Speech Of The Hon Henry Clay At The Mass Meeting In Lexington Ky On Saturday November 13 1847

Author : Henry Clay
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781331284055
Total Pages : 28 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (84 download)

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Download or read book Speech of Henry Clay, at the Lexington Mass Meeting, 13th November, 1847 written by Henry Clay and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-12 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Speech of Henry Clay, at the Lexington Mass Meeting, 13th November, 1847: Together With the Resolutions Adopted on That Occasion After the organization of the meeting, Mr. Clay rose and addressed it substantially as follows: Ladies and Gentlemen: The day is dark and gloomy, unsettled and uncertain, like the condition of our country in regard to the unnatural War with Mexico. The public mind is agitated and anxious, and is filled with serious apprehensions as to its indefinite continuance, and especially as to the consequences which its termination may bring forth, menacing the harmony, if not the existence, of our Union. It is under these circumstances I present myself before you. No ordinary occasion would have drawn me from the retirement in which I live; but, while a single pulsation of the human heart remains, it should, if necessary, be dedicated to the service of one's country. And I have hoped that, although I am a private and humble citizen, an expression of the views and opinions I entertain, might form some little addition to the general stock of information, and afford a small assistance in delivering our country from the perils and dangers which surround it. I have come here with no purpose to attempt to make a fine speech, or any ambitious oratorical display. I have brought with me no rhetorical boquets to throw into this assemblage. In the circle of the year, Autumn has come, and the season of flowers has passed away. In the progress of years my Spring time has gone by, and I too am in the Autumn of life, and feel the frost of Age. My desire and aim are to address you earnestly, calmly, seriously, and plainly, upon the grave and momentous subjects which have brought us together. And I am most solicitous that not a solitary word may fall from me, offensive to any party or person in the whole extent of the Union. War, pestilence, and famine, by the common consent of mankind, are the three greatest calamities that can befall our species; and War, as the most direful, justly stands foremost and in front. Pestilence and Famine, no doubt for wise although inscrutable purposes, are inflictions of Providence, to which it is our duty, therefore, to bow with obedience, humble submission and resignation. Their duration is not long, and their ravages are limited. They bring, indeed, great affliction while they last, but society soon recovers from their effects. War is the voluntary work of our own hands, and whatever reproaches it may deserve should be directed to ourselves. When it breaks out its duration is indefinite and unknown - its vicissitudes are hidden from our view. In the sacrifice of human life, and in the waste of human treasure, in its losses, and in its burdens, it affects both belligerent nations, and its sad effects of mangled bodies, of death, and of desolation, endure long after its thunders are hushed in peace. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.