Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-08-21
A Speech from Henry Claws Son.

Inere was great Union demon
stration near Maysville, KY, on the
9th ult-. Of the friends of Buchanan
and breckenridge. It was a real old
kentucky gathering, and many old
settlers, 'sthe veteran companions of
the great Clay, attracted thither by
the rumor that the son Of their noble
chief was to appear on one of the
iavorite arenas Of bis father to an
nounce and justify his political curse. "
Besides James B. Clay, Col. George
Hodge, II. L. Penn and Col. Thos. 3.
Stevenson, old Clay Wings, addressed
the meeting for Buchanan. &
The Cincinnati Enquirer gives a
very interesting sketch of Clay's
speech, which we copy, We call par
ticular attention to that portion refer
ring to Breckenridge and Dcnelson,an
to the false charge that Mr.. Buchanan
was guilty Of bad conduct towards
Henry Clay. The whole speech is
worthy Of the consideration of old
Wings, whose devotion to their coun-
try is paramount to party prejudice:
Mr.. Clay said he was quiet far
|mer who had taken but little part
in public affairs. He was compar-
alive stranger in his own State
There were not half a dozen familiar
faces in the great crowd before him.
But he had been illuminated by the
|press--he had been denied the right,
unless at the hazard Of the most bitter
and malignant personal detraction, Of
taking that course in political ae
fairs which his judgment and con.
science approved. He had been
painted as monster of political ter
giversation and inf deity his own
and the heartstrings Of his family had
been torn by the vile abuse to which he
been subjected. He now appeared
before them to show what manner OF
man he was, to justify to his fellow
countrymen the consistency and hon
er of his conduct.
MIR. Clay proceeded to say that he
had no blood in his veins which did
not flow in an honorable channel and
from an honored source. 1t was not
in the nature of his race to be faith
less and heacherous. There was
none of that race but had borne a
true and patriotic heart in bis bosom.
An uncle had fallen CALAMITY s!rug-
Cling against the savages of the River
Rasin. Many now present remem.
Der that gallant man who believed
the dark and bloody ground with his
hearts blood. A brother had fallen
at Buena Vista, fighting for the
honor and flag of his country, and
even when disabled and Frustrated
from many wounds, when last seen
he still resisted and combatted the
enemies of his country. Last and
greatest of his name-greatest that
had been or ever would be-his
father, had lived for his country and
for the Union-had exhausted his
days in the service of the Republic,
and had imposed on all connected
with him, as their highest and most
sacred duty, to give their best efforts
to the maintenance of that cause to
which bis great heart and talents were
$50 long consecrated.
In the performance of this object,
Mr.. Clay said he came there to strike
one blow for the Union. He then
proceeded to show that the banner of
the Wing party had been farled and
laid on his fathers grave. Its ap-
preaching dissolution was announced
in the canvass and success of Gen.
Taylor. who refused to acknowledge
himself a Wing. Indeed, death
began when that party declared sue
cess to be its great object. in opposi-
ton to the sentiment of Henry Clay
that it was better to be right than
to be President. He had chung to
the old party in its dying as be bad
in its prosperous moments, and when
its final dissolution was proclaimed
be looked round to see where he
should go. He felt himself in the
embarrassment in which the Sage of
Mansfield once found himself He
had entertained opinions in favor of
Native Americanism, and had pub
lished the first article that had ever
in Kentucky on that sub
ject. So, hearing that there was a
party organized on that idea. and