Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-09-13
The Son Of Henry Clay Speaking for
JAMES BUCHANAN
Speech of James B. Clay.

Kentrchy.
Mr.. Clay being called for, was introduced
to the assemblage as an old line Wing, the
sch, IF, Henry, Clay, lie said:
Ladies and Gent2snten, Felloto- Citizens q
Mason County:-I present myself before
you on this occasion under circumstance pc
culiar and extraordinary. A candidate for
no Office in the gift of the people, in bad
health, have left my home and my occu-
patton as an humble, plain farmer, at the re-
ques of those in whose names | recognize
old Wings and Democrats, to come here to-
day to cast my mite and to strike one blow
for the Union. In all this vast assemblage
| there are perhaps not more than half do
zen who have ever seen ne before, and not
that number with whom have the least per-
sonal acquaintance You have all, however,
heard my name; and all of you heard the
yilest charges made against me, designed
and calculated to destroy whatever little in
1uence l may happen to possess as and indi-
vidual, and to take from me the confidence
and respect of my fellow men. have been
Their, and as renegade to his principles
Fellow citizens, | was born within q stones
throw of the capitol, in the very house in
which my father died. Educated Under his
care, the same shades of Ashland, in which
he so much delighted, under which he had
some Of his noblest inspirations, gave shell
ter tic ME in my youthful day. / thank God
that, by my own cxertions, I have been able
to preserve that spot in his family In my
more niatrre manhood was the companion,
the partner, The trusted friend of my father
Thus educated and thus associated, to be-
come Wing was part of my nature. am
now Wing; and expect to die Wing as
have lived;
Fellow-citizeHns, yoli lave heard If the
charges and calumnies against me. l am
now before you face to face, and yoii can
Judge for yourselves whether | have the
eountenance of false and insihoere ihan.
There is not one drop of false blood coursing
through my veins. Numbers of you here
present are old enough to remember the Riy-
er Raisin, and that bloody day, when all
Kentucky Vas clothed in mourning. One
of my race on that DISASTROUS OCCASION pour-
ed out his last lfe's blood for his country.
Ali OF eosi have heard IF Buena Vista, and
how my noble brother, covered With hun-
dred wounds, upon his back, surrounded by
enemies sd long as his feeble arm could raise
his sword, battled for the Rohdr and glory of
the Union and of his native Kentucky.-
None of you could have forgotten that fune,
raj eortege, which, leaving Washington CITY,
passing through half the Union, arrived at
Ashland, amid the nations tears and grief
patriot was brought. Home to be, laid tinder
the green sod, of tile laid which Had so hon
ored him. and upon which he had reflected
so much honor Fellow-citizcns, this is my
race these were my people-and with their
memories always present and clustering a.
round me, | appeal to you to know whether
it is possible for me to be false OF insinccre
Early in last year, fellow citizens, it was
apparent that the Wing party as an organi-
cation was gone. The seeds of its fall were
sown in 1910, when the plume of military
chieftain was permitted to dazzle mems eyes
But in 1913, when adopting the doctrine
that availability and success were rather to be
looked to than right, in lieu of that noble
idea that it was better to be right than be
President, the convention of Philadelphia
set the seal upon the fate of the party. Re-
ftising to re-assert q platform of Wing prin-
ciples, it selected General TAILOR IS Its can
didate for the Presidency upon the single
idea of his availability. The hand writing
was as plairly Upon the wal as at Belshazzar's
feast. The Wing PARTY broken up, disor-
gained, and apparently hopclcssly 50, old
line Wings began to ask themselves the .ques-
lion which once the immortal Sage of Marsh
| field propo'inded himself. "Whcre am | to
go?", Rumors came to tis ii a new PARTY
which vas said already to have attained vast
strength, even while many doubted its very
existence; Secret and mysterious it was re-
puted. like Minerva FROM tie brain of Jove,
to have sprung forth fully armed. Its pur-
poses were said to be the introduction of a
purer and better state of things in politics,
and the good only of the contry.
Seeing many of my old Wing associates
attaching themselves to it, ] was told it was
Whigger5 in disguise, and that it only DIFF
fefsa from the old Wing party in seeking a
modification ST tile naturalization laws.
had myself Thought that some modification
ought to be made of those laws, and that
greater safeguards ought to be placed around
the elective franchise, was told that its
seeresy, which was abhorcrt to my nature,
was only to Continue until the part3 get fair
ly under way, when everything would be
made open and public. Deceived by men in
whom | had every confidence, thought il
to be my duty to join this new party. l
presented myself for admission into the Or
der. Do not be deceived did not get in.
The first questions that were propounded to
the ast6nished. and startled me. lrhes we're
in Substance these--1 do not pretend to quote
the very words: Wher vase born? The
place of my residence? Was l twenty-one
years of age? Was l a Roman Catholic
Were my parents Protestants Was my
wife Roman Catholic? Was | willing to
oppose for all offices of honor, trust or profit
in the gift of the people "all foreigners and
Roman Catholics?
Fellow citizens, am not telling you UNI
truths. declare to you upon my honor
and in the presence of God, that believe
these to be substantially the questions which
were proposed 20 me, and l appeal to those
members OF the so-called American party
who nay be present to answer Whether /
have stated truly the Obligations under which
they placed themselves in the early part of
1885. whatever now may be Tie doctrines of
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