Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-05-01
THE VOICE NE HENRY CLAY.

The following is IN extract from Mr.. Cay's celc,
brated speech in defence Of the American System,
delivered in the Senate Of the United States, Feb. Sd,
| 1882:
"The honest, patient and industrious German rradi-
ly uutes with our people, establishes himself upon
of our tat lands fills capncious barns and ENJOYS
in tranquility the abundant fruits which his diligence
gathers aroun! him, always ready To iiy 10 the sand-
ard of his adopted country. Of its laws when called
by the duties of patriotism. The gay, the versatile,
the philosophical Frenchnan, accommodating himself
chceriully to all the vGissudcs of life incorporates
himself without difficulty in Gar society. But of all
| Foreigners, none hma!srnutc themselves so quickly
with cur peuple ns tue NATIVES or THE EMERALD
Isik. In sOl&e ui the visions which have passed
through my imagination have supposed that lEf-
LAND was originally part and parcel ot this continent
and that, by some extraordinary cnnvusIO n nature
it was torn from America and, drifting across the
ocean, it placed in the unfortunate vicinity Of
Great Britain The same opcn-hcartcdmcsS The same
generous hospitality, the carclcss and uncacuih
ting Indifference about human liit characterized the
inhabitants of both cnuntrIcs. Kentucky has been
sometimes called the ireland of America. And
have nu doubt TINT il the current uf emigration were
reversed, and sci from America upon the shores 0
Europe instead of bearing from Europe to .imcricn
every American cmrant to Ireland would there ma,
every Irish ensrGnt hero finds, hearty welcome
aud happy homo,
This language sin bold dcontrast with Know Nothing
rant and the absurd nttacks made upon the class of
persona to whom Mr.. Clay refers 1t shoud be rend,
with edication, BY all Wing. who revere the memory
and profess to adhere to the political principles OF
Henry Clay. What just rcbuke, in the words OF
the Frankfort ieoman, is the above language OF
Henry Clay "to the spirit cf Know Nnlhinssm TIM
has sei7od hold OF tie Wing party throughout the
Union, and especially in Kentucky Thor great
loader who founded their party, and made 1t respect
table by his matchless eoquence, his undoubted pa
triotism his chvaly and lis generosity, has scarcely
grown cold in the dark grave where he rests, be-
fore ha professcd followers dishonor his memory and
slander his patriotism by turning their backs upon the
noblest of his cherished principles and feelings Can
any old line Wing i'll Kentucky, who loved and hon.
orcd and almost worshipped Henry Clay now con-
scentiously join i'll crusade, war to the kniie
against principles that were so ably, 30 nobly
and so eloquently advocated by their idol'-
Can they now. with their hands on thor heurts
and their faces towards Heaven, swear in Sc
crot mid night conclavc, degrading oath to over
turn, upset and destroy the very foundation
stone upon which Mr.. CLAY sought 10 build
his great "American SysteIn!" Is il possible that
these, his eloquents words upon which they once 80
rapturously hung. have become cold and liieless
and fall unheeded upon that drank them in
as almost heavenly music7 Can any conscientious
old-line CLAY Wing, by acting in concert with this
new order Of Kuow-Notlings place his seal OF con-
demnation upon these sentiments Of their greatest
and best mani Will they abuse his memory, and de-
tract from his fair fame by saying that he was wrong
or that his burning words, in the extract we have
quoted, nothing but cap.trap, and intended for
buncombel Those men who were once.WhiGs and
are now Know Notlings place themselves exactly
in this position. They must either sny that their
great idol mistaken in his feelings, and wrong IN
his principles, or that he was the most magnificent
demacogue the world ever saw. Which position Will
they takel We believe that HENRY CLAY was
sincere when he uttered the above sentiments, that
they were dictated by cool head and warm
heart and that he, up to the time OF his dehth'
knew and felt it to be anti-Amercan 10 pro-
scr;be his fellow men on account of birth or religion
ave he would have scorled TO do so mean thing
And wo further believe, that, il his glorious form
could now be rc-animated with the same life he once
possessed he would burst from the grave, where Il
Nation in toars have laid him, and hurl hs terrible
anathemas against those who have betrayed ana ue'
sorted his principles in Kentucky. II there be suen
athing as visit of departed spirit TO this stormns
and troublous world of ours, and that OF old hai