New-York daily tribune., 1845-05-26
For :b. N.w.York Tribune.

The y. 7. ErprtSs terms Mr.. w y. Bel the
coadjutor of C NJ. Clay" whilst denounclng the
lnfidel Convention: and many personal friends
have written 10 me that Mr. BIS course withiegard
10 the Abolition and lnfdel Conventions would IN
jure the Trne American for which Mr.. Is now
constituted the agent the North II is enoughier
me TO say that am not al all responsible 10. Mr..
BIS opinions upon any subject, any more than ne
is responsible for mine. He is four agent for
special purpose, the procuring subscribers 10 the
True American, for which We make him pecu-
mary compensation. | assume TO myself no nsht
whatever to controlhs opinions or conduct IN other
respects; nor should lventure 10 inquire into then
anv more than would into the political or moral
tenets of the physician who gives me medicine or
the farmer who sells me bread Yet, under protest
agains, any constructive intolerance, In speaking
for myself, avow that am friend of the Union
and the Christian religion, believe that whatever
good can be evolved by our political institutions
can best be insured by the legitimate action OF the
Union ] am now, and ever have been, The fast
friend of the Christian Religion. Mankind ever
have had and ever will have some religion, and
am fully persuaded that Of all codes Of morals e1-
tan, the Christian is based upon the most thorough
understanding o. the laws of our moral and physi-
cal nature am member Of no church, a partisan
Of no sect; equally tolerant OF all creeds, give my
first appreciation to those who most prove ther ialt
by their works deny the existence oi Inc 'ecih'
cal individuality of ssthe church" and It's assuHieu
.sinfyVibaity.' Wherever, under the wide Heavens,
;s sncsrs benevolent. enlightened soul, pursuing
rho d;c,.tes of pure conscience, there, IN my
humble Judgment, is one OF the sons OF 0oo'
member of the worldwide church. History de-
clsres that "the church" as an organized BODY.
mas ever been conservative, ratherthan progressive;
reform and the evolution Of new and great prlnoi-
oles of human conduct have proceeded from some
fortunate and daring genius; the Church has been
but the recipient and exponent OF the sum oil the
moral intelligence Of any particular epoch. | am
friend Of the Church, in other words, of the Priest
hood Of Religion, because impelled In the main by
devoted faith, they are well adapted TO propagate
among the multitude the truths which philoso-
pliers evolve, and which speculative minds are not
always the most ready, by self sacrifice, TO iniuse
into the great unreflecting mass OF mankind. -
"Whatever is, is right''-the paradox OF Pope ls
worthy of all consideration. would as little think
of prosecuting Infides as Christians Freedom o.
thought is vitality 10 the intellect without which
mankind would be soon enveloped once more IN
cruel superstition and debasing barbarsm.
"Yet let us ponder boldy-'tis base
Abandonment ofreason 10 resign
Our right of thought-our last and only place
or refuge this at least shall stil be NINE
The noble poet made amends for many woes in
hc,ed on mankind by this immortal sentiment
The combined intellect Of the non-proiessors OF re-
giou is the balance wheel upon the fanallclsm OF
the Church, which, repeat, Is neither better nor
worse than, but simply the exponent OF, the sum OF
the m morals and MINI Of the age. The Churches
are Nv spllttng upon the greatquestlon OF Slavery;
each section, Northern ard Southern, no doubt
representing the aggregate sentiment OF their re-
spectlve constituencies II they are somewhat be-
| hind tn, more daring defenders of Civil Liberty
and enlightened morals, we should not denounce
them on that account, tor they have 10 move In
mass, and are of consequence slower IN progress
than single isolated individuals. They are follow
ing bard on the face OF the switiest in the North,
and ,ve have reason 10 hope for the same results in
the South in spite of the proposed dismcmberment.
Still, by all that is sacred among men, | warnthe
Southern Churches 10 take care how they venture
TO give the sanction of the Bible to Slavery for,
whatever may be said of the Old Testament, there
can be no question but that the glorious doctrines
i.vrsiN-- -
of the relations of master and slave, which is
of violence, not of love for when arbitrary force
or Lynch law ceases, Slavery dies. And should the
Priesthood succeed in convincing the world that
Slavery is the doctrine of the New Testament,
then will Iufdellty become the true Religion Of
Mankind-and no, hl then. c. M. CLAY.
Lerine!on, Ky Mag Is, lS45.