New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-05-14
Letter from Ca.,,us VI. Clay.

r hs Editors u IL Ciqcs1Bct Gdiers:
GrNrLENsy-Yout repeated Kindness warrants
me IN asking the liberty ot making, through vouT
columns, few statements personal TO myseli. ol IT.
lie Interest perhaps your readers It's ever pon-
fl 10 natures far less sensitive than my own. lo oo-
,rude their private crets upon the public ear, vi
when great principles are attempted TO be struck
down IN the tfail persons OF their hsmbe>i huNo-
Gates sense of duty and nvlolute fidelity should
suhdue all feelings Of delicacy and wounded sensl'
bilitv 10 the vindica,i,n ot the right
A trust slave, named Emily. have every reason
to believe IN 1913, killed with poison ous l"iaGt
,hid and again III 1915 attempted 10 poison our IN
FAINT since born; she Is now IN The irNinSirn Jali
s,tbjert TO the iqrS ui the county Het mother ana
brother and daughter | sent Ia New Orleans and
sold them there, because knew them to be abei-
tors OF The crime of Emily, and further because IN
80 doing was but fulfilling the desire at my ta'ner,
whose will. ms executor am bound by oath 10 fulfil
his language being, a" | recommend III all cases
where slaves behave amSs,' that they should oe
sold, and the money settled III land Tor the dement,
OF those for whom The trust was created
Here then is the sole foundation vt The absurd
falsrhoodS which have been going the rounds o Tue
American pre- So thai instead OF iberalns my slaves
{ " had sold them all 10 the planters OF Cotton l
repeat once more, have liberated all The saves III
the world that owned IN my own flshi, or'ng III
all thirteen; and that have never at any ume N
my life sold any slave except tor rHc or ny lntlf
o,clr desire. In tins last severe trial to when late
has subjected me have done nothing TO wonsd my
sclfrrspect or sense of tight-and had valnly lu-
dulged the hope that my msi"rtunes wonld have
shielded me from the bitterness OF party tttlng and
saved me from taunts and reproaches which are not
! inflicted even upon the veriest criminals. am not
| the man 10 revenge upon whole race the crime 81
one or more individuals. and the enemies OF hunan
rights aud American liberty are informed that am
not fallen from my uncompromlslng war upon the
criminal usurpations of The Slave Power. and that
the rights of the free rhi'e aborsrs Of this Union are
yet to be viUdlcated if not avenged. They are wei
come 10 all the strength which my calnmnes can
give to failing cause-for men OF reflection VIII
not fail 10 mark, that it was STARE, not the tTfe
TINT did the deed
Whilst confess my attractions of the moral law
which call iorrernbuton, upon this subject my con-
SCIENCE fully acqutS me. Can any Of my accusrr
say As much or will not men once more witness
the sorry spectacle OF many now condemnne me
who dare not throw the first stone ~ have not
at any time assumed TO be better than other men,
and whilst profess TO be open to the common sym
palhies OF our nature. have never set myself up as
Rhllanthropst. Let those who have honored me
| for my cause be consoled with the reflection, that
though should fall by my own acts or o'herwise,
NV principles shall survive eternal and lnvlolafe
c. VI. CLAY.