Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-12-05
ttE HON. HENRY 2CLAY'S SPEECH. 4isf
Dehcercd before the fro Houses Of the Kentucky Leg
iS'afure Nor. Is. la .a&H ,
r
of The General AsseRbly !:

HON. HENRY sCLAY,S SPEECH. aE@f
Delivered before the to Houses of the Keatacey Leg
is'afure NOr. Is. .3 .aA
Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen
Of the General Assembly: a4N
I In presenting myself before you in con-
formiiy with the resolutions Of the House
OF Representatives, and the invitations re-
ceived by me from the committee, have
first to perform the agreeable duty Of
rendering an expression Of my profound
acknowledgements and grateful thanks
for the distinguished honor awarded by
you TO the Kentucky delegation, to the
patriotic and eminent members of the
United States Senate, TO other members
of Congress in the adoption Of measures
having for their Object the harmony, tran
guilty and preservation Of the Union Of
our country and to you, Mr. Speaker, |
owe especially an expression of my obli-
CATION for the elegant and complimentary
manner in which you, as the organ OF the
House, have been pleased to allude to my
public services in this and other theatres
In the absence Of those whom you have
so highly honored in aSsociating with me,
| feel quite sure that in assuming to pre-
sent for them their respectful thanks,
which they could so much better do We're
they present here, l shall have the cor
dial appreciation of their hearts. Hereto
fore have frequently received gratifying
ment Of my countrymen, but they were
principally confined TO the party Of which
l was member. What gives extraordi-
nary and inexpressible value to this occa-
sion is that it has been dictated by no par
ty feelings, but is the voluntary Offering
of my fellows citizens, of both political
parties, who unanimously passed the res
olution which has brought us together.
The last session opened under the most
lowering and unfavorable auspices !: the
public mind had been greatly aeitated,
distracted and divided upon subjects con-
nected with the institution of slavery. ]
had witnessed other periods Of great con-
test and agitation in the case of the adj
mission of Missouri the whole nation was
greatly convnl>ed +; there was just cause
Of some apprehension for the safety elthe
Union. In the instance, also, Of the op-
position of South Carolina TO the tariff, in
1882 and 1888, there was great danger of
civil war with that State, which might,
in certain events, have spread to SUR
rounding States; but what peculiarly dis
tinguished the late struggle was, that far
more than OH any former occasion was the
sentiment avowed, not merely Of the ex-
istence of danger to the Union, but we
heard in various quarters an open and un-
disguised declaration of The necessity and
desire for itssdi> solution; we beheld too,
what we had never before seen in time
of peace-,he assemblage of sectional
convention uf delegates, the tendency of
which was to break up the confederacy.
Mr. Speaker, in common with others,
had foreseen dark and gathering storms,
and, perhaps the presnmp,uous hope, tha,
| might, under the blessings of Provi-
dence, be an humble instrument in assist
ing to allay it, constituted principal mo-
tive with me for returning to public life.
Long before the meeting Of Congress, and
during the early part Of the session, it EN-
gagged almost exclusively my most anxious
thoughts the result Of my reflections vas
that series of resolutions which present
ed TO the Senate of the United States in
February last. My desire was to en-
brace all the subjects arising ont of the
institution Of slavery, and 10 leave none
open for future agitation. and if possible
10 settle them in Just and honorable
manner as to both the contending parties.
How these resolutions were received, op-
\ posed and discussed on their first pre-
sentation II is not necessary to state sub
sequently committee of thirteen was ap-
pointed By the Senate, charged with the
duty of considering all the subjects
/ which committee reported on the various
] measures, varied but inconsiderably from
the resolutions | had previously offered
! Those different measures We're the admis-
sion of California as state in the Union
the establishment Of territorial govern
ments fer Mexico and Utah, with the
Wilmot Proviso; proposals TO Texas for
fixing her boundary more definitely
provision for the recovery of fugitive
slaves, and the abolition of the slave trade
in the District of Columbia.
When the message Of the President, re-
commencing the admission of California
into the Union, was first presented, moi
entertaining, myself, particle of doubt as
TO the propriety Of the admission, and moi
being aware Of the great and extensive
opposition existing amongst the Southern
members Of Congress against it, was in
| favor of its immediate admission as a sep
arate and distinct measure ; but when ]
became acquainted with that opposition,
and considering it as a mere question OF
form, thouge: best to unite it with other
kindred measures in one common bill.
The admission of California was OPP
posed, first, upon the ground Of its having
constituted itself state without the pre-
vious express authority of Congress, and,
secondly, because the territory which it
had assumed for itself was deemed to be
too large and extensive. We replied as
to the first ground, that California was not
the first State which had been received
into the Union without the previous sane
ton Of Congress, but that several other
States had been so received ; that although
it was most singular that Congress should
give its previous assent, that was mat
ter not depending upon the constitution,
but was in the sound discretion of Con-