Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1845-05-23


LETTER FROM CASSIUS NJ. CLAY.
GeuL,men: Yourrepeated kindness war-
rants me in asking the liberty of making.
through your columns, few statements
personal o myself Of little interest perhaps
to your readers. Il is ever painful to ma
lures far less sensitive than my own. to Oh
trude their private grefs upon the public
ear, yet when great principles are attempt
ed to be stuck down in the frail persons Of
their humblest advocates. sense Of duty
and inviolate fidelity, should subdue all
feelings OF dplicacy and wounded sensibjl-
ity to the vindcation Of the right.
A trust slave, named Emily, ! have eve
ry reason to believe. in l843, killed with
poison our infant child, and again in l845
attempted 10 poison our infant since borni
she is now in the Lexington jail, Mljsrt 10
the laos of the country. Her mother and
brother and daughter, sent TO New Or
leans and sold them there; because | knew
them to be abettors Of the crime Of Emily.
and further because in so doing was but
fulfilling the desire of my father, whose
will as executor, l am bound by oath TO full
fil-his language being, "a recommend in
all cases where slaves behave amss," that
they should be sold, and the money settled
in land for the benefit of those for whom
the trust was created.
Here then is The cole foundation Of the
absurd fasehoods which have been going
the rounds of the American press, that in
stead of liberating my slaves, "had sold
them all 10 the planters Of cotton" re-
peat once more, | have liberated all the
slaves in the world that owned in NV
own right, being in all thirteen; and that
have never at any time in my life sold anv
slave except for crime or by their ogn de-
sire. In this last severe trial to which fate
has subjected me have done nothing to
wound my self-respect or sense of right
and had vainly INDUCED the hope thatmy
mlsforunes would have shielded me from
the bitterness of party feeling, and saved
me from taunts and reproaches which are
not inflicted even upon the verest cri-
minals. am not the man to revenge up
on whole race the crime of one or more
individuals, and the enemies Of human
rights and American liberty are informed
tndt l am not ldllen HUH my uHCOIDpIOuH-
sing war upon the criminal usurpations Of
the Slave Power, and that the rights of the
free white laborers Of this Union are yet 10
be vindicatrd ifnot avenged. They ere well
come to all the strength which my calami-
ties can give to a falling cause-for men of
reflection will not fail TO mark, that it was
a slave not the Free that did the deed.
Whilst confess many infractOns Of the
moral law which call for retributon, upon
this subject my conscience fully acquits me.
Can any of my accusers say as much! or
will not men once more witness the sorry
spectacle of many now condemnIng me
who "dsre not throw the first stone!' I
have not at any time assumed 10 be better
than other men, and whilst | profess to he
omen to the common sympathies Of our ma
ture, have never set myself up as a phi
lanthroplst. Let those who have honored
me for my cause be consoled with the re-
Election, that though should fall by my own
acts or otherwise, my principles shall sur
vive eternal and invioste.
C. M. CLAY.
Lexington, KY, May 2, l845.