Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-25
srI,.,lt n,s W.. CLAY,
And ocear, nee. On ,ls delivery Of an Abolition Re
t,i.n 10 him at Richmond, lndiana.

90 the 1T IL o,oher. ISte. Nc Car bsng OF
his way itom ID ,ytsn in Oaio, To iadanipo IL. th'
sat Of government of the State u indiani TO wheel
h had b,en ptsviausly invited, siort nj Richmond
n n ,urishing town ~ that State. where vast mul
ttude Amounting to rs or 10000 had asseiabled T.
NEE, him. sni gsest aud welcome his arrival amons
them ANsr takias some rcireshment, he repaired
4, . stand peevid-d for the occasion, from which h,
seJ the immense assemblsgc m his aceustomcf
manner on the public topics OF the day. IL Is mol
intended to report any part OF that speech, wnich
~a. rceeived with enthusiastic applause. Atter its
close, Mr. Clay was informed that n MIR Mendenha'i
w,s present and dcsirous OF presenting petnon 10
HIM aud he requested Tor that purpose 10 aseenN
the stand. lie did so, and delivered the pehon 10
MIR Clay. He handed il 10 a friend, who rcas II
aloud to Ms Clay and TO the assembly. Ihe pen
tloa PRAYED or requested that MIR Clay wouiu io'u-
with liberate all hts slaves, unIustiy, as aegeu'
hold in bondage, end placed the Application primer
pay on the ground that by the ~, 80
esicsn Independence, Is declared thst al, men aIs
created co ual that they endowed oy Their efea>
tor with certain unalenable rights, &c. ,,
Alter tho reading Of the petition, thc assembly,
m,nC.sted great sensation, some cried out pun nun
fMr Incidentally down, and Aigh degree oil ex-
erement, OF anger, and of indignation were kndlins
nyainst him. The slightest manifestation oil dsplea.
sure on the par, Of MIR Clay, might have exposed
Me Mendenhall to great personal danger. But Mr.
Clay rose with perfect camness ana composufc,
and first addressed the multitude 10 STRAIN OF PEI.
suasion and entreaiy. He hoped that mr w. m'sn'
he treated with the greatest forbearanee ana
He assured his fellow citizens there eohee'eu, INA,
the presentation Of the petition had not oceas'oheu
hin, IN. SLIGHTEST pain nor excited one solitary dts
agreeable emotion. IL IL were 10 be presented 10
him. he preferred thnt II should oe done 10 inc ''Se
of this vast and respectable assemblase lie housn,
he could give il such an answer as became nun anu
the subject Of which it treated. AT all events he
en,reaei and beseeched his fellow citlzsns ior ther
sake for his coun;rys sake, for his SAKE 10 oer no
disrespeei, no indisnly, no violence, IN "0to VI
deed, 10 Mr. NJ. . =.
Thi, nppearing to compose the assembly, MIR
CLAW bowed to MIR Mendsnhal, and addressing him,
raid:
/ will now, sir, make to you and to this pcti,on,
such a response rs becomes me. AioN me 10
siy that think you have not concerned TO the IN
dependent character of American ciIzen, IN
presenting petition to me. am ihc yourself cut
u private citizen. A petition, as the term Imphes'
generally proceeds from an i"'c:'ot IN power, OF
station 10 a superior; but between us, there Is eniire
equality And what are the circumstances under
which you have chosen ~ oler II am totai
stranger, passing through your State, on my way 70
lis Capitol, IN consequences OF an ln'ltauoh WIN
which have been honored to visit II, 10 exchange
friendly SITUATIONS with such of my fellow citizens
OF Indiana think proper 10 meet me, ana 10 &C.
cept of their hospitality. Anxious as am 10 sec
them, and TO vies parts OF this state whieh hou
never seen, came here with hesitation ahd Is'ue
tancc, because | npprchended thai the motives Of
my Journey might be n,isconceIved and perverted
But when the fuiflment OF IN cd promise 20 WISH
indianapolis insisted uponi yielded 10 The So
lici,alions of friends and have presented mysei
among you.
SUCH is the occasion which has been deliberately
selected Tor rendering this petition to me. i am
advanced in years, and neither myself nor inc place
of nv residence is altogether unknown 10 the
word. You might at any time within these lasi
25 or 80 years have presented your petition 10 me
at Ashland. IL you had gone there for that put.
pose, you should have been received and treated
with perfec, respect and liberal hospitality.
