The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-10-25

edged by the Government oil the United States,
(Mr. H. Clay participating therein,) in March,
1887; and Mr.. C. M. Clay knew as well as it was
known to all of us Kentuckians and citizens ofoth-
er States, that negro sluuery, by the Constitution
and laws of the Republic of Texas, was as absolute
as it is in any of the States Of this Union, and moe
absolute than it is in this State Mr. c. M. Clay
was siaueholderthen, as he is NOW For al
though he made an attempt to emancpate his slaves
before the County Court of Fayette, yet he was so
unfortunate in his philanthropic efforts as not to
observe the acquisitions and ormalities of our laws
and the practice of our Courts in such cases made
and provided, and uniformly observed; not only
for the security of masters but also for the protec
ton of the emancipated negro The Deed of E.
mancipaton of his slaves is of record in the Clerks
Office of the County Court of Fayette. was a
member of the same branch of the Legislature with
himself when he introduced his resolutions, and /
heartily approved of the principles and opinions ex-
pressed in them, and yet entertain the same prn-
ciples and opinions.
had in the same year prior to the Presidential
election, warmly and as efficiently as could, es
poused the election ofthat venerated patriot Will
liam Henry Harrison, to,the Presidency of the
United States, as again did in the year 1910. /
was not, at any of the periods Of time mentioned,
stakeholder, nor am now, nor do imagine that
ever will be- Yet was so sollcitous for the an
nexaon of Texas to this Union, that objected to
the agitation Of the question among the people of
| this Congressional District until the Presidential
election should have occurred; apprehending as
did, that Mr.. H. Clay would conceive it to be
promotive ofhis aspirations to the Presidency of
the United States, by opposing the admission oi a
new State into the Union in which negro slavery
was tolerated, thereby; securing "two strings to
his bow," he Tariff being one,) to be used in play
ing upon the sectional feelings and prejudces,
which unhappily have too much, heretofore, dis
tnrbed the peace and harmony of the Nation Be-
fore the letter of Mr. II. Clay to the editors of the
Intelligencer, written at Raleigh, North Carolina
and Of date April II, ls4I appeared in the public
Journals; had never heard either wings or demo-
crats dissenting from the principles contained in the
Resolutions of Mr. c. M. Clay; on the contrary,
Wing Convention from this State had, before their
departure from Kentucky, declared themselves
| varmiy IN fapor ofNe annexation Inever ina
gined that the Hon. H. Clay would have re, ted hi,
objections to annexation upon such grounds as he
assumes in that letter viz: "annexation and war
with Mexico are IDENTICAL" that Mexico had
right reduce 1sros to obedience, because she had
never recognized the Independence of Texas
In the debates which occurred in the Senate of
the United States after Mr. Clay, as Chairman of
the committee on Foreign Relations, had in his re-
port stated that the victory of San Jacinto may be
considered as decisive of the Independence ofTex-
as, he on one occasion pronounced Santa Anna
"Dain glorious and cruel trant." In his speech
delivered in the Senate ofthe United States, March
%, 1912, on the series of Resolutions offered by
him, he assigned as reason for proposing to raise
a netrecenue Of t,oenty sir millions ofdoAars an
"baffy, that "there was cause for apprehending
the breaking out of war with Mexico, from the in
solent language recently employed by an upstart,
tyram and usmper toward the people of the valley
of the Mississippi, and froih other wrongs unre-
dressed" Regarding the facts also, that the Leg
islature of Kentucky, without any division, had in
January, 1887, instructed each and every Repre-
sentative and Senator in Congress from this State
"o use all proper means in their power to procure
on the part Of the General Government, formal re-
cogniton of the Independence of Texas, avering
that the Texans were 81 fact free people-that
the Federal Government and the principal powers
OF the world, have recognized her independence,
and that she has maintained it for more than eight
years, and as Daniel Webster as Secretary OF State
told Mexico "to her teeth," "that Texas has ex
hlbted the same internal signs of National Indepen-
dence as Mexico herself, and with quite as much
stability Of government"-and that, (adopting the
very words of Mr., c. M. Clay in his first Resolu-
tion,) eve look upon our Anglo-Saxon brethren
OF Texas with feelings of profound interest and
sympathy Regarding all these facts and other
such considerations as the resolutions of Mr.. c. NJ
Clay would naturally suggest to the mind, /, as a
citizen Of Kentucky and of the United States have
Alright to express the solemn feelings that occupy
my mind, in contemplating the possibility of ele-
vating to the Presidency of these United States,
dnyperson who promulgates to the world an opin-
that any nation has right to diuest Ieras ofher
National independence, and "to reduce her to
OBEDIENCE" and more especially Mexico, herself
crouching under the ambition Of spain glorious,
cruel, upstart tyant and asu,per"
J. C. SPRIGG.
IMPORTANT ELECTION DECISION.