Henry Clay Sr. (1777–1852) served the United States variously as Speaker of the House, U.S. senator from Kentucky, and secretary of state, and he sought the Whig presidential nomination three times. In November 1847 he spoke in Lexington, Kentucky, in opposition to the Mexican–American War (1846–48), asserting that the war was inspired by expansionist policies and not legitimate motivations for war. This speech is widely considered one of Clay’s best. Clay argued that President James Polk needed to be transparent about the goals and objectives of the war, which were to expand the United States to include much, if not all, of the Americas. Clay also addressed the issues of slavery within any newly acquired territory as a result of the war. Further, Clay argued that all issues between the United States and Mexico could have been resolved through diplomacy, thereby averting the war.