Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-11-21
RICHMOND, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 81.

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RICHMOND, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 81.
MR. GIDDINGs, AND THE WESTERN LETTER
We hasten 10 lay before READERS the folio"
ing letter from Mr. G,dd ngs of Oho, touching The
publication which We copied from the "Lorsn RePuo-
Iicnn" It appears, that the Editor of that paper ms
took the letter from sr. CasSus ~ Clay "a kinsnan
of Henry Clay, Esq.,) for Il letter from hf; He.1g
Clay We have no hesitation in admitting MI Old
d,nrs's letter as 4 complete acqntal OF Mr.. Henry
Clay from The allegations Of the Loain hepuoiican
But cannot stop here Had mr.: 0oo'ngs Gun
fined himself TO the clearing up oil this mistake, we
should not have another word TO say-but "heh NC
travels on, of the record, to event his rheum upon
the people OF nearly half the States of The Union, we
must be excused for stating the real Posuoh 81 Tue
issue between his horde ofAbotionsts and the Soutn
We the injured party, they the aggressors. saves
were introduced among by the agency OF the Brush
Government over which we had no adequate control
Our Colonial Legislatures demonstrated against 'e
commerce, 10 no purpose. The Federal Convention,
which, met TO form Constitution for the whole onion'
found slavery 10 exist in the Southern States, anc IN
several other States, where it apparently, almost
virtually exists no longer. The Convention did
no, profess nor attempt 10 abolish II within our
bo.ders-but they sanctioned its existence oy Two re-
markable clauses of the Constitution All the states
as contractnp parties pledged themselves to ABIDE by
the compact They not only did not pretend to inter
ere against the possession of such property, but they
hou nd themselves restore it, if it ever escaped withn
our limits They left it to u.s. to treat the SUBJECT
within jurisdiction, thought best-to continue
it, to modify it, 10 abolish il, suited our own inter
ess, and own principles 1t was always dlihcuit
and delicate subject 10 regulate, and they leit IL TO
US, to regulate it pleased they would restore
the fngives but they respected our rights wtnh our
own borders. IL none of their business 10 meodie
with it, No sort of Constitutional power was gwen
10 them for this purpose-and they must have seen
them they must now, that they had no 'gh's IN
the case-and that ii their duty us-t was Their
wisest interes. to keep the chain oil Union tne
brighter, by forbeariDg TO disturb property ana 10
wound our feelings We are the best able 10 appreciate
its benefits. If be evil best understood IT'S
character. We could best what remedy TO ADOPT
We only could feel the caamtles which any premature
and impairment interference the part oil foreign
Abolilioniss might bring upon our land. Inc Con
suton ITSELF therefore, the OF justice, the oonos
of our Union, good neighborhood and traernal fee-
inrs, all united recommending To our sister states
the utmost possible torbearance and moderation, IN
tampering with this delicate subject IL was our
affi,r, not theirs We did not NEEDLE with them-out
they among us, to meddle with us Ii they hea
let us alone in such matters we would have cause
of complaint. But it was they, Gidd'ngs and his ella
morous and mischevous crew, which have stirred up
the hornets nest-and caused all this excitement ana
all this danger. lie talk of "the constitutional rights
of the people of the free States " when those very
States knew in sanconing the Constitution, that they
had no right to NEEDLE with us-and that they even
bound themselves restore the iugtyes who he'd 10
them. Does Glddings by this idle dalrbe against
sthe guilt and disgrace OF slavery, that Congress snail
interfere abolish il bordersor to regulate
their constitutions! duties in relation to fugt'Ves-o
does ne dare preach up the threat, that the Constu
ton must be new cas-; 10 change those provisions: u
such be his purpose. then HIM down as one oil The
most perverse enemies pi the UNION, which ever ADO
lltionsn poured forth from lis womb
But for the peculiarly Of position, VIC should
have thrown this contemplate letter into The flames,
instead of into the newspapers It's new insult up
on The whole South, from man who once justly IN
Cured the of Congress. Its language is coarse
and contumelious. The pretensions ii sets up arc reck
less aud xtravngant. It's author deserves the lnag
nation OF every man, who values the Union itself AS
to the nsnuaton in the Postscript, about ourselves II
is un,rue-but il is offensive to every son OF the South
II is worthy of r. Giddngs, and his illusrious com.
peer, J. q. Adams
70 THE EDITORS OF TIE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
JEFFERSON, OHIo, Nov. Z, 1913.
Srs; friend has just handed me the Soho States.
man, containing an article purporng TO be taken
from your paper headed, "Let Mfrc be Light! hutorma
ton ,canted!! Before | proceed give you the sin.
formation wanted" will observe that this is the FIRST
hour that have met with the pretended report OF my
remarks at Oberln In my address nj that place,
stated, clearly and distinctly as was able the
cons uona rights OF the people OF the free States 10
be entirely free and altogether cxemp, from the expense
the guilt and disgrace of slavery. insisted, that this
right clear and indspu,abe, is the privilege
OF the people Of the slave States 10 enjoy that instu
ton. That it was less a violation of Federal
Constitution, for Congress TO involve IN the expense
the moral turpitude, the public disgrace OF slavery
than 1t would be for them TO involve the people oil The
slave States in its abolition.
then stated, that Southern who DESTROYS
10 maintain Federal Constitution, in the spirit III
which it was adopted, would unite with Northern
Wings in support o! those plain and fundamental prin
ciples of Government that this all that
demanded by Northern Aboonlsts, and when South
ern Wings understood this fact they would be as ready
to accord 10 rights, they were 10 maintain
their own. AS evidence of this fact, stated xplicty
that these sentiments had been repeatedly put forth
the floor of Congress and elsewhere yet not Indvl-
dual had been found willing to hazard his reputation
by denying their correctness their perfect constu"
tionality further stated, that many Southern men
now openly and boldly avowed them, and referred 10
CasSiuS ". Clay the most prominent and distIn-
gushed | then read extracts from letter of his and
avowed the principles expressed by him, TO be in per-
feet accordance with those l entertained.
| As 10 Henry CIay's sentiments, expressly stated,
that had no authority for saying that lie would MAN.
tain these doctrines that not aware, that he had
ever expressed himself regard TO the powers of Con-
gress 10 involve IN the guilt expense ol slavery,
although he had expressed himself strongly as 10 The
constitutional rights Of The slave States 10 uphold or
continue il among themselves that, from his acknow-
lodged candor and decison had doubt he would as
readily his sentiments this any other sub
| ject and that believed he would as readily NAM
tain the rights of the free States those OF the slave
States This is what did say. And now | will give
you the Conformation wanted" neither possessed,
introduced, read, pretended to read, any letter
Whatever Of Henry Clay; nor did | represent or pre-
tend that he put forth or promulgated The doc
,rines To which | have alluded The representation
that did So The sheer fabrication Of man. 10 whose
scurriious falsehcuGs made direct aliusion
the remarks of tina, day. His paternal the
Abotionsls of Oberlin, and his endeavors TO direct
their efforts, aid the slave breeding Democrats
OF the South in bringing the naiInn under the misrue
of party servilty devoted slavehodIng rapacity,
s too pal pable, TO require further evidence,
Yours J. r. GIDDISGS.
P. S.-The term, "no,orious Aboonist," which
you apply 10 me, do not regard offensive. un
dersiand that you breed human beings for MARKET am
decidedly in favor of aboiishing that employment
You ought not therefore TO be offended at the term
siare-breeder nor at that of "Abolitionist.