The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-08-08
LETTER R o Mr.. CLAY.

we copy the following rom Inc Iusca-
loosa (Ala) Intligencer:
Believing that Mr.. Clay had been mis-
understood or grossly misrepresented, in re-
gard TO a portion Of his Texas letter. we no.
iced the subject in the Monitor oil 18Th June.
We then said:
at has been falsely charged by his op-
ponenis, that Mr.. Clay addressed himself,for
support, TO the aboli,ionists of the North, in
the following passage of his letter."
al do not think Texas ought to be %receiv-
ed into the Union, as an intregral part of
in decided opposition TO the wishes ofa con-
siderable and respectable portion OF the Con
federacy."
After abiding to another portion of his let
ter,which, taken in comexion with the above
the People of The Confederacy, we stated
that Mr.. Clay's meaning was, ''that if any
considerable and respectable number of
States were to assume an attitude threaten
ing the integrity of, or likely to dissolve the
Union rather than admit Texas-then, with
such prospect, anncxatiod ought 10 be abau-
doned TO preserve the Union.n
We forwarded to Mr.. Clay a copy of the
Monitor containing the article, and also a
not respectfully calling his attention to it,
His reply puts an end, at once, 10 all .specu-
lation on The subject:
ASHLAND, July l, 1874.
MY DEAR SIR: | received and thank you
for your friendly letter, and the copy OF the
Monitor. You have justly conceived my
meaning, when | referred, in my Texas let
Ter, 10 a considerable and respectable por-
ton of the Confederacy. And you might
have strengthened your construction of The
paragraph, by reference TO the fact that, AT
the date Of letter, the States OF Ohio,
Vermont, an- Massachusetts had, almost
unanimou sly, declared against annexation
against annexation; the Legislature Of Geor-
gia had declined to recommend it, and other
States were believed to be adverse 10 the
measure. As TO the idea of my courling the
Abolitionlsts it is perfectly absurd. No man
in the United States has been half as much
abused by them as | have been.
| consider the Union a great political part
nership; and that new members ought not 10
be admitted into the concern at the immi-
nent hazlrd of its dissolution. Personally,
/ could have no objection to the annexation
of Texas; but | certainly Eould be unwill-
ing to see the existing Union dissolved OIL
seriously jeoparded for the sake of acquiring
Texas. Ifany one desire to know the lead.
ing and paramount object of my public life.
the preservation of this Union will furnish
him the key.
From the Developments now being made
in South Carolina, it is perfectly manifest
that a party exists in that State seeking a
dissolution of the Union, and for that pur
pose employing the pretext of the rejection
of Mr.. Tyler's abominable treaty. South
Carolina, being surrounded by slave States
would. in the event of a dissolution of the
Union, suffer only comparative evils; but it is
otherwise with Kentucky. She has the
boundary of the Ohio extending five hundred
miles on the three free States. What would
her condition be in the event of the Creates
calamity that would belall this nation?
In Kentucky, the Texas question will dc
the Wing cause no prejudice. | am glad tC
perceive, in the proceedings of the CLAY
club of Tuscaloosa, a similar belief express
ed as to Alabama. It was a bubble, blown
up by Mr.. Tylerin the most exceptionable
manner, for sinister purposes, and its burst
ing has injured nobody but MIR. Van Buren,.
III. CLAY.
STEPHEN F. MILLER, ESQ, Tuscaloosa
Ala.