altrbutlng the commence
ment of the war To the act oi Mexico.
have no doubt OF the patriotic motives u
those who. after struggling TO dvest The bIl
2 ofihat nagtsnl error, found themselves con
D strained 10 vote for II. But ] must say ths
IsN yal