Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-09-20

MI OlI1 AuCb AOGCClI
We have taken great pleasure in laying before.
readers Mr.. Clays three letters ON the subject
of annexation, and we are equally glad to present
them with his views of slavery in general, as ex-
pressed by himself in the following letter. Had
the wing papers published Mr.. Brney's letters on
the subject of annexation, and his explanation of
the affair of Charley's sale, instead of keeping
them out Of sight altogether, and parading the
charges of his slaveholding accusers before their
readers in garng capitals, their conduct would
have been much more honorable.
Mr.. Clay is becoming much more honest and
open in the expression of his sentiments on annex
alton, and his delight in the slave power than we
expected he would be, in his present. circumstansts
ces. Indeed, he is about as bold Rldsp Wind III
this power as ever Mr. Van BuregE s ifl ts Nk
mission to it. His last letters qHta and9aNdedly
intended only for the southern kef hut they
have humbcd and mortified hls n them Gtsnds,
who were trying to convincs tbe ppopI1 that no
was decent man, most craelly Keeps otl
at this rate little longer, he VII Wleage alt
that the Liberty party p4pers hay sFgea upon
him, in relation to annexation, his dusling dispot
ston, and slavery in general. We have aothing
to say about the dignity which Mt. Clay mafl-
ifests in snarling at democratic ediE5r, but wp
wish readers to notice the pointed naanneg ~
which he contradicts the statements Of Cassius ~
Clay which he made in letter directed TO j, y.
Speed of Ithaca, New York. of which the follow
ing is an extract and out of which the an sstern
wing papers have attempted to make nlea
capital.
"Let the Wings of the north put the battle Oh
its true basis, and fight it bravey:-- ONE side,
Polk, Slavery and Texas; on the other, Cia3s Y NJ
ion and Liberty. If we cannot beats Auch ie-
sues, then let us fall; and our fall will be- nlenl- j
bered by the good forever. Can it be possiblethats
while Mr.. Clay will lose some three or four slave
States which were to him BEFORE by opposing
Texas that there is not sufficient spirit 0f7free-
dom, honor, and good faith in the North to carry
those large States where his success was before
doubtful? Mr.. Clay and his friends have taken
high and holy ground"
"Savery or liberty is to be determined in some
sort this coming election-not the liberty of the
black only, but of the white also. do not mean
to say that Mr. Clay is an emancipatonist--bu
believe his feelings are with The cause. | know
that those most Immediately within his influence
approximate to myself in sentiment upon the sub
ject of slavery"
From the Lexington (Ky.) Observer and Reporter
Ashland, September Q, 1914.
Mr.. Wicklfe The editor of neighboring
print, (the Kentucky Gazette, of Lexington cal
ling my attention to letter of c. M. Clay, Esq.
under date of the 10th of July, 1874, and address,
ed to Col j. Speed of Ithaca, has appealed to me
with so much earnestness, and with putsiOse of
such unaffected sincerity, to say whether Iapprove
or disapprove of that letter, that | have not the
heart to deny that editor the very great gratidca
ton which he will derive from the perusa Of this
note especially when it gives me SO little trouble
to write it.
Mr.. G. M. Clay'S letter was written without my
knowledge, without any consultation with me, and
without any authority from me. | never saw it
until read it in public prints. That gentleman
is an independent citizen having a perfect right
to entertain and avow his own opinions. Fam not
responsible for them, and he is not for mine. So
far as he ventures to interpret my feelings, he has
entirely misconceved them. believe him to be
equally mistaken as to those in the circle of my
personal friends and neighbors generally.
sl In nv speech, addressed to the Senate Of the u.
States, and IN resolutions which offered to that
body, in my address to Mr.. Mendenhal, about two,
years ago, and on various other public OCCASIONS,
2 have fully, freely and explicitly avowed my sem
timents and opinions the subjects of the insttu-
ton of slavery and abolition. | adhere to them,,
= without any reservation. have neither enter
tanned, nor expressed, publicly or privately, any
others. And my friends and neg hbors generally,
so far as have interchanged sentiments with them
coincide entirely with me.
The sentiments and opinions so expressed by me,
may be briefly stated to be: LIST, That Congress
has no power or authority over the institution of
slavery 3D. That the existence, maintenance
and continuance Of that institution depend, exclu-
, svely upon the power and authority of the res
I pective States within which it is situated. And
3d. That Congress cannot interfere with slavery
in the district of Columbia, without violation of
f, rood tn the Stntes of MARYLAND and VIRGINIA.
implied, if not expressed in the terms, objects and
purposes of the grant of ten miles square to the
general Government
So far form the success of the Wing cause hav-
ing any injurious tendency, as has been alleged, /
believe it will have powerful effect in tranqihz-
ing and harmonzing all parts of the Union, and in
giving confidence. strength and security to ali the
: interests of our country.
| hope that your editorial nsighbof will now be