Now, Mr. Mendenhall, let us reverse conditions,
ard suppose that you had been invited to Kentucky
To partake Of its hospitality; and that, previous to
your arrival, ha6 employed such means as I'M
dersiand have been used 10 get up this petition, to
obtain the signatures of citizens oil that State TO
petition, to present to you, TO rehnquish your iarm
or other property, what would yoi have thought OF
such a proceeding Would you have deemed II
courteous and according 10 the rites oil hospitality
know well that you, and those who think with
you, conrovert the Legitimacy OF slavery, anu deny
the right Of property in slaves. But the law Of my
State and other States has otherwise ordained. The
law may bc wrong. in your opinion, and ought to
lie repealed; but, then, you and your associates are
not the lawmakers for us, aud unless you can
show some authority TO nulliy our Jaws, we must
continue To respect them. Until the law is repeal
ed we must be excused for asserting the rights
AVE- the property in slaves-wheh II sanctions,
authorizes, and vIndlcates
And who are the petitioners whose organ you as
sumo TO bel have no doubt that many OF them are
vyorthv amiable and humane persons, who, by eff
roneous re- representations, have been induced neon
der Iy TO aix heir Signature TO this petition arc
that they will deeply regret IT. DINERS, and not q
tcy I am told, arc free blacks, men, women, and
rhilJr.n. who have been artfully deceived ana i'm
nns.d upon A very large portion, i have been
r.dibIy informed, the political opponents OF the
Marty 10 which belong-Demoerais, as they most
sezel lnis opportunity 10 wound. as they imagined,
my feelings and TO aid The cause 10 which they are
attached. Ia other quarters OF the Union, demo
crnts claim TO he the exclusive champions OF the
Southern interests, the only safe defenders Of the
rietts in slave property, and unjus,ly accuse us
Wings with abolition designs. wholly incompatible
with It's security. What ought these distant De-
ocrats to think Of the course OF their friends here
who have united in this petiiionl
And what is the foundation OF THE appeal TO me
IN Jodi,na TO liberate the slaves under my IN
Kentucky? IL is a general declaration, IN the nc.
announcing 10 the world the Independence OF the
- American Colonies, th't Gil men are created e
on,I. Now, as an abstract principle, there is no
oubt Of the truth OF that declaration and It IS de-
sr,e IN the original construction o. society, and m
orean zad So-eties, TO keep 1t IN view Ss a great
fundamental principle. Bat, then, apprehend mat
an mn Socie,y that ever did exist, or ever shall he
Cornoed was or can the equality asserted among
the members of the human race, lie practically en-
forced and carried out. There are portions OF IT,
ierse nortons, women, minors, lnsnnei culprts
,rasen, soiou ners. that will always probably re-
main subject 10 the So'e'u'ho"' VI u"N'"S' P0'"'"
Of tho community. - ,
Th,, declaration, whatever may be the extent OF
ts imnort was made by the delegations OF the thIr-
tern states Ia most Of them slavery existed, and
I'D lnng existed, and was established Ivy law. IL
was introduced and forced upon the Colonies by the
nor,mount law of England. Do you believe, that
"a king that declaration, the States that concIirsd
IN II intended that IL should be tortured INTO Vriu
nj emeocipaon OF all the slaves within their Iespec.
loo Iimts7 Would Virginia and the other South
ero states have ever united in declaration which
,,os In be iote rpreted into abolition OF slavery
,oons them7 Did any one OF the - states enter
toio such design or expectationf Iolmpute such
n secret and unavowcd purpose would be TO charge
"A political fraud upon the MODEST band oil patrols
49,, sve, nssembled in council, o fraud upon the
snnC.dersev OF the Revolution, fraud upon the
ITn;on M these States whose Constitution not only
srosn,zed the Iawfuneis Of slavery, but permitted
b. mn,r,ntion or slaves from Africa until the year
is1S Add am bold 10 say that, II the doctrines
a. modem ultra political abo!i,Ionis,s had been
,iouslv promulgated at the epoch Of our Rsyoiu'
tion our glorious In1e pendence would never have
bseo achieved. N,vel Never!
[Great applause; and many voices eehoinS New.
er
know the predominant sentiment in the free
States is adverse to slavery; but happy ~ her own
exemption, from whatever evils may attend II, the
,,at mos of our fellow citizens there do not seek
s. vaIato he Constitution or to disturb the harno-
nv NJ tbeso States. / desire no concealment Of my
'y;o;ons In regard 90 the institution Of slavery. !
49, unon il as a great evil and deeply lamont that
49,. b.ve derived Il from the parental government
n,I from our ancestors. ! wish every slave IN the
fDrf nfru al lis nurf afn