Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-10-09
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lowing Congresses Of more important than it
has been the fortune of any other member either then
since, TO have his name identified with
would exceed the proper limits of this discourse to
partcuarize all those measures / do than
refer to very few Of them which have become land
marks in the history Of our country.
First in order Of these his orgnation Of the first
proposition for recognition Of the Independence of the
States OF South America then struggling for liberty
This the oath Of March, 1918 II was ON that day
that he first formally presented the proposition to the
House OF Representatives But neither the President
Congress was then prepared for bold and
decisive and 1t was rejected by large majority of the
House, though advocated and urged by him with all the
vehemence and power Of his unsurpassed ability and eo
quence. Undaunted by this defeat, he continued to
pursue the subject with all the nfexible energy Of his
character On the Sd Of April, 1920, he renewed his
proposition for the recognition of South American indie
pendence and finally succeeded against strong opposition
not only in passing it through the House of Representa-
ves, but in inducing that body to adopt the emphatic
and extraordinary course of sending to the President
by committee, specially appointed for the purpose Of
that committee Mr. Clay the chairman, and at its
head, performed the duty assigned them In the year
1922 Mr.. Clays noble exertons this great subject
were crowned with complete success by the Presidents
formal recognition of South American independence with
the sanction of Congress ~ e
requires some little exertion, at this day. to turn
minds back and contemplate the vast Importance Of the
revolutions then in progress in South America, the
subject then presented with all the uncertainties and
pers that surrounded Those revolutions constituted
great movement in the moral and political world By
their results great interests and great principles through
out the civilized world, and especially in
try, might and probably would be materially affected
Mr.. CLAY comprehended the crisis Its magnitude and
its character suited to his temper and his great
intellect He saw before him, throughout the
tnent OF South America, the people Of its various States
or provinces struggling to cast off that Spanish oppres-
sion and tyranny which for three hundred years had
weighed them down. and seeking to reclaim and
bsh their longlost liberty and independence He saw
them not only struggling but succeeding and with their
naked hands, breaking their chains and driving their
pressors before them But the conflict was not yet over
Spain still continued to wage formidable and desperate
hostities against her colonies to reduce them to sub
mission. They were still struggling and bleeding and
the result yet depended the uncertain issue of war
Whdt spectacle was there presented to the contem-
plation OF the world The prime object Of attention and
interest there to be bdpey struggling for
liberty That enough for HENRY CLAY. His generous
soul oyerfowed with sympathy But this was not all ;
there were graver and higher considerations that belong
ed to the subject and these all felt and appreciated
by Mr.. Clay.
South America resubjugated by SPAIN she would
in effect become European and relapse into the system
OF European pocythe system of legitimacy monarchy
and absoutsm the other hand if she succeeded in
establishing her independence the principle Of free nst
tutons would be established with it, and republics
kindred to our own would rise up to protect extend and
defend the rights and liberties Of mankind
1t was not then, mere struggle between Spain and
her colonies In its consequences at least it went much
further, and in effect contest between the great
antagonist principles and systems of arbitrary European
Governments and of free American Governments Whe-
Their the millions of people who inhabited or were to in
habit South America to become the victims and the
instruments OF the arbitrary principle, the supporters
OF the free principle, was question of momentous conse
quence now and in all time to come
With these views Mr. CLAY from sympathy and policy
embraced the cause of South American independence
lie proposed actual intervention in her behalf but he
wished to aid her with all the moral power and encourage
ment that could be given by welcome recognition of her
by the Government of the United States.
10 him belongs the distinguished honor Of being first
among the statesmen of the world espouse and plead
the cause Of South America and propose and urge the
recognition of her independence And his own country
is indebted to him for the honor Of being the first nation
to offer that recognition
When the magnitude of the subject and the weighty
interest and consequences attached to it considered
IT seems TO me that there is palmy day in the
life of Mr. Clay than that in which, at the head Of his
committee he presented the President the resolution
OF the House Of Representatives in favor of the
milton OF South American independence On that
sion he appears in all the submity of his nature and
the statesman invested with all the sympahes feel
ings OF humanity is enlarged and elevated into the cha
racter Of the friend and guardian Of universal liberty
How far South America may have been aided infu-
enced IN her struggles by the recognition of Govern
men by the noble appeals which Mr. Clay had pre-
vousy addressed in her behalf TO Congress and the
world cannot say but it is known that those speeches
were read at the head Of her armies and that grateful
that he exercised great influence in her affairs and
destinies
Years after the first of Mr. Clays noble exerons in the
cause Of South America and some time after those
tons had led the Government of the United States to
cognse the States of South America they also
recognised by the Government of Great Britain and Mr.
CANNING, her Minister thereupon took occasion to say
in the House Of Commons there (alluding to South
America) have called world into existence"
That was vain boast II can be said Of any man. it
must be said Of Henry Clay that he called that new
world into existence."%
Mr. CLAY the Father of the policy Of Internal I'm
provement by the General Government The expediency
Of such legislation had indeed been suggested in of
his later annual messages to Congress- by President JEFF
ferson and that suggestion was revived by President
Madison in the last Of has annual messages The late
Bank Of the United States having been then Just establish
ed, bill passed. in supposed conformity to Mr. Madi-
sons recommendation for setting aside the annual bonus
to be paid by the Bank fund for the purposes Of In
ternal Improvement This bill Mr. Madison very unex-
pectedy the last day Of the Of his Office returned
to the House Of Representatives without his signature
assigning the for his Withholding it-reasons
which related rather 20 the form than the
amendment TO the Constitution
fer upon Congress the necessary power carry that
policy. The bill Of fell through for that session
While this bill its passage, Mr. Clay had spoken
in favor Of it. declaring his decided opinion in favor
of the constutonalty and expediency Of the
Mr.. MONROE Immediately succeeding Mr. Madison in the
Presidency, introduced into his first annual message
declaration, in advance of any proposition the subject
OF settled conviction his mind that Congress did not
possess the right enter upon system Of Internal I'm
provement But for this declaration, il may be doubted
that the subject would have been again agtated soon
after Mr. Madisons Veto The threat Of to
that resort by the President reused up spirit Of de-
ance in the popular branch Of Congress- and especially
in the lion heart Of Mr. CLAY; and by his advice and
counsel resolution introduced declaring that Con-
gross has poe under the Constitution make appro
priatons for the construction Of military roads, post