Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-11-28
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING.
politifal.
SPEECH OF
HON. JOHN Nj. CLAYTON,
AT THE BANQUET GIVEN HIM BY THE
WINGS OF DELAWARE.

use language hut tame and trite, my fellow
citizens, when say cannot find words ade-
quate TO express the feelings which overpower
me at this moment. | come before you as a
mere private individual without Office, without
station, without power No man within the
sound of my voice or elsewhere can expect, by
rendering homage 10 or comforting praise upon
me, to receive anything, SO far as know, now
CT hereafter. an like one who has returned
from long voyage to distant country. have
seer much-Inuob of which wish to speak to
my old companions and friends But | bring
with me nothing but grateful heart and an hon
est purpose.
Ny Feilow Citizens NV chief object in
accepting your kind invitation to meet you this
day, was to tender my thanks for The confidence
and support which, through long public life,
whenever have been IN public station or can
didaie for public Office, has been constantly ex-
tended to me by the people of my iive State.
l announced before the election il Delaware
that was no candidate for any ofic, | post
poued this meeting till after that ele ion had
taken place, to enable others fully under
stand my purpose, and position have ed SO
many OF the most impoita Offices in the !. - of
the people of Delaware, that | fell bound to
make some public acknowledgement to those who
have stood BY me amidst all the storms of party
violence which have swept over the country
aware that services Of mine could have can
cel,ed, or can repay the debt of gratitude owe
them, yet may be permitted, but cannot do II
without emotion, now TO say, upon the occasion
of meeting them after long separation, with
what sincere pleasure | take my old friends and
fellow citizens by the hand, and acknowledge
the heartfelt obligations by which am, and ev-
er shall he, bound TO them.
We have passed through another eectioneer-
i'm nd no first i'm,
OF century, the Wings Of Delaware have lost
the power OF the State, which has been trans
tered, by train of accidents, TO our political
opponents. For the period just named, the par
" TO which we have been attached has held the
legislative power of this State, without one sin-
gle day OF intermission within my recollection.
That power has now gone to the party entertain
ing directly opposite views. But it has not gone
10 them, and they do not hold it, by the tenure
by which we held it. [Great applausel We
held 1t by the will of majority of the citizens of
Delaware. Yes, we dbl They do not now
hold II, nor III my judgment will they ever hold
ii, by the will OF majority of the citizens of
Delaware. No, never The Governor they
have elected is the representative Governor of
minority in the Stale. The Representative TO
Congress whom they have sent to Iegislaie for
us, is minority representative, and does not,
and IN my judgment never will, represent as the
majority Of the freemen of the State. Zap
plause
The Wings alone can elect men that repre-
sent majority OF the people of Delaware No
Other party exists here that is able to do that
thing but The whig party Look at the recent
Canvass. Hundreds upon hundreds of our
friends, calling themselves temperance men,
have chosen to strike down the patty 20 which
they have adhered for twenty years. That is
cRnla far tl4Da IN Hct nnta .n.41rf
upon which choose TO speak tonight. And
only advert to the fact that we have been strlck-
Ell down, as it wer,, in IT,. house of our friends,
for the purpose of sayint tiat the hiy party has
not been conquered by lis cd political enemies
but is as strong, If mol ronger. ia II has been
for the past ten yeas and that if those who en-
certain the same scuiim-nis that we entertain
upon the great naiIonal stions which divide
the two great parties lhe country. had voted
ACCORDING 10 their o. :, principles and their own
nrof;essions We should haze been M n majority
astrrumphant as the wings of Delaware ever
were from their origin. IGfea, uppIause.l
Fellow citizens. / did 10, come ,e,e 10 discuss
matters of local interest. have desated thus
far from nv purpose. impe!led bv the strong
feeling of Inc moment. / have witnessed too
nucb of Marty s,rif, TO desire unnecessarily To
mix any of The INGREDIENTS of tina, bitter cup with
4 tho en,a,,.inmani IF ,b,s dav Vel, teeI that !,
4 Is NV dp,v and lnow tina, If ia exnected of me
That sh,ud saw few words in relation TO some
q, the stirring events which have apitated the
conn,r,, dnr;nr the Las, ,,o years and still con.
Time N axci,eit The advent of General Tsv-
lor to nower constituted new era in the history
i oftbs rennhl;c He cama ;nto mower nv the
suffragel Of The neonle and vet he presen-
4 ted re ere, ,'s,. ne IF President So elect
ed with nrsc,,caI ma;or,tv in both branch
os If tho Na,Io,ai 7 ,cgsIornre onnosed not only
ia HIM bn, ~ ,ha nr,ec,nIes which secured his
i oioa,;", NN " ~
j rha o,,.;o, &c 10Th tJo,ses IF r-on,ress
w.s ~ 49, nc, 10 haa = o,,,or,uu;,v 10
daraIe 49,, of he aoI;cr mo-, ,sbcb
bo ;n,aaIa "a .dse,;s,or he irovs-a,en, No,
sinrln coa'O,;,,aa was ef, in a,,ber hrauch
,,t:Hts -'".-.-.-.;.'..J rS.;,.;r,Io,
=, "asn "as ~, P in "pon pa t,n, :. 81
Co. PII'un " ,,,a,of.,, ,,,s,. n,, srronnd.d NV
nCe. ne was 'ue'eio'e 'l'e.auy so',oe =!
unparaiieleo e'noa'fass"'en's anu dlh'cu',ie',
presenting ne" ana u".,iea occasion ~
Inc strength Of our republican system. amer