New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-13


and in accordance with the instructions Of the
Kentucky Legislature, he voted and spoke against
\ the recharter of that institution. But in 1916,
whilst Speaker Of the House, upon report intro
duced by Mr. Calhoun, proposing the recharter Of
the Bank, pursuant to the Recommendation of
President Madison, Dir. Clay came down from the
chair to the floor to advocate the measure. This
| g the only instance Of change Of views by Mr..
4 Clay on any important measure OF national policy
during public life Of nearly half century. The
reasons which led to this change he frankly
ayowed. A heavy debt, the result Of the late war,
weighed like an incubus upon the country, and there
4 was general national financial embarrassment.
The eyes OF the whole people were turned to she
Government in the reasonable expectation that the
| Legislature would devise some means of relief.
Satisfied BY experience and more mature reflection
OF the incorrectness of his first scrupes as to the
constitutioDality Of Bank, and impressed with q
full conviction of its absolute necessity he did not
hesitate to announce publicly his change of opin-
ion, when he might have sheltered himself behind
his Speakers chair. He knew full well that his
candor was liable to misconstraction- his motives
open to animadyersion and suspicion. It was Ike
him to meet the responsibility face to face. with
4 the courage Of conscious rectitude.
/ When this subject again came before Congress
~ 1857, he advocated the recharter of the Bank.
The measure failed, as IS well known, through the
/ veto OF the President. The opposition in Congress
to this veto, and to the subsequent removal Of the
deposits, and indeed to the administrations of Gen.
jackson and Mr.. Van Buren, was open, determined
/ and dauntless. Mr.. Clay became on all occasions
4 Though thwarted in carrying through their meas
ures, the opposition enjoyed the satisfaction of
seeing them approved Of BY the people, in the
memorable Presidential contest Of 1S40. The I'M
timely death Of Gen. Harrison prevented the real
| ization OF the expectations Of his party But the
election Of that distinguished patriot was no less
verdict OF the people in favor Of the pelicy which
Mr. Clay had 80 long and consistently advocated
before the country. Since that time, some Of the
measures of the great Whig party, Of which he
was the life and soul have been laid aside or modi-
fed; but let any candid mind turn to the history
of that party, and however much he may dissent
from its tenets he cannot but admit that its aims
were patriotic and national, pure, comprehensive
and republican.
Hitherto ! have spoken only Of some of those
measures Of domestic policy in which Mr.. Clay
bore prominent part. I pass now to review
briefly his course with reference to the foreign re-
l lations of our country.
/ 1t has been said by distinguished statesman
whose name take pride in mentioning-by Mr.
Crittenden-that sto Mr.. Clay belonged the states
mans portion Of the glory OF the last war with
Great Britain = and the concurrent testimony Of
his contemporaries has assigned to him the honor
of being its most prominent and effective advocate
and supporter.
4 When, in 1872, President Madison sent conf
dental communication to Congress, recommending
an embargo upon vessels then in port for sixty
days, the measure was strenuously opposed in the
House. Mr.. Clay, then Speaker of the House. stood
forth its defender. assuming the bold ground that
it was TO be viewed as the direct precursor to
WALL Iut IleuSlIt WIS dQOpteu, Inu Was SlOFuy
followed by an open declaration Of war with Eng
land.
Under the Berlin and Milan DEGREES Of Napoleon
our ships and their cargoes had been seized and
c0nfscated by the French. The British, by their
orders in Council, continued during the same time
to perpetrate like outrages upon our flag and
property. These wrongs were justified by eacl
nation upon the novel plea that they were also
perpetrated with impunity by the other. Dissatis
fled with policy of neutrality, they despised
4 our supposed weakness. AT length France, yield
ing to our remonstrances, was induced to forego
SO far as we we're concerned, the hostities perpe
; trated under her DEGREES. But the naughty an6
domineering spirit OF England was reluctant to re
frain from further aggressions ap0n us, and She
continued for a year after to harrass our com
meree, to violate our flag, to stop our ships upor
!, the high seas-nay, even under the shadow of ou
! own shores-and TO impress into her hateful ser
f vice American citizens In a space of some tw,
months and a half, twenty-seven merchant ship
were taken by British cruisers and condemned a
timated that up to the time when war was declared
t 1000 seamen had been impressed in fragrant viola
tion of our rights under the established principle
/ of the Law Of Nations.
