Excerpt from A Funeral Oration

Mr. Clay has, however, made his mistakes, also, upon International questions. In this Opinion again, I expect to be alone; but surely, as a measure of philanthropy or of statesmanship, all his masterly arguments, his thrilling appeals, his ceaseless zeal and his Herculean labors, so indefatigable and so protracted, in behalf of the Independence of the South American Republics, have been, by the. Actual results, shown to have been entirely nugatory and superflu ous. It is a remarkable fact, that none of that Race of People on our Continent, excepting only those who are subject to Monarchical Governments, are of the least use to themselves or the world, in a moral, intellectual, industrial, social, democratic, or any other point of view. Cuba and Brazil include the only portions of those people, who exhibit even the slightest indications of present prosperity or future progress. Mr. Clay was in error in his hopes and expecta tions of this race. And his clear Reason, for once, failed in regard to their cause being that of genuine Republicanism and Civilization. And john randolph, for once in a matter of common sense, in his whole life time, was eminently right. They were not, as they are not, fitted for self-government. We, with all our history of education and experiences in morals and common sense, public and personal - British, Colonial and National - are scarcely now schooled into that competency. Let Flibustiers clamor by day, or plot by night, as they will, it is simply a slander upon Republican Institutions, to assert that any such people are prepared for them.

With Mr. Clay, however, (as it is to be hoped with some of these more modern and more lawless propagandists, ) it was that ever-ruling sentiment of independence in himself and love of it, in others, which misled him, into his vain sym pathics and labors, in behalf of these Republics, as well as of Greece. His error, being one wholly of degree not of principle, is not all inexplicable. On the contrary, with his sanguine, moral constitution, the only wonder in regard to him is, that in the earlier years of his life, his clear and vigorous Understanding could so generally have over mastered, or guided the impetuosity of such passions.

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