Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-23
from the New York Tribune March 81
MR.. CLAY IN NEW YORK.

tuTe seemed 10 nave decked herself IN holiday
attire to welcome the illustrious statesman to
the commercial metropolis of the Union.
The splendid and spacious steamer c. Van
derbilt, had been kindly placed at the disposal
of the common council By Capt Vanderbilt for
the occasion. She had been newly painted
and refitted for the season just commencing,
and BY her beauty and the convenience of her
arrangements was we'll adapted for the service
TO which she was appropriated.
The committee having In charge the duty of
meeting Mr. Clay at Amboy, and conducting
himto the city, had contemplated being accom-
panied by some two hundred invited guests,
but SO great was the desire to see the city's IL
lustrlous visitor that at least six hundred per-
sops obtained tickets, and only the impossible
ity of making room for larger number pre-
vented much more crowded attendance. A
mong those present were the members of the
common council, and many eminent citizens
both in public and private life. All seemed
filled with that enthusiastic attachment to Mr..
Clay, which he, of all men, has the power of
calling forth and securing. As the Wander
bilt put off, she was loudly cheered by the null
1itude assembled on the wharf. and the passen-
gers of one Or two boats that she met in the bay
manifested the same sympathy IN the purpose
of the excursion. @e- i4u e1-hl9t
L 2
clock, and as soon as the cars arrived the COM
mittee proceeded on shore to receive Mr. Clay
with the Philadelphia delegation, and escort
him on board. When he appeared, the air was
rent with shouts. which were repeated as he
passed amid the crowd, quietly bowling his res
ponse TO the warm expressions of those around
him. He appeared in excellent health, and
bore himself erect, with all the vigor ola young
man. His form has lost little of its apparent
strength, and his features retain the same man
ly and noble graciousness which so truly ex-
press the character Of the man. He was con-
Quoted to the upper saloon of the Vanderbilt
where Morton McMichael, Esq, on behalf OF
the Philadelph committee, resigned him in
to the care of our city council, in the following
address.
iHr President The committee whichspeaks
through me have come hither in the behalf OF
of the people of Philadelphia to transfer to
your care the illustrious citizen, who for some
days past has been our honored guest. He
came among us in no public capacity, and on
no public mission, not expecting any of the
qualifications and enjoyments which there may
be IN loud and earnest expressions If the gen
eral regard. He came rather anxious to avoid
all ceremony and parade, and desiring only to
meet his old familiar friends in the old familiar
L
to say, it was impossible that he should be
gratifed. All hearts spontaneously rebelled
against such purpose. The whole people of
Philadelph animated by one common inn
pulse of affection, poured forth into the streets
the roofs and windows of the houses,
till they presented such a spectacle as was new
er seen before You would have said that those
roofs and windows spoke, there were so many
greedy eyes, SO many faces lighted up with
JOY to bid welcome to Henry Clay!
So 1t was the next day, so it was all the days
that he was among us. So constant, so tire
less, SO enthusiastic were the well -fneant kind
nesses of our people, that for one was afraid
that the object of them would be totally over
whelmed and exhausted. Those overhowlng
marks of love were such indeed, as few but
Henry Clay could have elected; nay, they were
such as hardly any, save himself, could have
endured. They came, too, from those beauti-
full instincts of our spiritual nature, which
prompt admiration for whatever is truly great
and noble and exalted in man! They showed
that men love and reverence those who lift
themselves above the meanness and narrowness
TO which less gifted and elevated natures are
prone, and showed that in so doing all must
deeply and truly love Henry Clay. Yes, rev
erence him as one whose tongue was never
tainted with falsehood, nor his soul stained
with shame!
Nor was it the members of his own party
alone who thus arose to do him honor, but the
members of all parties. All looked to him
all turned TO him-all were irresistably drawn
TO him as to one before whom Nature hersel
conld stand up and say to all the worle, ''this
is MANI
We should feel pain in thus separating from
one we so love, but under view of the cor
Il h,,- IA
him, and the general desire of all your citizens
to have him among you, we feel that you ar,
entitled TO some portion of that pleasure which
his presence everywhere bestows. We resigr
him to you in full confidence that you will wei
come him as no man could be welcomed bu
HENRY CLAY.
Mr.. McMichael's speech was interrupted BY
frequent applause, and was warmly responded
TO at the close.
When silence was restored Hon. Morri.
franklin, president of the board of alder
men, turned to Mr.. Clay, and addressed hin
as follows: - ~
On behalf of the common council of our city
and of the assembled thousands, who are nov
awaiting your arrival in anxious expectation
lam the honored instrument of rendering YOU
sincere and cordial welcome to their hospitali
| ty, and to assure you of a warm and heartfelt
/ lux ptlOl III tuO ulCbiOpOtlS VI Ou
country. For in the anticipa ton of this, you
visit, every sectional prejudice has been for
gotten, and we are united as the heart of on,
man in extending the right hand of fellow shil
| to so distinguished and illustrious a stranger
| You have come among us, sir, not with the gil
ded trappings of military splendor or the bugl
notes of ia victorious chieftain; with no public
patronage with which to reward YOUR follow
ers, but merely as private citizen-yet wear
ing upon your brow as proud civic wreath a
could be entwined by the affections of tn
American people for one of their noblest an,
most honored sons. 1t is therefore, in the sin
/ cerity of our hearts. that we anticipate wit
pleasure the opportunity which you have af
forded us representing to our constituents on
whom all will delight to honor. who, in the en-
thusiasm of their feelings, will hail with plea
sure that hour when you shall have becom
their welcome and their honored guest, an
they shall have seen the person and heard tn
voice of him who for SO many years has bee
associated in their recollections with the dark
est and brightest days of our country's history
For, whether at foreign courts, in the domesti
cabinet or in the halls of legislation. your sci
vices will ever be appreciated by grateful an
confiding people, and when this age with a
a,,d rraiudicoS Shall ha ,aaSSs