Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-14
For JIe EDO7l,,.r.

Gentlemen-As there is much said relating 10
| the great Lexington movement ard Inc Iaie " hiG
pronurcia men.o by Mr.. Clay beg leave To put
in word TOO There is nothing new or ori2i.
nal in Mr. Claws speech. The ground ne mas
taken has been occupied BY others, both in and
out OF Congress think The late manifesto Of
! Mr.. CLAW very unfortunate on his own part al
rb;s ,imc. and calculated 10 cast shade over The
Sage of Ashland, that he will not be able 10 re-
move shortly. Better thirgs were expected OF
Mr.. Ciav, after his desiring al New Orleans a
nook or corner in The army, that ne might Kill a
MEXICAN and avcnce the wrongs OF his country
men and al Philadelphi last summer, when
he told the people that it became them, as pa
trots and statesmen, 10 light this war out Ihee-
| fare when il was announced in The papers that
| Mr. Claw would address The people and Offer re-
solutions concerning the Mexican war, il was
generally believed by the people in this section
| that Mr. Clay would advocate vigorous prose.
| cution of the war, and thus support his country
| and The administration. What was our surprise
upon reading mis- resolutions and spec h, TO find
,ha, he too had given in his adhesion TO The Mex
| leans, and, like Corwin, Webs'er, Clayton, and
MANY others of like sIipe and Federal principles,
would sacrifice their counlIy's honor. So be it.
They desire 10 break down Democratic Pfesi-
dent. II cannot be possible that any olhe! prin-
coe acuatcs them. They cannot love The
Mexicans, and hate their own country, as they
pretend. say il cannot be possible that they
sneak conscienlonsly. II must be for political
effec, that such speeches are sen, out among The
| American PEOPLE, Ia bring themselves into no.
| lice and favor, and brig Democrats into disre-
nue-and This is the reason, suppose, why they
make false representations and missIaiemen,s 10
deceive the people. For instance, Mr.. Clay says:
"When Mr. Slidell was vending his way 10
Mexico, as commissioner, TO se,e the existing
a Inu the Con rov-
lof was ordered 10 march with his troops 10 the
Rio Grande."
MIR. Clay was here endeavoring 10 fasien the
commencement OF The war upon the Presidents
shoulders, which shows that Mr. Clay was very
ignorant Of tie fac il This statement, or, know
ing them, kc iD;ea ionaily n:aic them TO deceive
the people, ,ur II IS q nolo':ous iac!, that Mir.
Sldell ven, 10 Mexico in November, Isis, and
Gen Taylor IN ,rctei lis army from Corpus
Christi in the n,oD'h OF March, lSiG. General
Taylor never was ordered 10 take up his march,
until i, was ascerianed that Mr.. Slidcn would
not be received.
Having thus detected him in gross misrep-
resenlalion, does not all OF Inc speech lose lis
torce2 l. any man TO be believed who will
knowingly make such statemcns2 Does il mol
show conclusively The Intentions of the speaker
10 make war upOn Democratic administration
TO bring il into disrepuie7 And we see great
deal OF disappointed ambition in Mr.. Cisy's
speech, as much as 10 say. "If you had taken
warning By me, and elected me instead o! MIR.
Polk, you would have had no war"
| would not, whilst the gloomy cloud OF war
hangs over The land, say 10 the enemy, $50 on
YOU are right, we are wrong the God Of Jus.
lice is on year side, and his avensing ann
will vet deliver 10 your tolls our soldiers,
bound hand and loot, so that you may flesh
your swords in their bosoms" Sir, would net
saw TO our brave soldiers, "March sowly-trail
your arms-you ale engaged in an unjust war;
No would not paraIizs their strong arms and
valiant hearts in the hour OF baue. would not
rob them Of the hope OF heaven. would not
shrek INTO ihe ear Of the dying soldier, that for
h.m no bright eyed angels walled above The
smoke OF battle: that he mus, never hope Tor Par
adise. No, bu, | would say 10 our soldiers,
advance your standard; wave it high in air
lei lis flashing folds make music When the bal
tie is over let the blaze victory surround II, or
let your leleSs bodies be pi!oa in pyramids on
the CORY field Onward in This spirit, or dream
no more OF The proud wifc's kiss, or the mothers
blessing and her prayer"
And no indemnify from Mexico TO defray the
expenses OF the war, is another great Whie prin-
cpe as set forth in Mr.. Clay's and other Wing
speeches, which is in effect, acknowledging a,
once that we are in tie wrong and Mexico in
the right. think The annual message of the
President has sci forth our claims, and has TAX
en- the True ground in regard to our claims as
well as The justice OF the wal; ,ha, We should
conclude no reace with hlexico that does moi
gre us indemnify Tor tie past ard secariiy fof
tic failure.
The cuuntry viii not submit, 10 ony other
kind; the country is moi willing 10 throw away
so many millions Of money, and so much PIE
cious blood and valuable lives, for nothing. VIII
i, rejec, as worthless weeds, the laures won at
Palo Alto Monterey. Bueua yisla, Cerro Gordo,
Churubusco and Mexico1