Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-04-05
From N. Y Tribune Of March 81
ANTI-SLAVERY MEM HEAR Gao
SIUS M. CLAY

SlOO M. CLAY.
The following letter from CAss,rs AZ
Clay to one Of the many who have writ.
him for an expression Of his views re,nas,
ing the Presidency, has been transmitted =.
for publication. We ask all opponents ~
slavery 10 give it that consideration TO Will
the character, ability, and wel-knowp sn
phatic Anti-Slavery sentiment of the v,;,..
enlitle it. He has just given new nroos
of his sincerity and depth of his conyic,;on
by emdRcipating all his own slaues-,bu. A.;
vesting himself Of legally entrenched Rich,
Of Property worth some $4,000. Let,bs
man who has done more, risked more ,, ~s
rficed more, for Emancipation than Co,,;.,
H. Clay, condemn the decision announces
in the following noble declaration =
Communicated TO the N. Y TriJun.
LEXINGTON, KY, MARCH 20, a.
W. l. MCKINNEY, Esq. Mayor Of Dayton. O.
Dear Sir Your letter Of February
18th last, was in due time received. sndi
have waited thus long with the intention If
not answering il at all ; because as am,
private citizen, not seeking office at the
hands Of the People, it might seem TO place
me in the pTesumptUous attitude Of aitemu.
ing to Influence, by mere weight of opinion
the votes of my countrymen in their choics
of President when neither my age. exper.
ence, nor fame, warranted the assumpiion
But since the reception of your letter
have received many of similar import from
Liberty men and Anti-Slayery Wings in
most of the Northern States, pressing upon
me an expression Of opinion, in such man.
ner that ! should prove false to that spirit Of
candor which ] proudly cherish as charac.
iersiic Of the principles which advocate
did through any afiectation of humility, re.
main longer silent. You ask me, "Whl you,
if you live, and are able TO vote at the an.
preaching Presidential election, vote for
Henry Clay for President If the Third
party or Liberty men, should have an Eec.
toral ticket in your State, would you vote
that ticket in preference Were you cit.
izen of Ohio, which Of these tickets would
you vote 2" The last two questions are
such as would require curious other suppO-
sirions TO be made, before could give sui.
able answer in justice TO myself and all the
parties concerned, which would be TOO vOlu.
minous for the space of single letter; and
for all practical purposes, they will be suG-
ciently answered in my reply to the first
question that IL is my decided determine
ton 80 rote for HENRY CLAY for Prai
dtnf." Men never have and never will, in
all cases think alike: all Government is
necessarily a sacrifice, TO some extent, Of
individual will that is the best Govern
ment TO each individual, which fosters most
of what that individual belives to be condu
Give 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 the
man, all things present and remote consider.
ed, that will most probably be able by sue.
cess to give edeciuation TO those great mea.
sures which deem conducive to my wei
fare, and the welfare of my whole couEiryP
This question every voter in the Republic
must determine for himself: For myself, az
ter looking calmly upon all the surrounding
circumstances, conscience, patriotism, and
(if others prefer the term) enlightened SELF
interest, constrain me to vote for Henry
Clay. The Tariff, the Currency. the Lands
Economy, Executive and ministerial resPOn'
sibiliiy, and many other interests, all depend,
in my humble judgment, on Mr.. Clay'
election for beneficial determination. And
if he is elected, the decision of le4O passed
by the people will be confirmed, and The
policy of the country settled. Then, and
(such 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 us
constitutional limits, and TO concentrate The
united condemnation of the civilized world
10 its final and utter extinction.
MIR. Clay is indeed slavehoder-l WISH
he were not. Yet II does not become NE
who have so lately ceased 10 be saveholo'
er myself TO condemn him. L is moi my
province TO defend Mr.. Clay; this he Is
abundantly able to do himself 1t remains
with posteriiy to determine how much shan
be due him for the glorious impulse his le''
vent spirit has given TO liberty Throughout
the world and with them also TO say, DO"
much shall be subtracted from this aPpTeclf
ton, for his having only failed to do all Ina
could be done in this holy cause. CyIoa
Themistocles, Plato, Cato, Arstldes' "
mosthenes, Cincnnatus and Cicero sacrll0
ed 10 base heather gods; yet no man, y"
cause they knew not the true God VIII ''1
that they were not religious, great, goo, a..
patriotic men. Il. B. Macauley, one OF 'n'
most acute and enlightened men OF TINS :,
any era, in his review Of the life oil france
Bacon, justly says, II G,
"We should think it unjust to call o.
Louis wicked man, because, IN an agsm
which federation was generally regaTdeu
sin, he prosecuted heretics. we snUIa
think it unjust to call Cowpcrs irlend' 'O"'
Newton, hypocrite and monster oecau' ~
at time when the Slave trade was eVIr