New-York daily tribune., 1845-11-03
Letter from Ca,-iu. NJ. Clay.
Communicated for The Tribune.
r-,,--o>. ygrN pc.oher 2S

Communicated for The Tribune.
LEXINGTON, (Ky) October ., iei'
Gentlemen: Your very interesting and haitrrinG
letter nclosing the resolutions OF " the trends OF
Free Discussion in Philadelphia has been received
l have read the resolutions with care, and con-
ceive thayou are strictly within your line OF Const
tational and moral duty in thus giving uierance 10
the sentiments Of free born men.
The question has been again and again asked IN
the most complacent simplicity, =" What mas the
Free North 10 90 with Slavery!" The Slave States
added TO the Union the unconstitutional establish
ment of Slavery il the District Of Columbia lis law
fa sutterancc in he Territories high seas and
in places Of national exclusive jurisdiction answer
The North is as guilty of this crime against Mans
supremacy and immortality as the South more so,
because she is dercct in duty with faE less tempta
ton. But, as no offence goes unpuaished, she is
reaping the fruit of her sorry policy by the unjust
and disgraccial wars in which she has been COM
PEELED to engage-by taxes which have been imposed
upon hcr by the immense capital which has been
swallowed up IN Southern bankruptcy-cy the
hanging OF citizens without trial BY jury and without
law-by the imprisonment of her seamen-oy the
expulsion OF and insult 10 her Enthusiastically the
denial of justice in the national courts 0. jusuce-and
lastly by the impudent seizure and iorcIo!e aodrc-
ton of her own free born citizens upon her own soil
and their incarceration in distant prisons small any
one be so base any longer TO ask, w hal has the
North 10 dc with Slavery ?" Or rather shall not The
cry henceiorth forever until the end, be " nat
shall the North do, 10 have nothing TO do with Sla
very 2"
= There is no question about the people Of this
Union being in all respects Nation. 1t is true that
the states, 10 certain extent are sovereign In the
sense that Counties of States exercise some indepen
dent powers under the general permit OF the state
supremacy. Bu, il is also true that the States are
farther sovereign than the National Constitution
allows them Ii that be the case then it is plain thg
when an unconstitutional act is done by any State,
the National power is ample TO correct IT, The
Liberty of the Press which is now violated In my
person. is right of old common-law inheritance it
Is guaranteed 10 Us by the National Constitution,
and there Is power IN the Congress OF the URlted
States TO vindicate this right. call upon them to
do it. They owe me protection | owe them ale
glance. Better far it for that had been born
wild Arab OF the desert, or an untamed Camanche
of the w est, than American citizen, If the stern
officer of the law stands by and sees me murdered
whilst she strips of the natural right OF selt.de
fence. By the laws of Nature could proceed against
the rebels OF the sh with sratagem poison, secret
open murder. But the law OF the land VIII not
allow me to do this She exposes me 10 the attacks
OF enemies, whilst she strikes the weapons OF de-
fence from my hand. Isnot this condition nsutfera
bic LOOK IN your own wives ana cnlcreh. Gee
your own hearthstones desecrated-yourselves ex.
posed to inevitable insult injury and death, and
ihenturn deaf ear 10 my cause if you can.
II this be unnecessary intc:ion OF the Slave
Power, ! call upon the Nation to relieve me. Ifit
be necessary wo following in the wake of Amer
can Slavery, then by all that is sacred among men or
holy in Heaven, let Americans rise N THE oMSIPo-
TENCY OF THE BALLOT and say " Siarery shat
de- Your obedient servant, c. NJ. CLAY.
G. d. CLEVELAND, WM. ELDER, and
J. BOWER, T. s. CAvESDER Esqs
Committee Philadelphia.