HENRY CLAY (1777-1852) was born in Hanover County, Virginia. He received his early education in the district schools, and studied law in the office of the Attorney-General of Virginia. He was admitted to practice by the Virginia Court of Appeals, and shortly afterwards removed to Lexington, Kentucky, continuing his practice there. He served several terms in the House of Representatives and the Senate. As Secretary of State, during the administration of John Quincy Adams, he negotiated favorable treaties with Great Britain and other European and South American governments. He was on several occasions an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency.

Sir, gentlemen appear to me to forget that they stand on American soil; that they are not in the British

House of Commons, but in the chamber of the House of Representatives of the United States; that we have nothing to do with the affairs of Europe, the partition of territory and sovereignty there, except so far as these things affect the interest of our own country. Gentlemen transform themselves into the Burkes,2 Chathams,2 and Pitts of another country, and forgetting, from honest zeal, the interests of America, engage with European sensibility in the discussions of European interests. If gentlemen ask me whether I do not view with regret

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1 From an address delivered in the United States House of Representatives in 1813.

2 Edmund Burke, William Pitt (Lord Chatham), and William Pitt, the younger.

and horror the concentration of such vast power in the hands of Bonaparte,' I reply that I do. I regret to see the emperor of China holding such immense sway over the fortune of millions of our species. I regret to see Great Britain possessing so uncontrolled a command over all the waters of the globe.

The war was declared because Great Britain arrogated to herself the pretension of regulating our foreign trade, under the delusive name of retaliatory orders in council,

a pretension by which she undertook to proclaim to American enterprise, "Thus far shalt thou go and no farther," orders which she refused to revoke after the alleged cause of her enactment had ceased, because she persisted in the practice of impressing American seamen; because she had instigated the Indians to commit hostilities against us; and because she refused indemnity for her past injuries upon our commerce. I throw out of the question other wrongs. So undeniable were the causes of the war, so powerfully did they address themselves to the feelings of the whole American people, that when the bill was pending before this House, gentlemen in the opposition, although provoked to debate, would not, or could not, utter one syllable against it.

We are told by gentlemen in opposition that government has not done all that was incumbent on it to do to avoid just cause of complaint on the part of Great Britain; that in particular the certificates of protection,2 authorized by the Act of 1796, are fraudulently

1 Napoleon Bonaparte.

2 Issued to seamen by the government to protect them from seizure by the British.

used. Sir, government has done too much in granting those paper protections. I can never think of them without being shocked. They resemble the passes which the master grants to his negro slaves: "Let the bearer, Mungo, pass and repass without molestation." What do they imply? That Great Britain has a right to seize all who are not provided with them. From their very nature they must be liable to abuse on both sides. If Great Britain desires a mark by which she can know her own subjects, let her give them an earmark.

The colors that float from the masthead should be the credentials of our seamen. An honorable peace is attainable only by an efficient war. My plan would be to call out the ample resources of the country, give them a judicious direction, prosecute the war with the utmost vigor, strike wherever we can reach the enemy, at sea or on land, and negotiate the terms of peace at Quebec or at Halifax. We are told that England is a proud and lofty nation, which, disdaining to wait for danger, meets it halfway. Haughty as she is, we triumphed over her once, and if we do not listen to the counsels of timidity and despair, we shall again prevail. In such a course, with the aid of Providence, we must come out crowned with success; but, if we fail, let us fail like men, lash ourselves to our gallant tars, and expire together in one common struggle, fighting for Free Trade and Seaman's Rights.

FATHER, listen to your children! You have them now all before you. The war before this 2 our British father gave the hatchet to his red children, when old chiefs were alive. They are now dead. In that war our father was thrown on his back by the Americans, and our father took them by the hand without our knowledge; and we are afraid that our father will do so again at this time.

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Summer before last, when I came forward with my red brethren, and was ready to take up the hatchet in favor of our British father, we were told not to be in a hurry, that he had not yet determined to fight the Americans.

Listen! When war was declared, our father stood up and gave us the tomahawk, and told us that he was ready to strike the Americans; that he wanted our assistance, and that he would certainly get us our lands back, which the Americans had taken from us.

Listen! You told us at that time to bring forward our families to this place, and we did so; and you promised to take care of them, and that they should want for nothing, while the men would go and fight the enemy. That we need not trouble ourselves about the enemy's garrisons; that we knew nothing about them,

1 Delivered to General Proctor, commander of the British forces, shortly before the battle of the Thames, where Tecumseh lost his life. 3 George III of Great Britain.

2 The War of the Revolution.

4 Made peace.

and that our father would attend to that part of the business. You also told your red children that you would take good care of your garrison here, which made our hearts glad.

Father, listen! Our fleet has gone out; we know they have fought; we have heard the great guns; but know nothing of what has happened to our father. Our ships have gone one way, and we are much astonished to see our father tying up everything and preparing to run away the other, without letting his red children know what his intentions are. You always told us to remain here and take care of our lands. It made our hearts glad to hear that was your wish. Our great father, the King, is the head, and you represent him. You always told us that you would never draw your foot off British ground; but now, father, we see you are drawing back, and we are sorry to see our father doing so without seeing the enemy.

Listen, father! The Americans have not yet defeated us by land; neither are we sure that they have We, therefore, wish to remain here

done so by water.

and fight our enemy should they make their appearance. If they defeat us, we will then retreat with our father.