New-York daily tribune., 1844-01-22
c,xs;us NJ. Clay on slavery.


has full report Of noble Speech delivered by
CAssrUs NJ CLAY in reply to RICHARD NJ JOHN
SON and others at meeting held at the White
Sulphur Springs Scott Co., KY, Dec. goth, to
favor the Annexation of Texas to the Union.
Col. Johnson having been called to preside, and
resolutions affirming the policy of uniting Texas
to the Union having been proposed and advocated
by the Chairman and others, Mr.. Z. NJ CLAY
offered substitute Of opposite tenor, which ne
advocated in glorious Speech. We do not care
to publish so much Of it relates to the main
question, for the Annexation OF Texas, with
Slavery existing therein, to this Union is as lm
possible as the falling of the sky. There was a
time when this was possible, but now there ap
pears to be no considerable party or sectlon IN
favor of it, and we have no room 70 waste u
opposition to a frustrated, by-gone mischief.
But there is a portion of Mr.. Clays remarks,
taken in consideration with his position and the
general aspects of the Slavery question, which
deserves attention. Among the leading axioms of
those (including the Liberty candidate for
President who advocate the Abolition of Sa-
yery at so much per month, arc these-l. That
every Slave-holder is to be regarded an enemy
of Human Rights, and prescribed, so far as posi-
BILE, from all public station .. That nobody who
belongs to either of the great Political parties can
be favorable to Emancipation, but every Wing is,
of necessity, Pro.Slarery,' and an enemy to
Liberty for all 3. That no man can be heard in
opposition 10 Slavery in the Slave States, either
orally ar through the journals. Now, IN reiuta-
ton OF these assumptions, we cite the case OF
C,ssus NJ. CLAY, at this moment an ardent
Whip and extensive Slave holder, who has re-
peatedly spoken both in the Kentucky Leglsla-
ture and before the People in earnest, powerful
opposition to Slavery, and whose Speech is pub
bshed in full in the leading journal of Kentucky,
embodyine such sentiments as the following
s.To say that | am an Abolltionist IN the
sense in which the enemies of all moral progress
would have YOU believe, that would sanction
nsurrection and massacre; my wife, children,
mother brothers and sisters, and relations and
friends, are all hostages for my sincerity, when,
restraining mvsef TO the use OF courteous terms,
| repel the unjust and dishonoring imputation.
That am an Abohtlonist in the sense that
would take away, without Just compensation,
the rights of property in slaves, which the laws
secure to me and to some thirty or forty thousand
c;tz.,ns of Kentucky, my letter to the Tribune,
which is before the world, disproves.
"Still, sir / am an Abolitionist. Such an Abo-
Ttionlst as have been from my boyhood-Such
AN Abolitionst as was in 1886 when declared
in nv place in the House of Representatives, 10
which was lust then eligible, that if the Con-
stitu,ion did not give us power to protect our
selves against the internal slave-trade, that | re-
nounced it. and would appeal to a Convention
for new one Such an abohtonist as | was
in lS4O, when declared in the same House of
Representatives, that l wished to place the State
OF Kentucky in such position by sustaining the
law of 1888, that she could move at any tine
she thought it conducive to her highest interest,
to free herself from slavery. Such an abolition
ist as | have ever avowed myself in public
speeches and writings TO the people of this dis
trict, that If Kentucky was wise enough to free
herself from the counsels of pro.slavcry men,
that slavery would perish of itself by voluntary
action of masters and the irresistible force of
circumstances which would convince the people
To the use of free instead of slave labor as eve
ry way most advantageous. Such an abolition
list, as were the band Of immortal men who form
ed the federal Constitution, who would not have
the wor d slave III that sacred instrument, am |.
Such an aholitionist as was Washington, who, so
far from lending countenance to the propagation
Of slavery, as you are now dong, declared that
on all proper occasions his influence and hlsvol
should be cast for the eXtlnguishment OF slavery
among men, am also. Such an abolton!St US
was Jefferson, the great father oil Democracy,
whom you all profess to follow, who ioretod,
what has since partially come to pass, that slave
ry, If not destroyed, would jeopardlze and finally
extinguish the liberties of the whites themselves;
who foresaw, with an unerrlng glance, that the
slavery Of the black race, If not remcdied by the
whites, would at last remedy itself; such an abo
litionist am | also. And being such, take issue
with the opinion which has been here to-day, as
IL has been often elsewhere, most dogmaticay
advanced, that the question is whether the
whites shall rule the blacks, or the blacks shall