Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-04-17
The Clay Statue Inauguration Banquet
Took place at the Exchange Hotel on Thurs.

Took place at the Exchange Hotel on Thurs
day evening The entertainment was eloquent
and passed of most pleasantly. From the
"Whis" we re-puLlish this morning the first
part Of the events OF the evening, hoping to
give the remainder hereafter Vim. II.
Maciarand, Esq, presided with Ex-prcsidcnt
Tyler on his right, and b. Johnson Barbour on
his left The Arnory Band gave very ciltc-
tive aid OIL j ne interesting occasion:
After the party had fully regaed themselves
with the good things before them, the Prcsi-
dent, Mr. mcfarland arose, and after a few IN
troductorr remarks, which were inaudble
from tue confusion that prevailed for mo-
mcnt, said:
Il am abou: 10 propose sentiment III
memory of one who was distinguished for his
social as for his public qualities. In public
life, as stern rs Cato, yet in social communion
as bland and pleasing rs the Most winning na-
ture. In private life, lie attracted the conf
dcncc and esteem OF all; and in public life he
commanded the reverence md admiration of
the world. (ApplauSr.J The difficulty which
one has in referring 10 character so bright
and llluStriou., is that il is so made up in the
compound, s., balanced and concrete. that it
seems almost impossible t" speak 81 any one
quality ;ls indicative CT the great whole. We
may say o: him. that he rendered his native
State better known and more rcvered than
probably any other part Of the world. and cX-
erted upon the great West, Of which he was
the noblest type, an influence that brought
it into harmony with the Fast. t-ipplausc.) }
"Without further remark in recommending
it 10 your serious attention. propose the fol-
lowing toast:
Henry Clay--1lis .ucnory will be cncxtcn-
Siye with the Union and he would not have
desired that it might survive it." iApplausc.
! MnSr--Hail Columbia.)
! Mr. r. T. Daniel sald: : Mr.. President. !
will propose sentiment which know will
strike Il responsive chord in the bosom ofcrcry
one present 1t is this:
! ''Thr ladies Of the Clay Statue Association
! What State could fall, or empire decay, if the
fiery zeal OF mans noisy patriotism were but
! equal to the silent LOYALTY Of woman's love ::
I (Applause.)
! Mr.. B. johnson Harbour vas called upon to
, respond. After few amusing remarks, he
said he was not going to be guilty Of making a
| speech, as his own rhetoric had been so vcnti-
lated in the course Of the day. lie would,
the ladies, but in reference tu Il subject in
which all sexes feel an interest
"Our Country-Its wounds are not irnnlcdi-
cable They could readily he healed by rcyiv-
ing the memory Of Our inrciathers, and cher
! shing the Union ~ il was intended To he
! (Applause.)
| The President announced that tho next reg
nar toast was the "l:nion,H which would be
| offered by Mr.. Wyndhaln Robertson. Mr. Il.
| arose and said
| Mr. President, | riSc in obedience tV your
call, and Oh behalf Of The committee, to offer
you a sentiment that can never hc absent from
! nm occasion Intended to do honor to the memo.
ry of Henry Clay. 1t is onc his devotion TO
! which his life was but one long illustration o.,
! it is one his devotion TO which was the chief
| illustration of that long and glorious life-of
that lofty and splendid career. (Applausc) 1t
| is one winch inspired his earliest ellorts-which
| claimed and drew forth his meridian power
which received the last rcccding rays Of his In
minous intcllcct-the latest thrubhings OF his
patriot heart. tApplIsc.) 1t is one his SER
| vices in behalf Of which link indissoluby and
| forever his great name with those Of Washing
! ton, of Madison and or Wcbster--of Wash
t ington, the founder of the Union; Of Madison,
| the architect Of the Constitution; Of Webster,
! the mighty defender Of both Ii is the senti-
mcnt OF fattachmcnt and Loyalty to the Constitn-
tional Onion of the States. (ApplYlsc.) | Of
! fer you the following sentiment:
/ "rhc Constitutional Union Of the United
States. The Union Of the States is MS the har.
nony Of the Stars. While obedicnt to the
laws Of creation, they sing ever IS they 20
glad tidings Of great joy" 10 all the world
rebclng against them, light and JOY are swal-
lowed up in darkness, and order falls back into
primodial chaos" (Applausc)
The President, (Mr. Macfarland,) then said ::
| have the pleasure to announce 10 you that
Ex-Presdent Tyler will respond 10 the toast Of
the Union (Appausc.)
Loud calls were then made Tor the Ex-Presi-
dent, wherenpon he arose amid applause, and
said:
Mr.. Presidcn! a"d Gentlemen!--l frankly
confess that did not anticipate the call you
have made upon me. came prepared, if
opportunity was given, TO say few words Of
the distinguished man whose memory You have,
so far as marble could 10 il, i,nmortalzed. But,
in speaking Of him. shall, Of necessity, speak
Of the Union. | came up 10 witness the pro-
ceedings Of to-day. 1t is great spectacle, that
Of inaugurating the statue Of one who has
! paSscd away from Garth 1t is the ctcrniZing
his name, rs far as marble can accomplish il.
1t is the rcscuing from the tomb those features
which were immevable in their day and genera
ton 70 do this OH yondcr grounds and in
the shadow of the Capitol which is halowed
by great events and great names. and this, too,
in advance Of similar tributes to the heroes and
statesmen Of other days, who drew their sus-
tenance from Eirginia's maternal breast, and
,uade their names illuStrious, is no ordinary
event.. And yet it is right. II is right to re-
claim the resemblance, while it may be donc,
of one of Nirgina's sons, who, in carly life,
left the old homestead fora new one i'll the W cSt
under the nursing care of her oldest daughter.
1t NAV now be said after the manner Of the in.
scriplon on the tomb Of the Mantuan Swan :
! Virginia gave him birth, Kentucky gave him
| grave, the United States furnished him Il
theatre for his lahors' trust that the day is
not distant when those Public Grounds will
exhibit to an atimirnS people the rcsurrrcIr1
features Of grand host Of departed patriots.
each. after its own way Ia be silent nG
corciblr monitor of that immortality nt fam"
whicl. succeeds life Of high and A0nor&'!c
action.
II is knuwn to all present, and therefore had
AS well be spoken, that there was q period in
nv nwn political life, when the man whose INC
mory you are this tay hnnoring, stood in for
mi,iab'c antasonsm TO me- His blows icll
hcsvilr and thickly upon nir, and doubtless
some OF the bruises and sears which they in
iiicted remain to the present day. lie struck
with guantleted hand, aud that hand waS
heavy. he required an inpossibility but let
that ,,ass Alter too shall have badc the
world good night, history, if it deems them
worthy of her record, will gather up the inci-
dents Of those times and represent them truly.
Be it SOL turn away from them and 90 back
to other times. ! recall the image OF Henry
Clay upon my entering Congress. His clarion
voice had rcsounded through the country long
before that lie had efficiently sustained the
administration of Mr.. Jefferson, and had mar
shallcd the Republican hosts under Mr. Maai.
son, that battlcd in what has been not naptly
col led the second war Of independence. lie