The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1856-08-13
stCs,ii 1sa SPEECH OF
'"'S, JAM B. CLAY,
"a Delivered at the Union Meeting in
,,,1-, s,ss Mason Co., Kentucky.
SPEECH OF

HENRY CLAY. lie SAD.
sAa Ladies and Gentlemen, ello,c citizens of Mason
opoanty: Ipresent myself before you on this
occasion under circumstances peculiar and ex-
traordinary. A candidate for no Office in the
gin the people, in bad health, have left my
home and my occupation as an humble, plain
farmer at the request of those in whose names
! recognize old Wings and Democrats, to come
here to-day to cast ir my mite and to strike one
blow for the Union. In all this vast assemblage
there are perhaps net more than half dozen
I persons who have ever seen me before and not
that number with whom have the least per-
sonal acquaintance You have all Of you how
ever, heard my name; and all ofyou have heard
the viest charges made against me designed and
calculated to destroy whatever little influence l
might happen to possess as an individual, and to
take from me the confidence and respect of my
fellow-nen. have been denounced as false to
the memory Of my father and as renegade to
his principles, Felow-citzens, l was born
within stones throw of the capital, in the very
house in which my father died. Educated un-
der his care the same shades Of Ashland in
which he so much delighted and under which
he had some of his noblest inspirations, gave
shelter to me in my youthful days. | thank
God that, by my own excrtions have been
able to preserve that spot in his family. In my
more mature manhood, l was the companion,
thepartner, the trusted friend Of my fAthcr.--
Thus educated and thus associated to be a
Whig, became a part Of my nature. 1 am now
a Wing; and expect to die a Wing, as | have
lived
'a1Fellew citizens, you have heard the charges
and caluinnies against me. I am now before
you, face to face, and you can judge for your
selves whether have the countenance of false
and insincere man. There is not one drop Of
false blood coursing through my veins, Mum
bers of you here present are old enouglt to re-
member the River Rasin, and that bloody day,
when all Kentucky was clothed in mourning.
One of my race, on that disastrous occasion,
poured out his lilo's blood for his country All
of you have heard of Bucna Vista, AMI how my
noble brother, covered with hundred wounds,
upon his back, surrounded by enemies so long
.aS his feeble arm could raise his sword, battle
for the honor and glory Of the Union and of his
native Kentucky. None Of you can have fol-
gotten that funeral cortege, which, leaving
Washington City,passng through hafthc Union
arrived at Ashland amid the nation's tears and
:griof--a patriot was brought home to be laid
under the green sod Of the land which had so
ihonored him. and upon which he had reflected
so much honor. Fellow citizens, this is my
'race-thcse were my pcople-and with theil
memories always present AMI clustering around
me, l appeal to you to know whetherit is pos
sible for me to be false or insincere
Early in last year fellow citizens it was appar.
cnt to all men thatthe Wing party as an OF.
ganized party, was gone. The seeds of its ia
were sown in 1870 when the plume ola militia.
ry chieftian was permitted to dazzle mems eyes
Butin 1848, when adopting the doctrine thai
availability and success were rather to be look
ed to than right, in feuof that noble idea tha
it was better to be right than be President thu
Convention of Philadelphia set the seal uptl
the fate of the party. Refusing to reasscrt
platform Of Whig principles, it selected Genera
Taylor as its candidate for the Presidency uptl
thersingle idea of his availability. The hand
writngwas as plainly upon the wall as at Bel
shazzar's feast. The Wing party broken u
disorganized, and apparently hopeessly 50, Ole
Line Wings began to ask themselves the qu3s
tionwhich once the immortal Sage of Marsh
field propounded himself "Where ami to go?
Runlors came to us of new party which W;
said already to have attained vast strength, evcl
while many doubted its very existence. Secrc
and mysterious, it was reputed, like Mincry
from the brain Of Jove to have sprung forth ful
ly armed It's purposes were said to be the in
PRODUCING Of purcr and better state Of thing
inpolitics and the good only Of the country.
Seeing many Of my old Wing associates at
tachihg themselves to it, was told it was bu
Whiggery in disguise, and that it only diffcre
from the old Wing party in seeking modifca
ton of The naturalization laws. had myse
always Thought that some modification ough
tobe made Of those laws, and that greater safe
guards ought to be placed around the electv
franchise, Twas told that its secrecy, whic
was abhorrent to my nature was only to con
tinue until the party got fairly under way, whe
everything would be made open and public
Deceived by men in whom | had every conf
dehcet I thought it to be my duty to join th
new party l presented myself for admissio
into this order Do not be deceived did nc
get in. The first question that was propounde
to me astonished and startled me. They WEI
in substance these;I do not pretend to quot
the very words: Where was i born? The plac
of inyTesidcnce? Was twenty one years
age? Was Roman Catholic? Were m
parents Protestant? Was my wife Roma
Cathoiic?o Was willing to oppose for all of
ces Of honor trust Or, profit in thegift fthe pei
pie, alI4oreigncrs Or Roman Catholics?
Fellow-citizens, lam not telling you untruth
declare 70 you upon my honor and in the pre-
sence Of God, that / believe these to be sui
stantially the questions which were proposed I
me; and ! appeal to those members of the 81
called American party, who may be present,
answer whether ] have not stated truly the ol
legations under which they placed themselves
the early part of 1856, whatever may now |
the doctrines Of their party which | do not pr
tend to know do not expect them to answ
me, but do expect them when they 60 TO the
own homes, to make answer to their own col
sciences, whether have not spoken the trut
Shocked and startled, Irequestcd the prcsidir
"