The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-04-18
t. A. S. Society adopted the above reso.

Forty years ago (says Mr. Clay) the
question was agitated IN the S ate OF Ken
lucky OF gradual emancipation of the
slaves within lis Limits. BY gradual
emancipation | mean that slov but safe
and cautious Liberation of slaves which
was first adopted in Pennsylvania at the
instance OF Dr. Franklin in 1880 and ac-
cordIng TO which, the generation of beings
were to remain IN sIavery, but all their
offspring born after specified day were
to be free at The age Of tuenty. eighh"-
"lt had been citizen OF Pennsylvania
when Frankin's plan was adopted
should have voted for it, because by no
possibility could The black race ever ac-
qulre an ascendency in that State. But
II had been then or were now, citizen
OF any OF the planting States--lhe South.
ern or Southwestern Slates-I sh0uid haze
opposed and aoO~ld continuc 10 oppose ANY
SCHEME WHATEVER Of emancipation -
GRADUAL OR IMMEDIATE"
Ii is high time that this deluson about
Henry CIay's being in favor of gradual
emancipation, when only youth of 20
years oil age, was eGplOded. And 10 Or
der TO do it The most efecuaIy | will
quote from NJ: CIay's own words contain
ed in The above speech in l839-being
40 years after the question was first agi.a-
ted IN kentucky. Mr. Clay says
AT the session of the (Keniucky) le-
gIsatuIe held In 1878 The question Of
calling convection Was submnled to the
consideration oil the people by law pass
ed IN coniJrmty with the Constitution Of
the Safe. Many motives existed for The
passage OF the law, and among them Mat
u emancipation, had lis influence. felt
| myself constr 0lned 10 take Immediate,
bold, md DECIDED GROUND AGAINST
IT,"
What You quote from Me Clay, at a
colonization meeting, IN 1927 about his
wishing TO " eradcae this deepes. stain,
this foul blot (.iavery) upon the character
of his coonlry," | Consider mere "rhet-
oricial flourish Tor popular effect, and is
conlradc,ed by all his subsequent acts and
speeches.
You say you are fully in the belief
that slavery in the District of Columbia
ought immedlalel y to cease by an act oil
Congress- Mr. Clay declares himself
fully in the belief that it ought mol 10
cease. You say you would not support
member of Congress who would not I'M
msdlately give his vote for its destruction
Mr. Clay, on The other hand, has always
openly been opposed TO its destruction and
would give his vote 10 no man who would
tuooT us abolition. You say you would
not vote Tor President who would pledge
himself beforehand 10 veto such BILL"
Yet Henry Clay is pledged beforehand
to oppose any scheme aohatever of eman-
cipalion-graduaI or ammediats.'
You are, take it for granted, opposed
10 the annexation Of Texas, while Henry
Clay has been frequently addressed by
public meetings and conventions, las well as
by individuals, within the last six months,
asking his views, for or against annexa-
tion, yet TO all these applications he has
been as silent as the grace, Nay more.
You ard your party send Wing senators
to Congress, and those very senator's vote
unanimously for John G. Calhoun Secre-
tary OF State. who is known to be openly
and publicly committed in tavor Of annex
ing Texas 20 this Union-the very man
whose duty it is, by virtue Of his office, to
negotiate the treaty. Yes sir, your ab-
oIitionist senators, as yOu would call them,
voted for man for Secretary of State who
on the 10Th day Of January 1910, made
the following declaration in the Senate.
We regard sIarery as the most safe
anil stable basis for free institutions IN
The aoorld." Every plantation is little
community, with the master at lis head,
achO concentrates IN himself The united an
tereSt q capital and labor, Of uOAscA he as
the common representatives,"
When you again See fit to hint at ANAL.
gamalion,' please inform the public what
kind, or description, of amalgamalion is
intended whether of c0lor-tbe different
races or parties. They can then judge
more correctly eohO and what parties are
most in favor OF that schemel
Oae Of your writer's has recently laid
down the following as "lhe pure Wing
creed" promulgated by The founders and