Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-05-31
For the Green Mountain Freeman.
To the President of the Woodstock Clay Club.
No. H..

No. III.
For what fellowship hath righteousness with un-
righteousness? What communion hath light
with darkness? What concord hath Christ with
Beal what part hath be that beeveth, with
an infdel?'-" Wherefore come out from, among
them and be ye separate, and touch not The I'M
clean thing"
DEAR SIR:-Without taking time to recapltu-
late the substance of my former letter. | proceed
to the remaining inquiry, viz
2. Who and aOhat is HENRY CLAY, whom the
President of the Woodstock Clay Club is dcvotng
his energies to elect to the presidency of the u
nited States?
Here let me premise, Sir, that whatever may
be the associations which, in other minds, cluster
and entwine around the name of Henry Clay, in
somuch that (f the Wing press is to be credited)
the bare mention of it draws forth responses from
the assembled multitude 50 voc(erous and Ct will
0dd) SO UoIcanlc as to endanger the massive dome,
beneath which it is uttered Whatever emotions
may be excited in other bosoms at the mention of
that name, confess, Sir, have no Ingredient in
my composition, that responds to such call no
feeling that harnonizes with the sentiment (if |
may use that word) of such yociferation. And
oAtOHj oiuCC tu6 CUuNCuLON i'll nave
asked myself the question, What secret, what
mysterious, what new discovered string or cord,
or muscle, e'en in human natures strange organiz-
alton, is there, that could echo back the name of
Henry Clay in such uprOarouS outbursts-such
whlrlwlnd storm? What principle, feeling, pas
sion or emotion was made to reverberate tbus?-
Was 1t patriotism? philanthropy? or humanity ?
orJustice? or honor? or morality or religion? All!
no, Sir, none of these! For sooner would the
corroded treasures, long in mser's caskes hoard
ed, leap forth at saferng's silent tear, than the
name Of Henry Clay awaken one response from
amy generous impulse or emotion of an honest
soul. What then, Sir, was it which came so neal
causing the blue skies of Baltimore to be the only
awning to shield the heads of Wing patriotism
from the scorching rays of May sun? Pride, ioy
exultaton, swell the bosom of an Americnn-f
New Englander-at the name of Henry Clay
Not It's false! SANDER not the departed spirits o
the puritan fathers by accusing their own flesh ant
blood of glorying SO soon in such name! Tel
the world THE TRUTH (whoever we are that mas
tell it at ALLY for the honor of our country and hu
mainly let posterity know that the wings of 1874
gloried not in Henry Clay, but in the "LoAvE
AND FISHES OF eFFIcE"-not in " Ashand's'' IN
FANNY, but in their otcn e tread and butterr'
But to the question-Who is Henry Clay? Ii
answering which, sir, wish not to detract from
the merits OF Mr. Clay the 1.-THE of a hair. H
himself must know and feel that ne has none t.
part with. That he has talents of high order
and that so far mind is requisite, he might hav
been a statesman, all will admit And here. sir
the lesson ends. All that can be, has been said
And whoever undertakes to afix to his characte
any graces or virtues either of heart or mind
other than those above expressed, and what ar
fairly embraced within them, is rendering tribut
where none is due. | know, sir, that Mr.. Clay
biographers point us to his speech in Congress
upon Grecian oppression, as though that alon
proved him possessed of all the virtues of patrio
ism, philanthropy and human sympathy. 81
while Mr.. Clay was pronouncing that same decl;
ton upon liberty, in Congress, whose "Greeks
Gas Randolph called them) were, at the same hou
cIankjng their chains at " .4Shland?" His bios
raphsrs tell US, too, that Clay is the father {