The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1844-06-13
VOL 8 NO. q, WHOLE 10. gs0

moi now lvng) to nave remarked the following effect
slt gentlemen will not allow US 10 have black slaves
they must lei Us have Eife 0ae ior cannot cut our
6lewood and black our shoes and have wives and
daughters work in the Kitchen"
[ think YOU attach an importance 10 this miserable
attempt 10 prejudice me which docs not merit Here
is an extract from the iles Of the lntegcncer under
date near twenty four years ago. not from any speech o
mne but from speech Of another memberof Con.
gress He does not undertake 70 give my scOrds but
merely states the Impressions OF the ee Of certain
words used by me year before. During the long and
arduous discussions Of what was called the Missouri
question, Twas engrossed with the importance ofhe
subject and deeply apprehensive Of the awful conse
quences which Il involved that never wrote out or cor
rected any speech Of mine during the progress OF the
debate. On the last and most important occasion OF
the agitation OF that question, | made an elaborate
speech of several hours duration; no part Of which,
believe was reported by the stenOgraphers it
certainly never was by me- '''
l certainly will not attempt to Tece what were the
precise words used by Qhe occasion Of any ofmy
numerous speeches short Or long which made in Con-
sress on lhe Missouri question:; but this vii undertake
to assert with the most perfect confidence, that never
used the words, or any words which would bear The
import of the extract-to which have alluded! am
confident OF it because never entertained such sen-
ment in my life. / never conceived contingency in
which Iwould favor eounenance reducing white men
to slavery. To such an imputaion may oppose the
tenor OF a whole life, during which my humble exer-
ons have been constantly directed 70 the preservation
o6SAhSut
tablishment in foreign countries IfI have NOT been
bic to extend these extertons to the black race held in
bondage in this country it has been because Of consd-
erations and convictions, sincerely and honestly enter
tained embracing The peace and happiness OF both the
white ard black races which have been often presented
| to the public. ~ f1.tr
1t is quite possible that in arguing upon the existence
Of the instution of slavery in this country may have
conendedha the black race supplied those domestic
Offices, which under the name of ahelp smenia ser
n
civilized society," and consequently relieved the white
race from the performance Of those Offices. have
ever employed such an argument (of which have
no recoecton it is apparen: how erroneous inerences
may have been drawn from which it did not author
| ze.
Ihave no disposition to disparage the industry o. the
wives of any OF the cerfers to the extract not TO boast
of that in my own family, butt venture TO say thatno
one of them performs more domestic industry with her
| own hands than my wife does at Ashland
am with goeat respect you friend and obedient SEE
vant % l,c9 as'-s-. W. g5t SEQ a. CLAY.
Hon. JOHN WHITE. a
Mr.. Clay, it will be seen, unfortunately ior himself
makes the admission that he did speak the Missouri
question: atthe timeand place chargedhat his speeches
in whole or in part were never reported but contends
that the quotation from the speech of Mr. Rich not
to be believed because they published nesrwen-
your years ago. and because Mr. Rich did not profess
to give the precise language Of Mr. Clay and because
Mr.. Rich is now dead
strikes u.s. that these arguments are unfortunate
ones and that instead of aiding Mr.. Clay in Kidding
himself of the charge must have the effect Of riveting
it upon him. In his speech reported in the National
Intelligencer of July LIST 1921, Mr. Richie Vermont,
says:
"Ihave, by the successful influence Of my example,
taught my sons to cultivate the earth, while my daugh-
tiers have been instructed inthe manufacture Of clothing
for themselves and brothers, extending even to those
have the honor 10 wear, and in the useful abors
ofthe Kitchen"
In note to the bottom of this speech viii be found
the following:
"When this subject was under consideration at the
last session. the honorable speaker (Clay) remarked 10
the following effect:
"T Tgentemen 1oiu not let hare black Slaves they mast
let Us la We quaiteOnes; for WE CANNOT CUT OUR
FIRE WOOD, AND BLADK OUR SHOES, AND
HAVE OUR WIVES AND DAUGHTERS WORK
IN THE KITCHEN" sg
Ifthe long time which has elapsed since Mr. Rich
made the this speech in Congsess while Mr. Clay was
its presiding officer, and since it was published in the
government paper is to be offered evidence to prove
it false with how much more force can the fact be used
tn at for near twenty four years" has Mr. Clay suffer.
ed this slanderif SANDER be-torest upon him, with
out an efert to rescue his name from the inamy of
such sentiment For twenty-four years. he would
have us believe that he had suffered slander 10 rest
upon his name twenty 'our years. has he remained
passive under the injury which, he would make the rea-
der believe, inflicted upon his reputaton---and this
fact he offers as strong evidence to rid himself at
once and forever of the charge Had beeu false can
any man in his sober senses believe that an aspiring
man---such the history of Henry Clay shows him to
be---woud have rested for moment under the stg
MAJ To suppose any such thing is to believe an ab-
surdy. But Mr. Clay did not deny ii at that time, and
the reason that there were many then in Congress-
who would have sustained Mr. Rich, and fastened the
charge upon Mr. Clay, s.s sase.
But then says Mr. Clay, the words which MIR Rich
charged Upon him, were said to have been FUSED by the
(Cay) year before" This is true for Mr. Rich acl-
nowedges that the language used at the session
previous and we are disposed to give Mr. Clay all the
benefit of this fact. In doing this however, we win
bring to Mr. Clays remembrance speech made on the
very day in which he branded the laboTers Of the North
and West, who cut their own rewood and black their
own shoes" and whose 'wives and daughters work in
the kitchen" ,nhie aaues, and which speech abun,
dainty sustains the position taken by Mr. Rich 1t was
delivered by John w. Taylor of New York. and as we
before said on the very day tha. Clay made his speech
and was in reply 10 il and win be found in the National