Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-01-24
SPEECH OF C. M. CL LAY,j,
AT FRANKFORT, KY.
From ,he Capitol 'stePs, Jan. 10M, 1860

g
NrouMrxrUM.-GOg Magofin in his mes
..aa and Vice President Breckinridge, be-
80 Tho Kentucky Legislature, hadassstiled
,I,o nrinciples and aims of the Republican
,srty Those MIR. Clay aspired to defend.
tt,,,1owipr the event of John Browns raid
s;'Jcxccu;ion, the suppression of the Free
Sonth Newspaper at Newport bylyiolence,
,Ie emulsion of John q. Fec and associates
snnm madison county, KY, and the design
~. the part of the Slave Oligarchy to per-
,,n,r,.te the reign of terror in all the South;
E was generally given out that Mr. Clay
'.orII.Ic silcpccd The halter.witli which
T.rown mas hung, the bloody lance which he
1I:.s,i in battlc-a present from Gov. Wise
.% Gov. Nagofin-was freely handed about
I'D shown in Frankfort. Whilst q central
;onrnal onenIy put it that if Clay was al
lowed 10 speak in the Capitol. Kentuckians
vou!d be proven towards.
AIR CLAY did not ask for the Representa-
ives Hall; hut it was generally ccded that
Sv tacit consent he should occupy it., and
the doorkccpcr, Mr.. Grey promised to have
it open and lighted up, But. at the ap-
noiuted lrour the Hall was closed and dark.
The night was gloomy and storm threaten
ing. tic gas lights ofthe city were dnrkened,
arI in the ..very immense audience" as des-
crIhpu pN luG ECpUllSt VI SttS A4S0ASNAiI -
IournaI. none spoke above a whisper, As
NJ CIaysrosc to speak, innumerablc lights
we're brought and distributed by unknown
hands throughout the crcwd, and for more
than three hours he was listened TO amidst
rrofouud silence or occasional applause.
The difficulty of arranging his references
mikes the report Of the speech lose much
nfi:s unity: but truth is considered OfmOrc
Importance than rhetorical arrangement.
KrxrUcKIAxs!-Tha most profound and
n;,ilnsouhical Historian, in my opinion, of
.,ID.m.s-Ciibbon. speaks of courage and
size ,ity or its equivalent, truth, as the
Greatest of all human virtucs The brave
s,,n,..rviuu upon his courage never qucs-
1,nns ,list nt ;tnotl,er Tllusc who know me
know tuIl well am not in the habit of
suraking Ci my courage, nnr have indniS-
ed IA that oimer-wiiat | consider a bad
l,aMt OF Krntuckiuns in general, OF speak.
ing cf their courage. L Will, however, trans
.-rr,s py ordinary RUE and speak OF it to
ii.ht. Ii thOu@ht-is had thought That
yGu. whose bt""d has Illustrated every bat
tie field from the beginning of our gavcrlr-
meat 10 this day, were wanting i'll that vir
iue, ami If did no. know that yuur illus
tiovs ancestors beginning with L"cme and
Kvn;on dcwn to this day, possessed tbs
virtue: that Twas in the land of the Nlckccs,
tire M;lshalls. the Daviscs, the RUbinsons,
The CIaIkes, the Btcckinridges, the Clnys,
the Crittcndcns, and host Of other men
th.t have made Won iliustrious among men,
;hrn might question your courage; but, 1t
is because that know that | am here,
among such men and iii Kentucky, TINT
speak here to night. The brave are always
geaprous-always! and placing implicit con-
~ .n.,,n ,1
have never feared 10 go forth through all
this broad and glorious land OF ours, relying
unon the justice and mngnAnimty of Ken
;utkians. never asked, never cared
whcthertLcy were Democrats, Republicans,
Americans, or otany other party denomi-
nation. Thank God, gentlemen, this trust
uf mine hasneYer been falSifed Whether
stand iii your State House or whether
stand outside Of your State nousc-whether
am surrounded by light or covered by
darkness. l feel equally safe while 1 am
among kentuckians.
Gentlemen. there are some peculiar Cir
cinmstanccs attending this, my address, to-
night, that call ior allusions that l am not
inihe habit OF making. 1t has been said
know not what is lhe position and power
:nd influence and talent and integrity of
the party from whom it came-tllat If Cnss.
Clay was allowed to speak tonight in the
c!y of Frankfort, that the world would be
iscre ihc Kentuckians are towards, and that
. John Brown had intimilated, or scared
20 use Stc word, Virginia. SO it would go
cut that had intimidatcd the million of
sHeh men OF kentucky as surround me to-
night, Gentlemen, what madness, what
folly is this. 1t is because you are brave
Itls because your courage is unqucstioned
and unqueStionable that there is n conf
dcaCe abroad uOt only among men, but
among women and little children, that will
s1eak nero tonight, and be not only heard
cat respectfully treated. Shame on such n
sentiment Us thaj. How would it do for
You, whose name has become synonymous
Win tue word courage, TO hear it said that
You go out to silence the voice of Cass. Clay
j: death prove tliat you arc men. / will
-ot elaborate this idea The very women
snare a0ue Of this intimidation. am proud
to say, though do not often speak of these
EiLss, The wife of Cass Clay has written
10 him this day; not that she hopes l may
tseape alive from scene of int!midating
tlrests tlat have come from high and potent
S'urces-nO! she is Kcutucky born wo-
han' and such thing never enters her
thoughts; and, sho .'pTays God that may
most soriously vindicate my principles to
s't' 4ou men WHO. near me lO-nlSht;
"s very women who hear this sentiment
Wi! go away better men and better women
i'F The hearing. The time will come when
10 'iose who Shall succeed US, if fortune
SHa.' suffer them, it will be proud rcfcc-
Tan 'ta: you thus vimlicatcd your title to
'ie name OF courageous men.
NoPfRsuSAL FBELIxGs ENGAGED.
Some gentlemen haze supposed that in
asmneh as the publication which made
s.AIei that l would here, in this place and
.Aosoiia, and the late speech of your Sena-
or eject, AIr Breckiuridge, that / had some
PERSONAL feelings against those distinguish
- gentlemen, and that some. personal or
..Nate ends were to be subserved at this
l4e by attacking these gentlemen. Nothing