The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-04-18

| all government is necessarily sacrifice
to some extent, of individual will; that is
the best government to each individual,
which fosters or allows the most of what
that individual believes to be conducive
to his best interests The question, then,
is not, "Can find some man to vote for,
among seventeen millions, who thinks, in
all respects, as myself" but, "Who is
the man, all things present and remote
considered, that will most probably be
able, by success, to give effectuation to
those great measures which deem con-
ducive to my welfare, and the welfare of
my whole country" This question ev-
cry voter in the republic must determine
for himself. For myself, after looking
calmly upon all the surrounding circum-
stances, conscience, patriotism, and (f
others prefer the term) enlightened self
interest, constrain me to vote for Henry
Clay. I he tariff, the currency, the lands
economy, executive and ministerial re-
sponsibility, and many other interests, all
depend, in my humble judgment, on MIR.
Clays election, for beneficial determna-
ton. And if he is elected, the decisl ION
of 1870, passed by the people, will be
confirmed, and the policy of the country
settled. Then, and lsuch is the anarchy
of the public mind) not till then, shall we
have time to look about US, and project
that other great reform, the reduction Of
American slavery to its constitutional
limits, and to concentrate the united con-
demnation of the civilized world to its f.
nal and utter extinction.
Mr.. Clay is indeed stakeholder l
wish he were not. Yet it does not be-
come me, who have so late y ceased to be
STAKEHOLDER myself to condemn him.
1t is not my province to defend MIR. Clay;
this he is abundantIy able to do himself.
1t remains with posterity to determine
how much shall be due him for the glo-
rious impulse his fervent spirit has given
to liberty throughout the world; and with
them also to say, how much shall be sub
tracted from this appreciation, for his hav-
ing only failed to do all that could be
done in this holy cause. Cyrus, Them
istocles, Plato, Cato, Aristides, Demos
themes, Cincinnatus, and Cicero, sacrii-
ced to base heather gods; yet no man,
because they knew not the true God, will
say that they were not religious, great,
good, and patriotic men. L. b. Macau
ley, one of the most acute and enlighten-
ed men of this or any era, in his review
of the life of Francis Bacon, justly says:
owe should think it unjust to call ST.
Louis a wicked man, because, in an age
in which federation was generally regar-
ded as sin, he prosecuted heritics. We
should think it unjust to call Cowper's
friend, John Newton, hypocrite and a
monster, because, at time when the
slave~trade was commonly considered by
the most respectable people as an inno-
cent and beneficial traffic, he went large
ly provided with hymn-books and hand
cuffs, Guinea voyage. An immoral
acton being in a particular society gen
orally considered as innocent, is good
plea for an individual who, being one OF
that society, and having adopted the no.
tons which prevail among his neighbours
commits that action"
| connot, then, because Mr. Clay is
STAKEHOLDER, in community where the.
whole Christian Church Of all denomina-
tons the only protested teachers of
morals among the people are al,o slave
holders, prescribe him, for that single
thing of difference between US.
In saying thus much in justification of
nv course in voting for Mr. Clay,l should
be false to my own reputation, ungrateful
to that large portion of antI-slavery men
who have sympathized with me in my
feeble efforts ia the cause Of universal
liberty, g. recreant to that glorious cause
itself, if did not avow my belief that the
time is near at hand when public senti-
ment will not, ought not, and cannot hold
the stakeholder guiltless yes, | will go
yet farther, and declare, in the name of
the Christian religion, and our republican
institutions, based professedly on the
principle OF" lhe greatest good to The
greatest number" that no man, after the
next presidential election, when so much
light shall have been shed upon this sub
ject, should be deemed fit to rule over a
republican, Christian people, who shall
violate, by holding slaves, the only two
prncip pies upon which either Christianity
or republcanism can stand the test of
philosophical scrutiny, for single mo-
ment.
In conclusion, in refutation ofthe SLAM
ders of the Washingto Globe, which are
ever harmless where that print is known,
in justice to Mr.. Clay, and in vindicaton
ofmy own selfrespect, you will allow
me to say, that my opinions, and my &C
ton upon the subject Of slavery, are all
my own; that however much may es-
TEEN Mr.. Clay as man, statesman,
and friend-though may regard him
as one Of the most frank, noble, practl-
cal. wise. elonnent. and nntriotic ofthose