Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-01-31
SLAVERY-LETTERS FROM CASSIUS M.
CLAY

we are pleased TO learn, is about to establish a
newspaper in Kentucky, to battle against savcry,)
was addressed to the editors of the Boston Atlas,
and has been widely copied by the Wing editors in
the free states: a fact which sufficiently indicates
That the great Wing party of the North is not to be
driven from its constitutional and wisely directed
war aganst slavery, either by the temporary triumph
of the savocratic: democracy, or by the treachery
or the denuncations of that so-caed Liberty par
ty, to which--to the shame of the Brneys, Lcav-
tits and Smiths who have deluded the rank and
fle-thc savocracy owe most for their success in
the late campaign.
We have put portion of the letter in Ralic on
which to make few remarks. First. on the state
ment that the slavocracy have Succeeded, by the
consolidated power Of the South, combined with
the Office seekers Of the North--wc remark, that
the leaders OF the third Tor Liberty party are as
justly chargeo5ie with the guilt of this abomnable
coalition with the slavocracy, as those leaders of
ocoiocoism who sacrifice the rights and interests of
the North for office. The leaders Of the Liberty
party have sinned, not ignorany: the issue ofTex-
as or no Texas-of the extension of Slavery or its
observation-disclosures plainly rendered by the Wing
party; and when they rejected the terms of the
Wing party, they knew that the rejection might be,
as it proved, virtual support on their part ofPok,
Texas and Slavery. Again, we remark, that tie
continuance ofthe present third party orgonlzaton,
with any measure of success, will, in all human
probability, again result in a slavocratic triumph
and m the pepetuaiion Of The Stare porer, if indeed
1t has not already secured the latter by securing
the balance OF power to The slave states through
Texas :-Decal'3e its continuance will prevent that
union of the North, without which "the spirit of
liberty in the free states" can nerer become ms
strong and controlling as the power of slavery, at
the South-the only condition. truly says Mr. Clay.
on which the unhoy and disastrous alliance be-
tween slavery, utter despotisn, and SO called de.
mocracy, can be broken up" The tendency of
this organization is rather to ,ceqken the resistance
to Slavery. For evidence look, if you please, at
the great number of abtionists in the free states
who regard slavery moral disease, TO be eradi-
Gated by moral means they cannot pronounce the
shibboeth Of third partysm and are excluded from
all sympathy with them; and then look to the two
largest political parties in the county, no member
Of which can be admitted to fellowship in this or
ganization, without sacrifcin. principles which he
believes essential to his own and his country's in
terests. And beyond these, lock to the influence
upon the slave stotes-for from the slave states
must help come before the work can be accomplish
ed. Is the open assault upon the constitutional
rights of those states likely to aid the friends of
emancipation in their work there? Is utter osra-
cism OF their purest and greatest statesmen like
Henry Clay. from the councils of the nation likely
to commend this party and its cause to their kind
regards Is the threat of war, the moment the
third party gets the power the readest way of lea
ding enemies of slavery in the South to greet that
party as band of friends and brothers in right
eous cause 2" But the third party scorns the aid
alike of the friends of freedom in the South and of
the Wings and locofocos of the North. Boastfully
rings the shout of defiance: Have we not gained
over $1,000 votes in for years-who dares say we
shall not soon swallow the whole land !? Fifty
thousand votes! yes,-but that is barely trife
more than the increase of voters in the State of
New York alone, in the same period of time Third
partyism must increase many times faster to keep
pace even with the annual interest TO use faml-
lar fgurc,) Of voters in the Union,how long, then,
before it will catch up with the interest and reduce
more than half of the principal:
1t is idle dreaming TO suppose that slavery is to
be reached by associated political porccr, until such
conditions Of association proposed as will bring
the mass Of The enemies slavery together, NORTH and
South, in harmonious action Had they acted to.
gether in the late election, the annexation fTexas
would not now be hanging over our heads. Would
they act together now, all that can rightfully be
done would speedily be accomplished. We say
rigMfully: no other mode will succeed-G time Lib
erty party would scorn wrong means as it would
scorn slavery itself-JecauSe wrong. 1t becomes q
serious question, then, for anti-sayery nen-Hou
can the mass Of anti-Slarery men, North md South
be brought into harmonious action Whether ap
piled to moral political action the question is i'm
portant: but we mean political only, and W,
suggest lst that it is not to be done by third par
ty, because by requiring the sacrifice of long cher
ished principles, measures and opinions, it will re
pei multitudes-witness the acerbty at this momen
between anti-savery men in the third party AM
those in the other parties I'd, that it may be dom
tcthom third pary-wtness the rapid growth o
anti-slavery sentiments both in Congress and il
the state legislatures, especially IN the Wing par
ty 3D., that it is not to be done by insisting upo
unconstitutional doctrines, upon force of arms, 0
cpmpplsion of any sort; and 4th, that it may b
done upon the platform of the Legislatures OF yei
mont and Massachusetts, insisting upon what
consiutonally and clearly right in reference
this subject Right measures will find advocate
among right.minded men of all parties ; such mop
sures have intrinsic power, and will force their wa,
bending all parties more or less into their servis
while wrong measures will delay the trump
even of arghteous cause, and hang like mill ston
upon any party which adopts them.
From tho Boston Atlas
LETTER FROM HON. CASSIUS M.
CLAY.
We have great pleasure in laying before o