Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-06-06

that fear they N4M never again DFcnfne Heaieo
But as 70 he nOfs appended 10 the tail of sir
Richs speech. what does it prove--lhat Mr.. Clay
used the offensive lsngusge charged No. Mr.
Rich himself does rot pretend TO say that Mr..
Clay uttered the language, but says that he re-
marked TO the following gentlemen will
not allow US 10 have black slaves, they must let Us
have white ones" &c. IL Mr.. Clay had made
use Of the offensive language which so shocked The
nerves Of MIR. Rich, and gtaSeed his delicate
stomach, why did he not while on the floor Of the
House, while replying to Mr.. Clay, complain OF
Mr.. Clay calling the People Of the North " White
Slaves No, there is not one word Of complaint
in the whole body of Mr. Rich's speech, but after
the lapse of than year after its delivery, he
publishes the speech in the National lntelligenoer,
and appends note TO the tail Of it, merely stating
his impression of the effect of certain words used
by Mr.. Clay. This fact Of itself is Sufficient to
brand the whole story with inaccurscy, and mark
with Reproduction the vile uses 10 which the Loco
Focos are trying TO put it, Mr.. Rich himself does
not venture to place it in the body Of his remarks
but appends note in which he him self has doubts
Debhusc nc uOcs HOt pfctehH W sof Ahoe WIZ Oios
used the language which he (Mr. Rieh) places in
his mouth, but remarked TO the following effect"
What reliance therefore is to be placed in the evil
deDce which is here extracted from Mr.. Rich's
note. The National lntelgencer of July the | ST,
1920 contains the speech of Mr. Rich which
aeli1ered on The floor of the House on the 18th Of
February, 1919, so that il will be perceived that
Mr.. Rich did not publish it until eighteen months
after It's delivery, and after that lapse of time he
does venture to do any thing more than to give
his impression of the e6ect of certain words used
by Mr.. Clay. Now to illustrate this matter by a
reference to what every man knows to be the case
that here in the South have negro slaves
whom we use for our domestic purposes, and their
occupation 10 termed ssrpilc and in the Northern
States, where they have no negro slaves, we find
white persons engaged in performing these domes-
tic offices, and many Of them shrewd and intelligent
men and women, and who by industry, care, and
prudence, rise to competence, ease, and wealth.
How often 10 it the case that the children Of such
persons rise to distinction, and occupy the most
respectable stations In life and in the council,
of the State and Nation. Docs any man, because
of the performance OF these Offices by white people
in the North, deem ,hem slaves3 No, Neither
did Mr.. Clay 50 consider them, or express himself
in relation to them.
Hear what he himself says upon this point, and
certainly q man knows his own sentiments better
than any else;
al certainly will not undertake to re
cite what were the precise words used by
me on the occasion Of any of the numer.
Gus speeches, short or long, which made
in Congress on the Missouri question !;
but this will undertake to assert, with
the most perfect confidence, that never
used the words, or coy words which
would bear the import of the extract, to
which | have alluded. | am confident of
it because never entertained such sen.
timent in my life. never conceived con.
tingency in which would favor or coun-
tenance reducing white men to slavery"
Blu, we have a word to say in relation to letter
written by the notorious sanderer of Mr.. Clay, a
certain John B. Weller of Ohio, who is now in
Congress, and bearing date April 9th, 1874, and
which we find in an Ohio paper Mr. Weller in
the first place out with statement similar to
the one before alluded to- and refers to the debate
in the House or the Missouri Question:" the
18th Of February, 1919, in which an animated dis
cussion arose between Messrs. Livermore and
Mills from the North on one side and Me,us, Clay,
Pendal and Barbour of Virginia on the other. On
the 18TH of February two days afterwards, Mr. Rich
of Vermont made the speech TO which We have be-
fore referred. Here is Weller's account of it,
''At the succeeding session Of Congress Mr.. Rich
of Vermont "a Wing beleve) made speech
the Missouri question which is reported in the Ma
tional Intellisencer of July lst 1890. The speech
was deiivsred on the l7th of February 1920 In
o note to that speech find the following: If gen
tlemen will not allow us to have black slaves, they
must let us have white ones, &C." Now the above
extract shows Mr.. Weer's d singenuouspess, and
his desire to do injustice to Mr.. Clay and to de-
cei,e those for whom his letter is written. We
charge him with attempt TO deceive the people,
q nd ask him what authority he has foI his belief
assertion that Mr.. Rich was Whig-wss there
any such distinction of party in 1919 aud 1920
Hhig7 No, and he knows it. But the honorable
me mber Of Congress thought thus to make a little
more additional capital out of his White Slavery
lie by practising on the credulity Of the people,
Bat this demagogue will learn that the large body
of the people have quite as much intelligence as
some members of Congress, and far more honesty
and patriotism. This fair dealing and honorable
member of Congress in another part OF his letter
asks with an air of triumph "If this note did Mr..
Clay (who still speaker Of the Hos,rj any
injustice, why was not the matter exposed then
Ii he had not used the language attributed to him.
why suffer the speech OF his friend from Vermont
to go out uncorectedl'' Now will Mr.. Weller
answer a question, or twol Where is there
any evidence that Mr.. Clay ever saw or read the
note to Mr.. Rich's speech Why did not Mr.
Rich make the charge in his speech while the
floor of the House where it was delivered in the
hearing of MIR. Clayi Why does Mr. Clay not
reply every attack made upon him in the speech.
es of the Duncans and Wellers in Congress now
Because he has more useful employment for his
time and he scorns 10 enter the lists with every
Cabling parrot who may choose to attack him,
and make themselves look big by having great
man to notice them even with his contempt. We
have but one more question to ask, and then
are done. What authority has Weller for ann ounc-
ing Mr.. Rich of Vermont as the friend of Mr..
Clsyl No doubt that was done with just and