Southern telegraph., 1838-08-29
From AS EmGncipatOr, July 30.
THE HON. HENRY CLAY.

Clay, ia this city, who communicates 4
statement Of Mr.. Clay's early opinions OF
the subject of slavery. As one of the grea
orators and statesmen Of the nation, we duIy
honor Mr. Clay. But when his friends bring
him forward as candidate for the office o
President of the United States, it is our duty
as citizens, and especially as abolitionists
10 examine his relation to the GREAT
QUESTION, whose importance now over
shadows all others, We are seeking, anC
confidently expect to witness, the voluntary
and entire abandonment ofslavery through
out this beloved republic. In this view, l
does not become US to overlook the follow
ing FACTS respecting Mr.. Clay:
l. He is stakeholder, and has never e
mancipated any Of his slaves, or intimateC
any intention ofdoing SO.
2. He is one of the founders, and the ac
tual President of the American Colonization
Society-which was formed and has ever
been controlled, by shareholders, avowedly
for the benefit slavery, by the removal Of
the free negroes, although it's managers have
allowed, and do still allow, it to be pushed
into favor at tho North as a means of exter-
minating slavery.
3. He is the reputed and acknowledged
author of the "Missouri Compromise" in
1920, by which the spirit of liberty was
broken down, and the nation beguiIed into
complete subseTiency to slavery. In his
speech on that subject he treated with con-
tempt the laboring classes of(reemen, called
them "whte slaves" and contrasted their
situation with that of"black slaves'' and pro-
nounced the condition of the latter to be far
superior, and spoke with adherence of our
wives and daughters being obliged to per-
form labors which he was pleased to call
"servile." There is no evidence within
our knowledge that he has altered his views
respecting the social rank of those who labor
with their hands.
A. He is the author of the project for the
acquisition of Texas, having made the first
motion on the subject in the House of Rep
resentatives, on the 3rd Of April, 1920. And
there is no reason to suppose he has ever a.
bandonsd the project. The zealofthe south
ern papers in his interest forbids doubt on
the subject.
S. Ho is irrevocably and in principle op-
posed to the abolition of slavery in the Dis
trct of Columbia and Florida. His resolu.
tons offered in tho Senate as an amendment
to Mr.. Calhoun's, virtually charge the peti.
TONERS on this subject with q breach of the
public faith. In this respect he goes quite
beyond even Mr.. Van Buren,, who rests hii
pledge to veto bill for the purpose, sole
ly on existing expediency.
@. He is on good grounds believed to be
opposed 10 the call of convention in Ken
lucky for the amendment of the State Con.
stitution, and principally for fear they will
take measures to facilitae the abolition Of sla
very in the State. All the leading papers
Of the State in his interest oppose it, and his
son as well as his leading friends who were
members Of the late Legislature were siren,
uously opposed to the bill.
7. He has openly given his voice for the
exclusion of abolitionists from the privileges
and sympathies of society. In his speech
on Mr.. Calhoun's resolution, he urged the
Importance of "kseping the aboliticnist:
separate and distinct from all other classes
standing out in bold and prominent relief
unmixed with the rest of the community
WITHOUT GENERAL SYMPATHY,
and exposed to the overwhelming power o.
the united opinion ofall who desire the peace
harmony, and union of our confsderacy;'
or as the language is understood to mean, ex.
posed to Lynch law.
Now we have no authority to pledge OF
control the votes Of other abolitonists, but
we give it frankly as an obvious inference
from the above facts-and il IS all the in
ference we wish to make-that for abolition
lists to lend any support to such candidate
will be to renounce their principles and null
lify their measures, and that it will be more
honorable for aboltionists to allow any 9th
er candidate to be elected without their
votes, than for them to give their votes, un-
der any circumstances, for Henry Clay.
And if the Wing party are in such predic-
ament that they cannot succeed without Sc
curing the votes of THE shareholders of the
South and the abolitionists of the North, we
can only say, that, as we had no hand in
bringing them into the dilemma, we have
no wish to interfere with the due exercise
of their own best wisdom in regard to the
manner in which they shall conduct their
own affairs. Only let them pardon us for
not being able to see any good reason why
THE NORTH should be compelled to make
all the sacrifice in the case; GYespecidlly,
when-be it noted,-the abolitionlsts are
actuated by principle. and have in their
power all the real interests Of the country.
and even of the South, while the slavehold-
ers have nothing TO surrender in the COM
promise but their own ignorant and obsti-
nate WILL.
QUARREIs OF FRIENDS AND FoEs.-The
cool words which fall from love or friend.
ship are like spring SHOWS, which soon nell
Il