The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-10-17
NO. H..
J.F. McC0LLAM, Printer

j.. L. McCOLLAM, Printer
This effect resulted from your undertake
ing to speak of my private feelings and
those of my near and particular friends,
and your statement that you had been ten
years operating in the abolition cause.
Uader these circumstances, there was
an absolute necessity for the note which I
published, although regretted it extremes
ly. l endeavored so to shape it as not ID
wound your fe~elings,and | hope it did not.
Had you been here, you would have
concurred with myselfand other friends in
thinking it indispensable.
You must be well aware ct the very
great d~elicacy Of my position.
At the north, | am represented as an ul-
Ira supporter OF the institution of slavery.
whilst at the south | am described as an
abolitionisty when | am neither the one
nor the other. AS we have the same sir1
name, and are, moreover, related. great use
is made at the south against me,of whatevS
er falls from you. There, you are even
represented as being my son; hence the
necessity of the greatest circumspeclion.
and especially that you should avoid CONS
hitting me.
You are watched wherever you go;
and every word you publicly express will
be tortured and perverted as my own are:
After all, I am afraid you are too SAN
guine in supposing tina! any considerable
number Of Liberty men can be induced to
support me. How can that be expected
alter they have voted against Mr. Slade2
With assurance of my thankfuiness for
your friendly purposes, and with my best
respects for Mrs Clay,
| am truly and faithfully, your friend.
H. CLAY.
G. M. Clay ESQ.
We cannot perceive that there is one
syllable in this letter which Mr. Clay
should hesitate to see written on the sky.
II appears to US that the theft and SEAL
breaking which the Democrat pr~onouuces
'Providential' is so indeed, but in a very
different sense from that intended. Hen
ry Clay has been falsely accused Of dis!
stimulation OIL the subject OF Abolition, and
many thousands have been induced 10 be.
iieve that he has sent his relative here to
give private assurances 10 the ab%olitionists
that he was secretly one Of them. We
have no doubt that every loco foco; on
hearing of a private letter from Henry
Clay in Kentucky to Cassius NJ. Clay at
the north, has said in his heart, "Now we
shall see what inducements Mr. Clay Sc.
cretly holds out to abolitionists-What he
instructs Cassius 10 say TO them privately
of his feelings and intehiions-how he in
~structs his less experienced relative to
manage TO secure the Abolition vote.'-
What must be his disappointment on readI
ing it through 10 find nothing that he had
expected or hoped TO find-nothing bat
ii simple expression of regret that he had
been impelled by considerations of Truth
and Duty TO make a statement which
might wound the feelings of a devoted
relative and friend? If he had done less
Than this, he would not have been a man.
If he had given private assurances con.
trary to his public attitude, he would no.
have been Henry Clay. But no-writ-
ing to an abolitionist, he declares he is
no Abolitionist, any more than he is an
ultra supporter of Slavery. In his most
private, confidential communications, he
maintains precisely the ground which he
has maintained through life-the only
ground. in our Judgment, which a candiS
tate of the Wing party could maintain in
, good faith to the great body of his sup
porters. In that body there are thousands
no conscientiously believe Slavery if not
abstrac.ly right, at least practically inevs
table, in the present moral and social
, condition of the White and Black races
! at the South. There are other thousands
who believe Slavery all wrong, and that
nolbing but knowledge and the proper
: disposition is needed to effect its peace~
> full, speedy. benefcient abolition. Each
, class has a perfect right to its opinions.
/, and is Ia no way accountable for hem to
/, the other. The selection Of a candidate
/ who would, if elected, perverl the power
= of his station either to extend, perpetuate
: and iortify Slavery on the one hand, or to
, undermine and destroy it on the other,
would be acting in bad faith, so long as
the party is composed as it Is
However right or wrong Slavery may
be, a President chosen by the votes Of
f Northern and Southern States is under a
plain obligation not 10 lend the influence
of his station to Slavery fanaticism any
more than AntisIavery. The records Of