The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-07-13
From the Cincinnati Daily Gazette, June g.
The Petitioners of Washington City, and
Mr.. Clay.

In examining Mr.. Clay's speech on the ques
ton of the abolition of slavery, have been strucl
: with the dogmas which he has advanced. an
mortified and wounded. am mortified to lose il
our cause so valuable man as MIR. Clay. have
regarded Mr.. Clay as the star of freedom in tn,
political horizon of the West. | fear it is becom
ing dim.
feel wounded because of Mr.. Clay's unwar
ranted reflections on the patriots in our country
He may find out his error when it is too late t.
repair it. 1t appears to me, sir, that he has taker
untenable ground, both as to theory and practice
He cannot defend himself on constitutional grount
much less on the declaration of the nations in
dependence, or the just rights of Others"
| have high regard for lawyers and Justly dis
tnguished men; | have much respect for your.
SELF as professional man; but, sir, may dife,
from you on some points in our national concerns
but if we agree in the fundamental principles, we
will notsplt altogether. 1t does not think require
a thorough-going book lawyer to expound the ma
ture and principles of our American relations
Holy Writ has informed us who is our brother
To try the slave question, or any other question
we must scope in the whole evidence.
In Judging man | would not be swayed by
any local preudces: | care not where he was
born or where he resides, so that he is an Ameri-
can, with American principles and practices-so
that he abides by what Washington and the fathers
taught without this, with me, "he is nothing"
| | am, sir, one of the few men now living, who
were actors in the American Revolution. | have
been engaged, though in humble spheres, in i'm
portant transactions of a national characteristic
retired in all later life. The history of our coun-
try has not escaped my notice Or my recollection.
propose to examine little of Mr.. Clays de-
fence of slavery and its opponents.
Mr.. Clay recognizes the name of the much
esteemed Mayor among other respectable Names
of the petitioners of Washington city against abo-
tion. Mr.. Clay wished those respectable petit
tons might be heard themselves" They do
not present themselves before Congress because
they are saveholders-many of them are not. "
/" Some of them are conscientiously opposed to
slavery ~" but because they justly respect the
rights of those who own that description of prop
ery, and because they entertain deep conviction,
that the continual agitation of the question by those
who have no right to interfere with it, has an in
furious influence on the peace and tranquility of
the community" "And they protest against the
unauthorized intervention of which they COM
plain"
So here is petition to gag all petitioners, ex-
cept the "much esteemed Mayor and other re-
spectacle citizens" of the browning city. A Won
derlul discovery of the right to trample on a most
sacred constitutional right out of respect to " the
Just rights" to hold men in bondage contrary to
all rights defined by our Revolutionary Fathers.
These respected citizens may petition for ages
and shame to tell it, Mr.. Clay, high-minded
son of liberty, stands up as the advocate, in the
American Senate and says
1.-The performance of this service gives a legit-
innate opportunity C) of which | mean now to
avail myself to say something not only on the
particular object of the petition, but upon the great
and interesting subjec with which it is intimately
associated" Can any intelligent man suppose
that this legitimate opportunity" came by chance?
Will it be denied that this petition was the legiti-
mate offspring of Mr.. Clay OR his friends, got up
to serve his occason9
Mr.. Clay says that the slavery which exists in
the slave States is their affair, not ours The
American Declaration of Independence, made by
our Revoutionry Fathers, declared all men created
equally free. Have the slave States renounced
this principle? If they have-a0e hare not. And
we hold the continuance of slavery violation of
one of our prime articles of compact and union.
We wish to hold them to it. If they attempt to
cast it off we hold it duty to hold on the strong
err. If they give up the vindication of the " Just
ly respected rights of man to us, they ought to
concede that the conservation of this sacred prn-
cipe is OUR AFFAIR, at least if they will not allow
it to be theirs. Why not leave it to us9
Mr.. Hammond mea0 things have started
up since you and were boys. Some are real i'm
provements-some are real alterations-many of
them more for the worse than the better. But of
all things, what think you of the new race ofliber
ty men, who pretend to hold on under the revolu-
ton? Patriot Hayne, Patriot McDufie, Patriot
Calhoun and then Mr.. Clay, under his new fit of
patriotism, taking the lead of this worthy cohort,
and pointing to a meaoly discorered maotto of our
old revolutioners. Halt bit, my worthless let
us examine our men, and see who were in the field
in the days that tried mems souls' Were there
Revolutionary Patriots there ?-was Mr.. Clay
there ?-in what wild did he count the stars, his
head resting on rockville engaged for liber-
ty and independence? | saw not, and heard not
of him. When or how did our national existence
commence? What was our original bond of
Union? was it not the noted Declaration ? Will
Mr.. Clay deny that bond
But the constitution the constitution was a
compromise Now, Mr.. Hammond, that same
word compromise, almost makes me sick. Well
but must admit it was compromise. The
free States and the small States committed their
rights to slavery! Let that pass; we stick to our
bargain.
The United States constitution was concocted