Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-08-29
True AMERICAN-ExTRL.
LEXINGTON, August II, 1917
IT. T...k n---
To a Just People.
C. NJ, CLAY

iJle, the constitutional liberty 0l my State, that ! make
a few brief explanations before the enemies Of all
these proceed TO extremity, that they may he left
without excuse in lhe estimation OF all just men.
learned a few moments before 3 o'clock, tina, a public
meeting was to be holden at that hour in the Court
House, 10 take measures for the suppression Of the
publication Of the "True American"
immediately, as unweli as | was, | proceeded 10
tho Court House to vindicate, ast shall ever be ready
10 do, the principles and policy maintained in that pa.
per. i found about twenty individuals, including
some Two or three personal friends who followed me
in. | knew them all 10 be political and three fourlhs
Of them violent personal enemies. | saw but one
80 called. Wing, end he has been ever since the publ
cation Of the paper, one Of my most violent oppo
ients. 1 will give The names of these men hereafter
10 The public.
Two speakers proposed 10 dissolve tho meeting, and
Capt snry Johnson, a cotton planter, declared that
although he was ever ready TO act boldly upon this
subiect, he would not then, Eor hereafter, take any
ACTION 10 regard to the True American, unlese The
Wing party also came up and incurred The same re.
sponsibiliiy. Thomas f. Marshall said that he had
regarded il as a public, not a private meeting, and
that be conceived that the public Dissatisfaction and
excitement, were based upon the editorial published
nv me in The last "American," where 1 spoke of the
consequences Of The disregard of The principles of
Justice by the leading men of the Nation, and anoth.
err person remarked that dissatisfaction was also found
pu upUu lie OplUlUu o iOiiu Wy tO iOooOi III nv ioaN
paper. Here several persons conten6ed that 1t was
q private meeting, upon which | started to leave the
House, explaining to Mr.. Marshall in passing, that a
construction had been put upon my article which II
never entered my head to convey, as any sensible
man who will read the piece, will see, who knows the
circumstances in which | am placed, having regard
10 common sense, the effectuation of my own pur.
poses or the safety Of myself and relatives, lha. |
could never intend TO give it.
I, ,y;lI ba narcatyoC hu tho rooHor oE that aPtICla
iha, the whole piece alludes to National policy, and
the loss of a high sense of justice 10 the adminislra.
ton of our National affairs, resulting from the infiu.
'ences OF Negro Slavery upon the National action,
even 10 The hubitual violation of the Constitution; and
j further meant 10 convey the idea, in my eIliptica
manner, that in a country like ours, where suffrage il
universal, and standing armies impossible, that thost
men who are drawing substance and power from tht
existence and extension o. Slavery, at the expense
of the interests Of the great masses Of the legal 70
tiers Of this Union, who are now and have been sac
.rificed at the shrine Of Slavery; that these men, ,h'
White millions (having no allusion whatever 10 III,
Blacks Of the South would in the course of time
when that poverty pressed upon them which Slavery
had been mos, instrumental IN causing, follow tn
example Of their Plunderers, and in turn plunde
them. Such was the case in "France when the Op
pressed rOse upon the Oppressor, and spared neither
property, life or SEX"
Az to The Blacks, we have ever held in our printed
arguments, and in our secret opinion, that the slaves
while the Union lasts, are utterly impotent tor an,
very extensive mischief, even in the Cotton countries
and regard the idea of Instruction in Kentucky
whore there are about six Whites to one Black, a
ridiculous, and only used by The Shareholders as
bug. a.boo, to maintain the ascends Icy o: their powe
IN the State; and even if an insurrectlon should tax
place, feel myself as much bound, as any citizen II
tho State, to shoulder nv muskei TO suppress ii, an
in The discharge Of my duty am not willing TO ad
nit that any person is more ready. With regard I
The leader Of the same paper, said in the beginning
that | intended to allow full freedom OF discussion
upon the sublsc, of slavery, and | said Tor severe
weeks, at the head Of my editorial columns, under m.
own signature, thai, l intended to allow under The, ed
,orial head also, great latitude Of opinion, withou
comment.
Differing as did 10 some important points from tn
writer Of this article, who l repeat is a large Slave
holder, | intended 10 give my individual views on IN
same subject, in my very next number, which wheI
given will put my enemies under the necessity OF de
nouncIng. when they denounee me, the lmmorta
Washington, a name sacred to The lovers Of liberty Q
all time and place. ] had no, expected in The abun
dance Of my charity, that the most fallen men woul
have taken advantage at nv helpless condition, aTls
ing from a long and painful illness, TO sacrifice m
when oven in healthi stood almost one man agains
a thousand. 4 tell these men, however, that the
much mistake their man, and that if they do succee
in accomplishing their purposes, and seal their tr
.umph with my blocd, that their banners OF Victor
shall wave over a violated Constitution, lie grave
Liberty, and the lmpious defiance Of The laws of Got
and the mora senasnf mankind.
II stood in defence only OF my own right,
might DO deferred from the unequaIconlest; but whe