Washington telegraph., 1848-04-26
HENRY CLAY AND THE PRESIDENCY
TO THE PUBLIC,

The various anu ucohilellng reports which
have been in circulation, in regard 10 my
intentions in respect 10 the next Presiden.
cy, appear To the 10 furnish proper oeca.
siuu Tor fall, frank and explicit exposition
OF my ieeing, wishes and views upun the
subject, This il is now my purpose TO
make,
With a strong disinclnal,on 10 the use
OF my maine again in connection with that
office, | LETT any residence in December last,
under determination 10 Announce In The
pabic, in sUae sailable iotui, my desire
na to he though, oi as n candidate. Du
ring my absence, frequently expressed 10
different gentlemen my unwilllngness TO be
again in tina, attitude; bul no one was au,
,horised to publish any derlsnn one wa, of
the oIhc.. havtg reserved the right To dn
go exclusively myself On reelection, |
Thought It sas due IU ny lIiends 10 consult
with them before ] iouk a decisive step.
Accordingly, in the course ol the last three
noalhs, have had many opportunities oi
cont.rring fully aud freely with lhem.-
Many uf them have addressed To ne the
strongest appeals, aud the must earnesl en
treaties, both verbally aud written, Ia dis.
suade me ittm executing my intended pur
puse. They have represented To me that
tue ilhdfawal ai NV name would be ID
tai to the success. and perhaps lead Ia the
dissuIp,in III the parry with Which, ! have
been s.sneialed, especially in the free
States; thai al no former period did there
ever uIlsl so great probability al my
election, II | would cnnseu, to the use OF
my name; that the great Stale oi New
York and Ohio would, IN all human pro.
babitily. cast their votes for me; that New
York would more certainly bestow her SUI
ifsge upon me lhan upun any other candi.
date, aud ths, Ohio would give her vote
to no candidate residing IN thu slave STATES
ili4u has hrrrinlnrr at any ilmr existed,
thai i'raus,Ivania Uaud UuiEe villa lhem,
i4a n0 candidate ran be- y.easH without
the NyHr#ue# aitNuHIluyze IHlrr zIsiHss
..ua uuul ouu.d br dalea'cd. upon Hhum
All three at them should be united. thar
great numbers Of our ielluW eitiErns, both
OF naive aud ateign blnb. 3hu we're DE-.
csised aud therefore voted against me- al
tue last election. are uuw eager lor an up.
poTiuuily at be.lowing their suiiage iur
me; aud that, whilst there Is a sifong aud
deeidcd preference iof ne. entertained by
the gta, body ol the Wing pahy through
aul the United States, they THE friends to
uhoin | felrT) al the saiiie lime are eonyine.
ed that | am muf- available than any eandi.
date that could be presented to the Amer.
can people.
do not pretend 10 voueh Tor The aeeura.
ey ol all these representations, although |
do no, entertain doubt that they have
been honestly nade, aud are sincerely be.
lIevsd.
IL has been moreover urged to me that
the gseal obligations under which ! have
Lren brlsertD placed, by large portion ui
tho People ol the United states, the iuil
force ul winch nU unr eau be more srnsl.
bic ui than am, demand that should moi
withhold the use oi my name, Il Il should
be required. Aud have brcn rrminJrd
Of lirqurnl declarations which | have made
that, whilst lie aud health femslnrd, a man
Is bound To render bis best service, upon
the call oi bis country.
Since my return home ! have an,iou'ly
delibefaled upon my duty Ia myself, 10 ny
country. he conflict between ny unai
iected desire ~ continue ~ private iie, a.
most cong"nial with my ieelia., and con
ditlon aud my wish faithfully 10 perform all
my pablic dulies, has been painful and EN-
bafra,Ing. II | refuse the use oi ~,
name, aud those injurious should ensue,
which have been So confidently predicted
by friends, should justly incur their re.
pruachcs, and the reproachrs VI my own
heart. Aud. II. On the contrary. should
assent to the use oI my name, whatever
the result may be, shall escape both.
have. therefore, hnally decided To leave
10 the National Convention. which is Ia A..
semJ- neIl jane, the consideration OF ~,
name, IN connection with such others as
may be presented l0 Il, To make selection
oi a suitable candidate Tor President Ol the
United States. Aud whatever may bp the
issue Oi its lair and iull deliberations, II wIl
NEE, with my prOmp aud cheerful acqules
cence.
II will be seen from What have stated,
that there was reasons TO anticipate that
wouH decline giving my consent 10 the use
81 my Game again as u candidate for the
Presidency OF the United States. Owing,
perhaps, to this, as well as other causes,
many of my friends and fellow. citizens
have avowed a preference for, and directed
their attention To the distinguished names
of other citizens Of the United Safes. |
take pleasure in truly declaring, that |
have no regrets to express, no complaints,
no reproaches to make on account oi any
such preferences, which am fully persuad.
ed are generally founded on honest and
patriotic convictions. II. CLAY.
mi An.n 1919