American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-09-20
Address Of Thos. Fart Clay. Rrcsi-
dent Of tho American Council
of Kentucky.
TO MY COUNTRYMEN.


founder of the Wing party in the Uni
ted States, would be productive of good,
and might tend to induce many to give
that calm reflection to the present po-
litical condition of our beloved country
which it so imperatively demands, not.
withatanding the objections which pro-
SAINT themselves to me, and which are
many and grave, I have determined,
from sense Of duty, 20 comply with
their wishes; to appeal to the patriotism
of my fellow countrymcn; and, if my
warning voice may be heard in this mo-
mentous crisis, to urge upon them the
selection Of such candidates for the
Presidency AID Vice Presidency of the
United States as can alone give per-
mancnce to our institutions, and bring
peace to our distracted country.
Content to remain in the situation
in which Providence has placed me, I
have never aspired to any political Of
flee. l have however, from my posi-
ton, an acquaintance with the public
men of the United States and their po-
. i4siSoi iiiSIOiiC5, NILCu lew, Olucl NISC
situated, could have obtained.
We are called upon to select between
James Buchanan, Willard Fillmore and
Col. John G. Fremot, for the next
presidency. AS for the last named of
these gentlemen, l have been unable
yet to learn upon what considerations
his friends base his claims. 1t is but
the madness ofparty spirit end section
alism which could attempt the eleva-
ton fsuch man to the high Office to
which he aspircs. .'"
| My father thought Buchanan weak
and corrupt; wanting, as General Jack
son has it, in moral irmncss. | have
seen no reason to vary my opinion
from his. MiScd up, as he is, in the
old Bargain and Corruption" plot, his
card to the Telegraph newspaper in
July, 1927, in which he says, { l at
tempt not to give the words, but the
substance,) "Mr. Adams has been O.
lccted to the Presidency by Mr.. Clay
agency; Mr.. Clay has been appointed
Secretary of State by Mr.. Adams; the
people will draw their own inferences;"
his attempts to prove in public speech
es in 1914, in Pennsylvania, that Mr..
Polk was better tariff man than Mr..
Clay, furnish such damning record of
weakness and corruption, that cannot
/ conceive how even any Democrat of
the old line, l mean Jackson Democrat,
could give him his support. Who could
! believe, then, that any old line Wing,
any friend of my father, would be found
enlisted in his cause?
Whether as author or signor Of the
Ostend Manifesto, he has shown an ut
ter want of those statesmanlike quail
! ties which are requisite in President
of the United States.
The time has come when every lover
of his country should speak out boldly
and fearlessly. I shall not shrink
from the duty. Too much is at stake
to tolerate silence in any one who is in
formed as to the political histories Of
either Mr.. Fillmore or Mr.. Buchanan.
Col. Fremont has none. '
Turn we now to Willard Fillmore.
Hyperion to Satyr. BY the act of
Providence, called to the Presidency of
the United States, we see him national
and conservative in all respects; uphol-
ding the constitution, carrying out its
compromises; attending to tho interests
of every section; respected both at
home and abroad. On the completion
of his term, hailed by honest Wings &
honest Democrats everywhere; with
swell done, thou good and faithful
servant" &c.
Can an Amcri can public halt in its
opinion between such men? Is slavery
agitation never to be put to rest? Is
squatter sovereignty and 1illibusterism
to be tolerated by free and enlightened
Americans? Esau-like, are We ready
to sell our birth-rights for mess of
pottage? Forbid it, Almighty God!
Away with the wretched plea of a.
vailibility. Let us do what is right,
and look to God with honest conscien-
ccs for the result.
TO the old line Wings of tho Ash.
land District | take leave to say, no.
nor them for their course. In their
own approving consciences they alrea-
dy feel their reward. They want no
Offices, they acted for the good of their
country, and they have come nobly up
to the work. No cry of availability
could swerve them. In pledging their
support of Mr.. Fillmore, they do only
what their old leader would do, with
all his might, could he now once more
address his country.
l write warmly, for I feel deeply the
Importance of the crisis through which
we are about to pass. I believe that