Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-08-28
B. w. DUDLEY,
THO. H. WATERS.
JOHN w. HUNT.

70 this letter Mr. Clay sent the following bold
and manly reply:
S,rs;-I received through the hands of Mr.
Thomas H. Waters, one OF your committee, since
candle-light, your extraordinary letter. Inasmuch
as two of your committee and myself are not up
OIL Speaking terms, and when add 70 this the fact
that you have taken occasion to address me a note
OF this character, when am on a bed ofsickness-
of more than a months standing from which L
have only ventured at interval to ride out and to,
write a few paragraphs, which caused a relapse, l
think the American people VIII agree with me, that
your office is a base and dishonorable one, more
particularly when they reflect that you have had
more than two months whilst l was in health, to-
accomplish the same purpose. | say in reply to
your assertion that you are a COMMITTEES appointed
by a respectable portion Of the community, that,
it cannot be true. TRAIroRs to the laws and con-
stitunon cannot be deemed respectable BY any, but
assassins, pirates, and highway robbers. Your
meeting is one unknown to the laws and constitu-
ton Of my country; it was secret in its proceed
ings, its purposes, its spirit, and its action, Iiks its
mode of existence, are wholly unknown to or in
direct violation Of every known principle Of honor
religion or government heln sacred by the eiviliZ-
ed world. | treat them With the A~S"i'sg oonietsPA
off BRAVE HEART and LOYAL CITIZEN !! | deny
their power and defy their action. 1t may be true
that those men are excited as you say, whose in
Nv - 10 " IiNJ 0lph wv NhN hio-
tresses of tho country. What tyrant ever failed
to be excited when his unjust power was about to
be taken from his hands? But | deny, utterly de-
ny, and call for proof, that there is any just ground
for this agitation. In every case of violence by
the blacks since the publication Of my paper it has
been proven, and will be again proven by my rep
resentatives, if my lille should fail to be spared,
that there have been special causes for action in
dependent CT, and having no relation whatever to
the True American or its doctrines. Your advice
with regard to my personal safety, is worthy Of the
source whence it emanated aud meets the same
contempt from me which the purposes of your
mission excite. Go, tell your secret conclavs of
co Wardly assassains that C. M. Clay knows his
rights and how to defend them.
CASSIUS M. CLAY.
Lexington, Aug. Is, 1845.
In bis extra, Mr.. C. NJ. Clay publishes the
whole correspondence, aud then makes a fervent
appeal to the friends of constitutional liberty to
stand by him in the hour of trial.
Kentuckians.- You see this attempt of these ty-
rants, worse than the thirty despots who lorded it
over the once free Athens, now to enslave you.-
Men who regard law-men who reg ard all their
liberties as not to be sacrificed to Il single Pc
cuniary interest, to say the least, of doubtful val
ue-lovers of lustice-eaemies of blOod-laborers
of all c~lasseS-you for whom | have sacrificed so
much, W here will you be found when this battle
between Liberty and Slavery is TO be fought? |
cannot. ! will not, | dare not question on which
side you will be found. Ifyou stand by me like
men, our country will yet be free; bit if you falter
now, | perish with less regret when remem-
Der, that the people Of my native State, of whom
have been so proud, and whom | have loved so
much, are already slaves. G. M. CLAY.
Lexington, Aug Is, 1916.