Ironically, it was Clay - one of the "hawks" of 1812 - who emerged as an eloquent voice against the war with Mexico. The issue was the annexation of the Republic of Texas. Clay, the presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1844, correctly argued that the annexation of Texas, USA. it would automatically mean the war with Mexico, which considered Texas to be part of its domain. In Clay's opinion, Texas was not worthy of a war.