r 0utrages such as these, the people of this eour
try mindful of their ancestral gories and instinct
. lively imbued with the spirit of liberty and indie
: pendenee, could not long tolerate. To .portra
them in the strains Of fiery indignation and impas
stoned eloquence which Mr.. Clay employed, wa
at once to flush the cheeks and stir the heart of tn
r nation. The patriotism of the people beeam
kinded into blaze. The powers Of his orator
: at this time seemed indeed wonderful. He spok
!, like inspired. His words glowed with geniu
: and patriotism. In one OF his bursts OF eloquenc
he enuncated principle in relation to the right
{ impressment as claimed and exercised by Grea
f Britain, which has stood and is now the acknow
edged principle OF the Law of Nations Speakln
b of the certificates Of protection to our seame1
authorized by the act of lI96, he said: Sir, Coy
$ ernment has done too much in granting these pape
i, projections. l can never think of them withou
+ being shocked They resemble the passes whic
the master gives to his negro slave let the beare
! Mnngo, pass and repass without molestation
i What do they imply? That Great Britain has
d right to seize all who not provided with them
L From their very nature, they must be liable +
d abuse ON both sides. If Great Britain desires
q mark by which she can know her subjects, let he
d give them an mark. The colors htat float fro1
The mast heads OF oar ships should be the only crt
e Gleitidls of oar Sednle1
During the war lie welded an influence almost all
soute in the House-among such illustrions states
men as Lowndes, Calhoun. Cheyes, Peter B. Porter
y and others. He showed tho nation how to breas
l. the storm and was most active and Jealous in dc
It vising and advocating plans to provide for OH
J. efficient armament.
v Wherever the recruiting drum was heard, ou
youth pressed forward in crowds to answer its bea
going forth to war in vindicaton of our country
n honor. Need remind you, Mr. President, how, j
e your own and his beloved Kentucky, in the shol
y space of few weeks, your ihustrious ancestors
II the Johnsons, raised, equipped and took the el
it at the head of aregiment of mounted men, thol
l. sand strong, Inc HOVER ana the StfenSln Oh you
noble state2 Ask these frontiermen, who left the
r, rnral homes, what more than anything eale
them FORTH andthey will tell you it was the yoic
II of Henry Clay that rang like clarion throug
IL their native woods. Yes, sir he was the wa
3, genius of the Republic.
o 1t was proper that . war which he had bee
n instrumental in originating, Mr. Clay should b
selected as one of the Commissioners to eonelud
$, by negotiations of peace. Accordingly. on reee
IF ing such an appointment, he resigned the Speake
ship of the House Of Representatives, to commend
it his career as diplomatist. | am not permtte
Is now to recall to you in detail the services he re-
of dered in this new scene Of public life. The trea
OF Ghent is SO closely identified with his name tn
to ennmerate its advantages is to sound his nrais
Yet must not omit to mention that when it was pr
posed to eonrede to Great Britain continued rig
m to navigate the Mississippi river from its mouth
its source, he opposed it at the outset and final
Df declared that he would afix his signature to 1
in treaty which should make the contemplated co
d. cession.
e. In sight of that noble stream that bears upon
le ample bosom the wealth of all the wide and trui
fnl West it is proper that this statue should STAN
~ to commemorate the inealculable blessings whie
ot his foresight and determination contributed
ID largely to secure for the exclusive benefit of h
c. country.
e. But this was only one of the beneficial resul
e. flowing from the war. Our prowess had bee
in tested; sense of national honor had been Vt
s. dicated; our arms were hung up bound with ia
&C res !; and we stood among the powers OF u
al. | aoptf, atia and real