Piney Woods planter and Amite union literary reflector. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1838-1838, 1838-09-29
From he Jacison Tenn. ! 7sleerooI.. "

From nc Jackson Tenn. Telegraph.
will now introduce to the readers NJ.
quuintance, Mr., Henry Clay, and such
documentary evidence as is convenient m
show the part he has played from his out.
set in public life, down 10 the period Of
1920. Upon this great question of Abo.
lition, II seems that this man was tinct,r-
ed strongly with this doctrine before he
reached the years of manhood. In Prem
tlss' life of Clay, il is represented that in
the year 1893, when Mr.. CLAY was but
Il years old he greatly distinguished him.
self in Kentucky, as the champion of the
Abolition party. A State Constitution wa,
about to be formed-a small party was
10 favor Of excluding slavery in the state
MIR Clay headed this party--made manv
stump speeches, wrote many publications.
and used his utmost exertions to elect men
to the convention friendly to his object I
read this biography of Mr.. Clay MANY
yeras ago, and speak from recollection on.
ly. This book was written by his devoted
friend, Prentiss of the Louisville journal
and it is supposed under Mr.. Claws cor
recton.
Bnt there are three other biographical
sketches of Mr.. Clay's life before me
Will copy such passages as relates to this
subject. Miss Martineau the celebrated
English traveller in the United States.
who has written history of her travels.
and has inserted in it the biography of
Van Buren,, Webster, Calhoun and CLAY,
upon limited scale; Mr.. Clay seems to be
the fayorite. She begins thus with him:
"He is the son ola Virginia clergyman,
and born in l777 After studying law,
he settled in Lexington, Kentucky, and
strore IN rain for the Abolition of SLAVERY
in that State" [See the American edition
of the London and Westminster Review.
for January 1888, page 259] This book
has had an extensive circulation in Eu-
rope and America-it is noticed in the
reviews of both countries, Mr.. CLAY or
his friends have never denied this charge.
In Alexander's Weekly Messenger of
the 18th of April, 1898, an excellent BIZ
ography ofMr. Clay is given. Upon the
subject Of Abolition, the author saws of
Mr.. Clay, that Sin 1898, he took prom
inent part in the discussions relative to
the formation of a Constitution for his adop-
ted State. His main object was to pre-
vent slavery. In this he failed, although
his speeches at public meetings on the oc-
casion done much to raise him in public
estimation as prominent and talented
statesman.
In the National Portrait Gallery for
1885, there is an extended biography of
Mr. Clay. The author says, Sin 1898
when the people of Kentucky were pre-
pairing to frame n constitution for the
state, plan was proposed for the gradual
emancipation of slaves. Mr.. Clay jealous
ly exerted his talents in favor of it. He
wrote for the Journals, and acclaimed for
the public meetings, but his efforts failed
of success"
These four several biographical ac-
counts all agreeing as to the facts stated,
suppose they will be disputed by nobody.
He used his mighty eloquence upon the
stumps, to abolish slavery in Kentucky.
The question was holly contested, but his
party got defeated, right or wrong; he
left no exertion untried.
Has Van Buren, done anything compar-
ed to this? No, instead of making speech
es and wrlteng in favor of it, he refused
to sign memorial upon the same subject
precisely, when urged by his own con
stituents. We will now take a view of
Mr.. Clay's course in Congress upon the
subject of the far famed Missouri restric-
ton. He has been eulogised by some for
the compromise of that question in the
Congress of the U. States; with what
propriety we shall shortly see In the
Constitution of the U. States, article the
third, section third, there is the following
provision, to wit: "New States may be
admitted by Congress into this Union.''
Which should off course be upon an equal
footing with all the old States, and the
same privileges.
ask what was the constitutional right
of Missouri under this provision? Every
State in the Union, at the adoption of the
Constitution, was slave-holding State,
and did actually hold slaves. Is there one
man in America (not an Abolitionst) who
will contend that if Missouri had a right
to come into the Union with the same
privileges of the origional states that Mr..
Clay had any right to compromise away
their constitutional rights, and say that
no State north of latitude 36 deg. 80 min.
should hold slaves. Yet Mr. Clay, direct
ly in opposition to the above clause in the
constitution did compromise away the
rights Of all States which may or have come
into the Union, north of that line. He
had as much right to coprmomise away
the rights of the States south of that line
as northofit. What right had they to ex-
cept Missouri from the line compromised
uponG This brings the subject respecting
Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Van Buren,, down to