The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-09-27
From the Globe

speech.
From the Globe
CLAY IN THE HANDS OF THE POTTER
1t would seem that both the Clays Henry and
his cousin Cassius-are just at this time exceeding
ly plastic. Yesterdays Globe exhibited the various
shapes which Mr.. H. Clay had assumed under the
hands of the several sects and factions to which
he has committed himself His different taliff
forms-hs changing dueling postures-his favor
able and unfavorable, and then again his favorable
aspect towards Texas-his abolition and anti
abolition complexon,- these Protean shapes of
the ci-depant Jefferson democrat turned into a
Hamiltonian federalist under the hands of an
Adams, the most odious to him of any one of the
race, were glanced at. But we did not know this
capability Of easy modelling under the pressure Of
circumstances, belonged to the whole family Of
Clays. From the following article, however, it
appears that c. M Clay partakes of all the piabiI-
ty of the greater Clay, to whose political fortunes
he is attached.
1t seems that the minor Clay, like the great Ajax
of that name, had at one time hoped to build up
political distinction for himself by anncxing Texas
~ tAS SHitSu OtdtcS ne GCldt ana SiOTy Oh
adding new and vast empire TO the valley of the
Mississippi seems to have stimulated G. NJ Clay
on first entering the councils of Kentucky, as it
did II. Clay on his entering on the functions of
Secretary Of State under Mr.. Adams. The latter
would have given millions to Mexico 10 annex
Texas to the United States. c. NJ. Clay, follow.
ing in the wake Of his ambitions namesake, pressed
Al l.
on the legislature of Kentucky in 1889. Then,
the annexation OF Texas was necessary to avert
"he greatest possible ealamity"-the dissolution
ofEthe Union; then to annex Texas as a new bond
of union On object for which he would ssdefy
dictdtion from Gjrecd" then, as adding ''atcreas-
ed strength c;,d splendor TO our .fcderul govern.
me''t," az gicing rs lrsaiiF, and popul .tion at
home, end eleratits us aiaDag foreign nations"
MIR Clay would, although "not unconscious ofMe
difficulties touching Mis g,e4' question:" risk war
and the worst Of evils for Texas. Now, MIR. C.
NJ. Clay considers Texas synonymous with slave
ry and d:sunion. He shouts for ''CLAY, UNION
AND LIBERTY" as the issue on one side, against
"PoLK, SLAVERY, AND TExAs,' as the issue Oh
the other "Wih Po'k, Che tells the country
IeraS comes in; ,cah Terus the north and the
south are ineri'a6ly ,pht; and a,cay goes the
fruits, to us here at least, of the american ,epo
luti0nt'
But we leave to our readers contemplation the
various transformations which our ,men of Clay
have undergone 1t will take very little philoso.
ply to divine the causes and ascertain how far
these violent resolutions are the results of the
ardent patriotism professed, or of an all absorbing
selfishness.
COL. q. NJ CLAY"IN A FIX'-"BETWEEN
HAWK AND BUZZARD"-NOW A BIT
TER oPPCSER OF FANNEXATIoN-THE
FIRST LEGISLATOR IN THE UNION TO
MOVE RESOLUTIONS IN FAVOR OF IT
WING ABOLITIoNlSM AND wHIG.
CONSISTENCY.
| We are under many obligations to Mr. Sprigg
for the extract from Col. C. M. Clays letter, pub
liShed below. We have received more than
dozen letters asking TO publish all of the letter
referred to, but cannot comply with the wishes of
! our correspondents, because we have not been
able to procure copy. The extracts now given
are sufficient to show, that if Col. Clay is a cor
rect exponent of the opinions of his party, it is not
only closely identified with abolitionism, but thew
are in fact 'one and indivsibe.' Iii understood
Mr. Clay is now in the North propagating the doc
trines of his joint faith of whig aboitonism by all
the powers of his eloquence at the same time that
he is opposing the annexation of Texas. Mr.. S.
has also brought to our view very important
feature in the political history of Mr. Clay, which
he seems to have forgotten. The resolutions
which we publish below will be found at the place
in the journals referred 10, and contrast strangely
enough with Col. Clay's an-annexation resou-
tons offered at the White Sulphur Springs in No
vember last, with the present course of himself and
party on that subject. These resolutions certainly
take the true ground; and we win show soon that
they were followed by the wing party in this State
in the legislature, cnly two or three years ago.
SHELBYvILLE. Aug %, 1874.
SIR: Ihave this morning read letter of C. M.
Clay esq, of July 10, 1884, addressed to Col J. j.
Speed, OF Ithica, N. Y, in response to an invita-
ton to visit that State and address mass meetings
ofthe people. The letter will be found published
in the New York Tribune, vol. 3, No.-,August
II, 1874. That letter, written as it is in the Wig
orous style ofits talented author, ought to be pub
lished in every paper, whig or democrat, in Ken
lucky. After assigning bis reasons for not COM
plying with the invitation received by him--which
are, that public and private duties call him else
Wherein. Clay proceeds to say
J "In the mean time lam not idle, and my Cores
pondence with both wings and liberty men is most
extensive. Iconfess that my interest in the cause
of the wings is founded on the suppcstion that they
viii act in good faith to taeirprefessioa living