New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-20
By Telegraph to the New-YOrk Tribune,
SPEECH OF
HON. HENRY CLAY
In Kentucky
In Kentucky.

/
In the House of Representatives of Kentupkv
Mr. PAYNE from the Committee appointed to wais
on Hon HENRY CLAY to invite him to visit the
Legislature this day, at IL o'clock, reported thai
the Committee performed that duty, and that Mr.
CLAY responded that it would afford him great
pleasure, and that at the designated hour he
would visit the Legislature in the Hall
AT IL O'Clock, the Senate, preceded by the OFF.
GERS of that body. entered the Hall, and the Com.
mittee of Invitation, accompanied by Hon HENRY
CLAY, appeared.
Upon Mr.. CLAY's being introduced, by the Chair
man OF the Committee, Mr.. Speaker Johnson adj
dressed him as follows;
Mr. CLAY, allow me as the representative of
the people, to welcome you to this Hail. the thea.
ter of your early and successful abors for the pros
perity and happiness OF the people, and to intro.
duce YOU to the sons and descendants of many of
your aborers in this field of your usefulness To
those labors Kentucky is indebted for her pros.
perity and her greatness Always faithfal
to the trust reposed in you BY the people
OF this great Commonwealth when dangers
threatened her, they find you the fearless defend.
er of the Constitution and the rights of the PEG.
! pie. Permit me- Sir, TO tender you the high APP
probation of the members OF this body, of your
successful efforts as the representative of the ma
which we hope will give peace and quiet to the
country, and bind in an indissoube bond, our glo
rious contederacy To you Sir to the Kentucky
delegation in Congress, to the distinguished Sen
ators Webster, Dickinson, Foote, and Others
Kentucky, yes sir, America, owes a debt of graf
itude.
Mr. Clay replied as follows:
Mr. Speaker and gentlemen Of The General as.
Sembiy
In presenting myself before you, in conformity
! with the resolution Of the House of Representa-
tiyes. and invitations received by mo from the
Committee have first to perform the agreeable
duty of rendering an expression OF my acknowl
edement and my grateful thanks tor the cistir-
guished honor awarded by you to the R.entucky
delegation, to the patriotic and eminent Senators
of the United States, to the other members OF
Congress, and myself who co6perated at the late
session of Congress- in the adoption OF measures
having for their object the harmony, tranquility
and preservation OF the Union Of our country and
to YOU Mr. Speaker, | owe especially an expires
sion of my obligation for the eloquent compliment
ary terms in which, as the organ OF this House,
YOU have been pleased to allude to my pubic ser
yyice in this and other theaters. In the absence
of those VI HON YOU have so highly honored III as
sociating with nue., feel quite sure that IN assum-
ing to present for them their respectful thanks,
which they could so much better 90 were they
present, | shall have the candid appreciation Of
their hearts
Heretofore l have frequently received CRAFTY
ing testimony Of the confidence and attachment
my countrymen but they were principally con-
fined to the party of which | was a member
| What gives extraordinary and ineXpressible
value to this occasion is, that it has been dictated
by no party feelings but is the voluntary offering
OF my fellow citizens OF both honorable parties,
| and who unanimously passed resolution which
has brought US together The last session Of Con-
gress opened under the most lowering and unfa.
vorabe auspices The public mind had boen
greatly agitated distracted and divided upon sub
iects connected with the Institution OF Slavery.
| had witnessed other periods OF great contest
and agitation. In the case OF the admission OF
Missouri the whole nation was greatly conyused,
andthere was just cause olserous apprehension for
the safety of the Union. In the instance also OF
the opposition OF South Carolina to the Tariff IN
1928, and there was great danger of civil war
with that State, which might, in certain events,
have spread to the surrounding States; but what
popularity distinguished the late atrugge
far more than any former occasion, Is the
sentiment ayowed, not merely OF existence OF
danger to the Union, but we heard in varous
quarters an open and undlsgused declaration OF
the necessity, and a desire Tor it's dissolution; we
beheld too, what we had never before seen inthe
time of peace, the assembly OF sectional dele
gates the tendency OF which was to break up
the Contederacy.
Mr.. Speaker, in common with others, had FORE
seen the dark OF gathering storm the, perhaps
presumption, hope that might, under the bless
ings of Providence, be an humble instrument IN
assisting to allay 1t constituted principle mo-
tive with me for returning TO public lie. Long
before the meeting of Congress, and during the
early part of the session, it engaged, almost ex
cusivey, all my most anxious thoughts. me
result Of my reflections is that series oil heso.
lutions which | presented to the Senate OF the
United States in February last My desire was
to embrace all the subjects OF agitation ars.
ing out of the institution of Slavery, and so
leave none open for future agitation, and If
possible to settle them in just and honorable
manner to both the contendng parties How
these resolutions were received, disposed ofand
discussed on their first presentation, 1t is not
necessary to state. Subsequently Commit
tee Of Thirteen was appointed by the Senate,
charged with the duty OF considering all the sub
iects The Committee reported, and their various
measures varied but nconsideraby IRON the res
olutions which had previously offered. These
different measures Were-the admission OF Cal
itornia as q State into the Union, and the estab-
lishment of Territorial Governments for New
Mexico and Utah, without the Wllmot Proyiso;
proposals to Texas, for fixing her boundaries;
more elicacious PROVISIONS for the recovery oil
Fugitive Slaves and the abolition of the Slave
Trade in the District Of Columbia. The Message
of the President, recommending the admission of
California into the Union, as tlrst presented, not
entertaining particle OF doubt as to the propriety
of its admission, and not beng aware OF the great
and extensive opposition existing among the
Southern Members OF Congress aganstt. was IN
favor of its immediate admission as separate and
distinct measure, but when / became acquainted
with the opposition, and considering that it was a
mere question of form, thought it best TO stateit
with other kindred measures in one common bill.
The admission Of California opposed, first,
upon the grounds of its having constituted itself
a State without the express authority OF Con
gress and secondly because the territorial doa nJ
70 he" he TOO large and extensive. We replied to
the u first p gr6nnd that California is not the first
nt1 ,bout nrior sanction Of Congress- but several
o %iSD States had been SO receivedhat although
if is most regular that Congress should give
its previous assent that is matter ho' teP' sonn3