Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-07-26

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at the great principles involved in the contest,
and when. as in the present case, | believe that
sav holder will do anti-slavery work, or rather,
that he will prevent tho consummation of groat
pro-slavery schonc, while his opponent is commit
ted to its determined prosecution, | act in the
srictcst consistency with my antl-savery princi-
pies in giving him my vote for SPECIAL REA-
son. As an abolitionst, | feel bound to mako
every act of my life tell in opposition to the foul
system of American Slavery.
am no thcorist, but plain man. accustomed
to look at things in practical light. A man is
not to DO hold as endorsing all the opinions and
practices of a man for whom he votes. lie must
decide i'll view Of circumstances how ho can do
most good by his vote. | havo tried TO act upon
the principle do all tho GOOD. and prevent II the
EVIL. could in this world and shall continue to
do while | live in it. This principle | am
bound to carry TO the polls well as cvory where
else If Slavery or antl-Slaverv was to be the
direct. predominant, and absorbing issue in po-
litical contest, the success of candidate being
the overthrow, and of tho other the consolidation
of tho system, THEN indeed it would be grossly
and shamefuy inconsistent for profcssed abo-
lItonlst for any reason to vote for tho pro-savc-
ry candidate But when the existence and nom
existence of slavery IS NOT tho direct issue, but
ANOTHER QUESTION, which has most important
bearing upon the prospective destiny OF this In
sItutlon in our country, THEN tho consistent abO-
litlonist must make his election view of the
. success
candidate who will make the most favorable DIS
position of the great question.
\ do no moro endorse in tho least countcn-
ancc Mr.. Clays slavcholding when vote for the
reasons above stated, than ! should endorse
countenanco Mr.. Birnoy's Mr.. Smiths sonti-
mcns and practices on the subject of religion, by
voting for them because they abolitionists.-
But am not acting out the roprobated doctrine of
choosing the LEAST of two OWLS, and not the
safe princ pie of choosing NEITHER! | think not.
choose 4 POSITIVE good in this caso and moro,
| choose the greatest positive good within my
rcnch. | do what in mo lies, to avert very
groat and threatening evil, in tho ONLY wav in
which my effort be effective. If we should
wait until found n candidate entirely unexcep-
tIOnabo III every respect, before casting vote
for him, through fear of endorsing what is wrong.
it would DO exceedingly in this imperfect
state, that should focl it our duty to 90 to the
polls at all. We should virtually disfran :hsc our
selves.
But Mr.. Clay, stakeholder as he is, has cven
abundant evidence through long liEo by many
public declarations and acts. that he IS ut least no
friend to slavery. and would take earnestly hold of
any scheme which he should sec to bo practicable
for its removal. | am not without hope Of yet
seeing him, before he dies. ardent advocate of
universal emancipation. | am aware he is oppo-
sod to the present abolition movements, and am
sorry for it; but he is honestly opposed to us, and
think when he comes botter to understand the
/
slavery at the north, he will think botter Of
us, and sympathizc in feelings and doings
against slavery.
But it is asked again, how CHRISTIAN vote
for man morally corrupt Henry Clay9 |
put but ltIo confidence in tho representations of
mans character by cxaspcrated political oppo-
ncnts, whose interest is to magnify its defects and
hide his cxcollencics. That Henry Clay in years
past has boon deeply infected with tho fashionable
vices Of the society where he has lived is proba-
bly, but too true. and if he suffers for them it
is but Just rotrbution, of which he has no right
to complain but that Mr.. Claws character is
NOW and HAS BEEN for years as good as that of
most of our public men, who not protesting
Christians, | do honestly believe; and when |
hear such puro and spo,less men as John Quincy
! Adams and Theodore Frclinghuvscn, who have
J for years boon in habits of tho closest political
and social intimacy with him, speak of him as q
PATRIOT and as MAN in tho most euIogistic
strains. cannot be made to believe bv tho exag-
gcratod representations of his political enemies.
that no IS so very corrupt. 1t is moral inconss-
toncy which cannot be believed. These repre-
sensations arc all made for political effect. and not
from any regard to the public morals. Mr.. Clay
has never been Incorporate, am assured on the
best authority: and in all his relations as a citi-
zen. husband and father. he is uncxceptionabo
and exemplary. AS master he is proverbially
kind and lndulgent.
/ Unless act upon the principle that we will
vote for man who is not christian. it is not
easy to draw the line which ought to satisfy our
conscience. 1t is clear, however, the christians
duty to withhold his vote from every man obvi-
ously wanting in moral integrity. and voluntary
addicted to vice. To put Mr.. Clay in this class,
would, have no doubt. be a foul SANDER. In
the coming contest, however. the great issue
which think have fairly stated, sinks the re-
spective candidates INDIVIDUALS verv much
out of the way. They to be regarded rather
as the ENPoNENsE of two widely different and ad-
verso politics. If one succeeds, are to have
n slaveholding nation whose inhabitants rebolled
from their rlghtful government. and conquered
FREE country. and cursed its virgin soil BY plan
ting upon it the fouest system of oppression on
which tho sun ever shone, yoked to the car Of
our destiny by which act shall plunge into a