Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-07-26
The following eloquent and manly letter
was addressed to the wings Of Ashtabula
County, Ohio, who recently assembled in
mass to discuss political subjects.
LETTER FROM CASSlUS NJ CLAY.
ROM CASSlUS VI. CLAY.
LExl&GToS, Ky. June 81, Isl

i'kAI$uIoN; N.Y. 'tHc -, Ioit'
GENTLEMEN Il have Just received your letter OF
the 10Th inst. inviting me to attend meeting of the
Wings of Ashtabull County on the llh day of July
next. regret that my engagements among which
Is an appointment on my part to command the voun
tcer uniform troops of tins state be enCamped on
that day. will prevent my acceptance of your polite
and complimentary lnytalon.
HAD the honor to be a member of the Harrisburg
National Convention of lS39 ; | well remember the
deep emotions which pGryadcd that noble band OF
the Conscript Fathers of the Republic, among whom
few of my are had the honor 10 sit. The monstrous
and frequent usurpatDns Of Andrew Jackson had pro.
ducei IL the minds of all obscrvant men, who loved
Repuhlcanism the most painful forebodings of an alb
spiute los, Of liberty 1t was therefore no miserable
party trek, which mpeei us TO operate without
formal manifesto Of Wing policy, but an all-abs,rbnG
love OF liberty and noble resistance to tyranny swa.
lowed up the nnnv subjects Of materil and economi-
cal interests about which we might have differed, and
all arq csccd IN the absorbing necessity of cuncen-
rated tipt To revive in the hearts of the people the
slumbcrinp fires of 76 If tears were shed by aued
and cear.headed patriots ON the OCCASION it was not
ONLY because they parted with their long tried friend
and le~ der, H. CLAY as they hen supposed forever,
unrcwared for the On services of 30 Years devo
ion 10 his country because there arose in the bosoms
of all then present generous sense of mutual sacri
fee devotion TO country and TO freedom which colld
not hnt display iiself in that terrible manifestation of
sincerity when manly and prou sprits are not asham-
cd to ,yeen From tha, moment when many had al q.
most dcsnaircd of he Republic new and irresistible
ardor was spread through the Wing ranks of the re-
public which resulted IN the ever memorable triumph
! of the Patriot Harrison.
| know not how II NAV be with Won mon of Ohio
but in NV bosom the same emotions are vet living
not AT ali etced by time or the relative portion of our
cause with regard 10 the pre. ervaton of this great
| Commonwealth Ifthe vital faith n the capnbiluy
Of men for selCn1vernment be not n Whir doctrine
ihrn am no Whu Ifcuiality of sutIraoe of polIcal
privilege and social position. ,ependent solely upon
| virtue and talent be not WhI princples then am |
no Whr In n word if libettv-true virtuous cons'i.
ltu,onnl liberty be not the basis Of the Wing marty,
then am no Whig II is this vial and living prnci.
nIe of the Whir,erv of IS which next to God is the
object of nv perpetun adoraon that nlves that posi.
Ii5n which grpye TO saw induces Won now to cnIlup-
IN me 10 be with YOU III have any power i, is not
The mower of penus of learning far less of Fictitious
nosi,on III am known TO Won at ALL il is because
nC,he nowrr of p,incule-I cannot monopolze tit
is mine-it IS yours-it belongs to our counry-ro all
mnnkind While do not underrate the subordlnat e
treat and eternal lines Of separation between the pnr.