The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-04-15
BIRTH DAY OF HENRY CLAY.
celebration at the Slash Cottage - Now
Ashland.

,roceediugs at the Clay festival q, Slash Cottage,
| now Ashland" in which so many distinguished
| nan took mart We give below q full and accurate
rarort of the eloquent speeches on the oecs sion.
| Az before stated Mr. EDWIN ROBINSON, presi
| sod assisted by Mr. BoTTs. After the dinner.
which was s very sumptuous one, the toasts and
1 .reeches succeeded. They were received with ae-
carnations of app suse, the tossts being accompan-
led with oopious libations of the very excellent
| Champagne prov ided for the occasios. We give
these tossts and speeches in their regular order:
l. TAS I2iA ef -dprii IN Amidst the thunders OF
Ae revolution 1t Graded the infant Clay and through
| Fnr peTpetE8ted the blessings of our Union.
| Air: Star Spsnged Banner.
| !. Party Spirit Oblivion TO il for the day. and a
anon Of all parties in honor of him who never suf.
eTed party spt TO sway his action, where the honor
| sd welfare Of his country were involved.
| lair: Auld Lang syne
s The County Of Haaorer: Heavy is the debt OF
gratitude due her for him who kindled and him who
| ted the sacred flame of liberty. Honor, all honor,
the glorious sell from which sprang Patrick Henry
| sad Henry Clay.
When shout 10 announce the 9Th toast Mr. RogIs.
scS stated that the President of the United States
was he very much gretted, absent being eompelle
FOREMAN in Washington to attend to important du.
| tes connected with his office.
: The president Of the United States; The pos on
once filed By the immortal Washington, is now oc.
cupied bv him. MAY he, in the discharge of his du.
v SO guard his couatTys honor and protect her
s-turou. as secure at the end of his term, like
Washington, lasting place IN the hearts of his
| oquutrymen Air: Hail to the Chief.
After the music ceased the Hon CALEB CUSHING
Attorney General Of the U. S., having been loudy
called for from all parts of the Hall, arose and
said:
| Mr. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN:-It would be
ungracious in me TO refuse TO present myself at
your call and in addressing you for a moment in
respect to the sentiment just offered, do in some
s5rt discharge duty to the head of the Execu
tive Administration Of the United States and
which would perform with unqualified pleasure
but for the fact that the circumstance compels me
10 break, as it were. the ice on this occasion and
10 rrecede what trust will prove to be an exhi-
bitten or the part OF the many eminent gentlemen
whom | see before mean exhibition of patriot
'sm Spd Of eloquence worthy of the occasion and
to which all may offer will constitute but most
sumbe introduction
know, Mr.. President, how much sincere and
raailoyed pleasure it would have given the Presi.
dent OF the United States TO participate with this
company in doing honor to this occasion, on this
SPOT and in the presence of so many admirers and
friends of the illustrious Clay. But he was pre-
vented from doing so by eIigencies of official
duty, and can but express in lis name and be-
half his thanks as well for the invitation with
which he was honored as the respectful sentiments
with which his name has been greeted
Having done this, it might be well for me per-
haps to stop here; but cannot forbear to embrace
tie occasion to add a word two of what may
not be deemed impertnent reflections upon this
OCCASION Sir, VINO mas happened to tread of
those great battlefields of the world in which the
destiny of nations, of empires and of ages has
been fought out and not felt his feet pressed tie
SOIL that the spirits of the undying and immortal
dead who had there fought for their country hoy
cred around himi Their memories were instinct
IN his heart-he their sublime forms rising as
ii we're from the earth to greet him. and he felt
that the earth upon which he trod was indeed con-
secrsted soil. (Applause.) But sir there are bat
ties of the voice and of the pen, as well as battles
of the sword Peace hath her victories no less re-
powned than war" and who within the limits of
this broad Union, from the Passamaquoddy, that
farthest shore of the Atlantic, to the rolling bilows
of the Pacific sea-who is there, l say, in these
United States to whom the Slashes of Hanover is
not historical earthf (Applause) There is not
i'll these United States-there lives not on this
great continent of American Reput lies whose Do
Htical birth Henry Clay honored and promoted
there lives not in all Christendom, man whose
hand is worthy to be TAKEN or whose heart beats
with true patriotism who does not honor the me-
rnory of Henry Clay, and who will not remember
with that accelerated pulsation which belongs to
all the grateful emotions of the human heart
who viii not remember that here in these SIashes
Henry Clay was born-born to honor his native
Virgina-born to illustrate these United States
prolonged applause)
Sir, in this world of ours, amidst all its con-
hiCting interests its stormy passions its high asp
rations, its struggle of doctrines-here, l saw in
these United States, it happens from day to day
that divided friend from friend, party from
party, combating in the councils of our country
before the people in behalf of our opinions, our
passions, or our interests. 1t must be SO. 1t is
Idle to regret that which is necessity of life and
of nature. Now, sir, [ will not say that of the
dead nothing shall be spoken but what is good:
that would be TO poison the fountains of history
and belle sacred immortal truth. No, sir do not
say that but say in the presence of the memories
of the mighty dead, when all the conflicts of the
living passions of the hour are stilled-when the
mind can rspose in calm thought upon the past
it might be improper in us to review the differ
nv w ia
dead yet we may, at least, look with calm appre
citation upon all that was great and good i'll the
past of him we came to commemorate And SO 1t
is now. Applause.
Mr. President see around me gentlemen, who,
in the pursuits of life, have met in all the diversi-
ties of public opinion which our free institutions
admit OF, and which the majesty of thought-which
is our masteRand to which we must yield-creates
and upholds: say that see around me gentlemen
who differ and will continue to differ in opinion
but thank God we can see the high intellect, the
patriotic principle, the lofty emotion, and genur-
GUS impulses of public good and maj estic eloquence
We and remember all this even in op-
ponents-even in our rivals-even if il be possible
TO say of the dead, enemies. If could not
do that we were unworthy of the name of Ameri-
cans l say, then, that standing here to COM
memorate the birth day of Henry Clay, amid the
scenes which are hanowed by his brth-here in
this soil of the great and powerful State of Virgin
ia-here, say, we may unite, OF whatsoever opin-
IONS, doctrines or sections we be--here we may
pulses of mere Americsnism, in doing honor TO the
memory of him who whatever his differences of
opinion with us may he, we all know to have been
at heart and soul, and through his whole life, devo-
ted TO the honor and the interests of the United
States.
/ anticipate that many eloquent and stirring
things will be said by gentlemen present in exhibit
lion Of the character Of the career and OF the fame
of Henry Clay. will venture TO stand upon a
single point in that great brilliant, and glorious
career. win refer only to that final struggle of
the patriotic efforts Of Henry Cay-that final
struggle in tho Senate of the United States, when
be co-cperated with others of his compeers and
among them, gentlemen here present, in those eff
forts which resulted in. the establishment, will
venture TO say, in The perpetual and unshakeabie
establishment In the public law and political theo-
~ OF these United States, ofthe absolute equality,
the eo-equal political autonomy of each and all
those States the great eorollary of that doctrine
Is the establishment of the corresponding theory
that each distinct inehoate state of this Union
shall determine for itself what shall be its own
institutions / say, if he left no other legacy TO
his seountrymen, it would be sufficient to perpetu-
ate his memory that he aided in the establishment
oi that principle which now has become fixed and
IAa-