Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-09-16
Address riano OF Thomas r Hart Clay, Presiden'

of American Council of Kentucky.
To My Countrpaes . ..=
Urged by friends from different quarters, who
| believe that an address put forth by me, as the
eldest son of the founder Of the Whg party in the
! United States, would be productive of good, and
might tend to induce many to give that calm re-
Election to the present political condition of our
| beloved country which it so imperatively demand4
| notwithstanding the objections which present
themselves to me- and which are many and grave,
| ! have determined, from sense of duty, to COM
ply with their Wishes to appeal to the patriotism
OF my iellow-countrymen, and if my warning voice
| may be heard in this momentous crisis to urge
upon them the selection of such candidates for the
Presidency and Vice Presidency of the United
States as can alone give permanence to our insti-
tutlons, and bring peace to our distracted country
Content TO remain in the situation in which
| Providence has placed me, have never aspred
| to any political Office. / have however, from my
position, an acquaintance with the public men Of
| the United States and their political histories
which few, otherwise situated, could have OBJ
tanned
We are called upon TO select between James
Buchanan, Millard Fillmere and Colonel John G.
Fremont for the next Presidency. As for the last
named OF these gentlemen, / have been unable
yet to learn upon what considerations his friends
base his claims. 1t is but the madness of party
spirit and sectionalism which could attempt the
elevation of such man to the high Office to which
he aspres.
Myfather thought Buchanan weak and corrupt;
wanting, as General Jackson has it, in moral firm
ness. have seen no reason to vary my opinion
from his. Mixed up, as he is, in the old /" Bar
gain and Corruption" plot his card to the Tele-
graph newspaper in July, 1927, in which he says,
Il attempt not TO give the words, but the sub
stance,) "Mr Adams has been elected TO the
Presidency by Mr.. Clays 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 speeches in 1914, in |
Pennsylvania that Mr.. Polk was a better tariff
man than Mr. Clay, furnish such damning record |
of weakness and corruption, that cannot con- |
ceive how even any Democrat of the old line, / |
mean jackson Democrat, could give him his sup
port. Who could believe then, that any old-line |
Whig, any friend of my father, would be found
enlisted in his cause?
Whether as author or sgner Of the Ostend
manifesto, he has shown an utter want of those
statesmanlike qualities which are requisite In q
President of the United States
The time has come when every lover of his |
country should spaak out boldly and learlassly. |
l shall not shrink from the duty Too much is |
at stake to tolerate silence in any one who is |
informed as to the political histories of either
Mr. Fillmore or Mr.. Buchanan. Colonel Fremont
has none.
Turn We now to Mllard Fillmore. Hyperion to
Presidency of the United States, we see him ma |
tonal aud conservative in all respects; uphold |
ing the constitution, carrying out its compromises;
attending to the interests Of every section re-
spected both at home and abroad. On the com.
pletion Of his term, hailed by honest Wings and
honest Democrats everywhere, with "well done
thou good and faithful servant" &c.
Can an American public halt in its opinion be-
tween such menP Is slavery agitation never to
be put to rest Is squatter sovereignty and fl
ibusterism to be tolerated by free and enlight-
ened Americanss Esau-ike, are we ready to sell
our birth-rights for mess Of pottage2 Forbid il,
Almighty God
Away with the wretched plea of availability
Let US do what is right, and look to God with
honest consciences for the result
To the old line Wings of the Ashland District
take leave to say, honor them for their course
In their own approving consciences they already
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 available.
ity 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
write warmly, for l feel deeply the Importance
Of the crisis through which we are sbout to pass.
believe the "spirits Of the Just made perfect, if
they are ever permitted TO look down upon the
affairs of this earth, bending their approv-
ing gances upon the efforts OF the friends OF IL
and Donelson to elevate TO the high offices of
President and Vice President those distinguished
and trustworthy citizens, .
Look at Kansas what has produced the state
Of things now being enacted there2 Is it not the
weak and mbecile Administration Of Franklin
Pierceg Has not James Buchanan adopted the
acts of his Administration as part of his platforms
And can abused country submit to such an
other Administration for four years longerp
Awa xuith mis- 10 T..
lard Fillmore we have a statesman, calm and
wise, and fearless, who can still the element Of |
dscord, and advance the best interests Of our |
country.