Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-09-04
CasSius NJ, CLAY.

the recent outrage at Lexington and the munllness
to nuke them public. The following article is an
@ litoria in the Louisville Journal:
THe LEXINGTON DisTuRBANcE.-The suppress
sion Of the True American" by the people OF
J..exington and the surrounding country, and the
manner in which it was effected, are acts oil which
we are compelled to dsapproye. We never will
sanction the exertion of mob-power in any instance
Ours Is country ofaws. Freedom ofspeech aud :
action are to be restrained only by law. Whcnev-
e. the safe exercise of these privileges is made to
depend upon the sulIerance of the populace, their
velue becomes insignificant, the majesty OF the law
degraded, and, or later, RIGHTEOUSNESS VIII
asupplant sound morals IT, account of the abb
sence Of legal restriction, an individual chooses to
pursue course Of action annoying TO the commu-
nifty ia which he dwells, think IT is better, tenn
pofially suffer the evil, than TO set the bad ex-
ample OF taking its summary punishment INTO hands
entitled to no legal power Of restraint. The Lex
inalon case, know, is marked by great peculiar
ity--yet, we think, some other course would have
been preferable to that which determined upon
aud pursued and that the last handful OF Mr. Clay
and The assurances of his friends, should have in
duced the people to withhold their hands from an
Unauthorized control of his private property. The
management Of Mr. Clay's paper has been very in
discreet. lie has inflicted injury, where he design
ed to do good His exertions have retarded
movement which he wished to accelerate. His
hasly temper has involved him in personal quarres,
question: with which he had connected his pubca-
ton, He did not assume the tone in which TO adj
dress this people with effect or to awaken them to
sense of their true interests upon the subject he
proposed to discuss. He seemed to have forgotten
that Slavery did not appear every a sin TO
be atoned for and to be abandoned at any and eve
~ sacrifice. He became impatient at what he con-
sidered the perverseness the people, and suffered
his temper to master all discretion in his use of Ian
euage. We think the editorial article in the last
American, which spread such alarm and created
such Indignation in the bosoms Of the citizens, was,
10 say the least of it, foolish flourish of rhetorical
fire. among combustibes easy to be lgnited, by the
application OF Just such means Mr. Clay was thus
zesklessly using. That he meant 10 excite insur-
rccton, to invite seryile war, do not, cannot
for one moment believe. We believe him TO be in
capable of baseness, and, in all manly qualities, far
70 excel some who most busy in denouncing
him But while we give credit to Mr. Clay by i'm
putting to him no improper motives we know that
the conduct of the slaves in Fayete is said to have
changed since the publication Of the True Amerl-
can. We heard, while at Lexington, that the slaves
in the factories and the farms had relrans set to
words, which they were singing daily to the praise
OF Casslus NJ Clay, Boosting that he was about 10
break the chains of their bondage, and would by
the force Of his character and influence, elevate
them to equality with their masters. TWAS said
that, under this feeling, the slaves had lately be-
como idle and nsoent, and, in some instances, had
refused to labor The people were alarmed for their
security. The mother feared for the lives of her
children and the safety of her own person from ne
gro violence. Such are knOtc 10 have been the gen.
eral feeling pervadng the community of Fayete,
excusing, in their opinion, an immediate interior
ence with the business OF Mr.. Clay, and the sup
preston of publication which they considered the
Source of the evil, the effects Of which they much
dreaded. The people were led to believe that the
Continuance of the True American would involve
Sthe community in perils, which, though foreseen
could not be avoided
We are disposed to believe that the meeting pass
ed their resolutions and acted under the sense Of
great and imminent danger The leaders were
COOL determined, and deliberate in the formation
and execution OF their purposes. The people actet
Through n committee who entered the office, pack
ed up the press and materials, and shipped tn
property to Cincinnati. That no blood was she'
IN the execution OF the will of this meeting was
without doubt, owing to the illness of Mr. Clay
who was confined to his bed by fever, and pro
bounced by his physicians in danger OF losing hi
life Had he been in health we have no idea h
would, Increasingly, have suffered his property t
be removed without his consent, and his attempt t
project it would probably have cost the lives Q
many. Thus, by the interposon of Proyidenc
ony is our State saved from the disgrace of havin
blood split by the hands of popular assembly,
Rehecting will disapproye OF the temper Of M
ttClay and the tone of the American but they wi
say that his concessions and promise of bette
temper and spirit should have disarmed the con
mittee and, especially, when it asserted, tina
if the meeting would permit the property renal
untouched the publication should cease.
This meeting set precedent which we hope W
may not live to see initiated here elsewhere
II To exhibit the committed, let US look for me
ment to the effect In the free States, intereste
demagogues will seize upon this transaction to il
flame the minds Of the multitude against slavehot
ers. Political abolition will make capital from tn
occurrence, TO swell the number OF its infauate
supporters We shall hear the right of discusslo
proclaimed and this affair held up as evidenC
of its suppression in Kentucky We are at no To-
to determine the effect ofthe disturbance at Lexin
ton upon the feeling in Kentucky Few will {
farther than to disapprove, we do; few will
penly and violently denounce the Fayette peopl
under all the circumstances of the case and ie
will fully approve of all that was done. But Il
rational and temperate discussion Of the question
ultimate emancipation will not be checked, eve
by this popular outbreak. Many Of the best min
Of the State are engaged with the question, al
they pU express freely their opinions, and act fire.
y upon them. we must make up minds 10 M
that question, for no human pOver can siOpH v
hope earnestly that the discussion will be conduct
every where temporarily; that every plan to
Kentucky of slavery will be examined cautious
and with judgment; that public opinion will be ia
s. ly elected, so as best to promote the public goc
We do not believe that Kentucky can yet ha
reached that point at which men should be afraid
speak, write, and publish, touching the dispositi
Of our slave population. We have ever looked f
ward TO day when Kentucky should hold with
ber houn and I'VE honp IN live