Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1852-02-26

III favor oil lne construction OF line or railroads
from Lafayette, through Peoria and Bntttvr.aU.
TO the Missouri river; which was referred to the
Committee on Public Lands.
Prese ataiisn Of Medal 20 Mr.. CIaR.
The friends of Mr.. Clay, in the City Of New
York, recently presented him with splendid
gold medal The following is Mr.. Cay's re-
ply to the address of the Committee appointed
to deliver the present:
GENTLEMEN; This is among the most inter-
esting and gratifying days of my life, although
have been confined to these rooms for long
time by tedious and doubtful illness. You have
come here, the representatives of large and en-
llghtened body of ardent and devoted friends of
mine In the city of New York, to present to me
beautiful and costly gold medal, intended to
commemorate my public life On one face of
1t Is engraved all the great public measures a.
dopted in the National Councils in which was
supposed to have had any conspicuous agency,
and on the other a remarkable and accurate like
ness of me. The time and the place of presen-
tation, and the friends who have contributed this
splendid testimonial, give to it an inestimable
value. The time is when am about to retire
forever from public life, and when cannot ex-
poet much longer to linger here below; the place
is the city of Washington, the principal theatre
of those public services which have commended
themselves to your appreciation. Throughout
my public life ! have been blessed, everywhere
in the United States, with more or fewer true
friends, to whom an bound by the strongest
sentiments Of gratitude; but no where have they
surpassed those in the city ri New York In zeal,
constancy, and fidelity, and iii distinguished and
various demonstrations of their affection and at
tachment. Whilst one is IN the ardent pursuit
OF public life, and is held up foi ishighest hon
ors, it is not practicable always to discriminate,
among his supporters, between those who be-
stow their suffrages from pure, patriotic and dis
interested motives, and those who are acl,lated
by selfish ends; but on this occasion no such d.
fculty exists. You have come, at much per-
sonal inconvenience to the bed Of a sick and af-
icted friend, to present to him, in your names
and IN the name OF numerous body of his per-
sona and political friends, whom you repres ent,
most precious token of your esteem and affec-
tionate regard. That friend has not now, and
never will have, any public patronage to dis
pense. The high and honorable and disnteres-
ted character of your motives cannot, therefore,
be questioned.
Gentlemen, request you to accept yourselves,
and to communicate to my absent friends whom
you represent, my cordial and heartfelt thanks,
and my grateful profound acknowledgements, for
this rich tribute TO the sentiments which they
do me the honor to entertain towards me. /
should have been most happy to express my
great obligations TO all Of them per sonally if it
had been in my power.
| shall soon pass from the jurisdiction of my
contemporaries and of the present generation to
that of history and posterity, if the one shall
deem me worthy of any record on its pages, or
tradition shall transmit any recollection of me
to the other.
1t is not within my legitimate province to ex-
press any opinion of my own public career or
public deeds. That Office belongs to them, and
l consider my future fame fortunate if it shall
be regarded by them with small proportion of
the favor with which the Partially of yourselves
and your associates now contemplate it.
shall soon appear before higher and more
holy tribunal than any earthly one, which can
unerringly nudge of the motives as well as the
acts of man. To that tribunal look forward
with composare and confidence that ! shall be
acquitted of having ever been prompted, in the
discharge of my public duties, by any mean or
sordid or selfish ends, or been animated by any
other purpose than TO promote the honor, the
prosperity, and glory of cur common country.
Medals are generally struck by the authority
and paid for out of the public treasury OF the
Government, and most frequently are intended
to reward and signalize the triumphs achieved
in war. But that which you now so kindly ten
der to my acceptance is the spontaneous Offering
of private citizens, from their private purse, for
public services exclusively in the civil depart.
ment. shall fondly and gratefully cherish shd
preserve il whilst life endures, and transmit I
r to nv descendants under the hope that they Wi
. receive and carefully guard it, with emotions o.
G lively gratitude 10 my New York friends, a
the proudest and richest legacy that could leaV
G Them
e During the delivery of this beautiful and aP
y lpropriate reply the most perfect silence Perva
: ded' the chamber; every eye was hxed on IN
: tall and commanding form so long known 10 IN
: public, but respect and admiration were mlngle
y with tender regret on witnessing the eVider
u struggle between the unimpaired Nlgor OF IN
: mind and the feebeness of its now emaclate
. and sha ken tenement. Yet the eye still gilt'ei
. ed with unsubdued lustre, and at times the tone
n of his voice rose into an emphasis which remh'
- ed one of ancient days.
~ His manuscript having been laid aside, M
,n Claw proceeded to more minute examination
e the Medal, at which he had, previous to rePlyln
cursoriiy glanced tits Of pure California go'
massive and woighty, and is enclosed IN sliv
case Which opens With hinge, IN the mann
"A of n bnntiao watch. On the face OF the meu
!, is fine head of Mr.. Clay, most iehenous ~ y
~ Iikeness and conveys the characteristic lrhpre