Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-01-22
Speech Of Cassius NJ. Clay in New York.

III were ambitious, my ambition has been fully So.
tiated But do not take to myself this ebution
of enthusiasm. Ii is because cherish the feelings
on the great question Of liberty, which are deeply
seated IN the American heart, that have received
this hearty welcome And must here return to
my friend here, who voluntarily yielded his talents
and his press to my countenance, at time when
countenance was worth something, my most heart
felt thanks. | know that there are said TO be in
this country two parties, which, from the very ma.
ture Of things, must exist in all countres-a party
of conservatism, and party of progression. have
not the implicit confidence and faith in the perfec-
ton Of the race, which some have; but when look
at the past, and see the trials through which hui
manity has come see promise of glorious li-
ture and leave it with the All-seeng God only, 10
determine where we shall stop. l believe that no
nation has ever arisen Aourshed and perished that
did not contain the seminal principles which would
carry the next generation TO higher periectness.
Among the great principles which have been devel-
oped through all ages, we pretended TO have been
the first nation who laid basis for true govern
ment. We taught one all-pervading principle
that men assembled together in order to preserve
and guarantee greater liberty than enjoyed in
a natural state. If any government cannot guaran-
tee this, say that government should perish. |
care not what you call it--republic or monarchy
government protesting the principles ofrepubc-
anism, which excludes portion ofthe godlike citi-
zens from participation in the rights guaranteed
to the remainder, cannot be perfect government.
This state Of things exists in this country and
while profess to have the common sympathes Of
MEANWHILE | am not insenslble to the wrongs of
the African race, while would restore to them the
rights which the most dusky son of earth can claim,
| would at the same time say, that a higher, per-
haps more selfish motive, causes me to adopt the
course have. 1t is my own liberty, and the liber-
~ Of the great Saxon race who inhabt America,
that is in danger. And thank God that he has so
ordered it, that an injury cannot be inflicted on
any part of the body, without spreading its injur-
Gus effects through the whole frame. do not
stand here advocating the liberty of three millions
Of negro slaves, but Of the eighteen millions who
but for the bighting influence of this foul system,
should have been free upon their native soil
Men, we are told by some, are influenced, in the
long run, by their interest others, there are, who
say that most men mainly influenced by the
nober aud truest principles of the human heart
But wish you to bear in mind this higher truth;
which is, that justice and interest go together
Much applause.) When will men learn il!
do not assume any peculiar sagacity, or any Pc
cuar merit for advocating emancipation in all the
slave States Of the Union, | had only to lift up my
eyes and see what was going around me daily, and
the conviction forced itself upon me- (Appause)
Was ambitious Of power, or popular applause
The conviction forced itself on that these were
much more abundant in the free States OF the IN
sculpture of music of poetry of all that constitutes
the embodiment of the beautiful and Iuel saw
that all these existed in much higher degree of
excellence in the free than in the slave States
Did look at the subject of Educationl saw
that the mind developed itself to far greater de-
gree in the free than in the Slave states-wth the
added conviction that it had always DONE and
would continue to do through all time. (Ap-
plause) So, that if in the course | am pursuing,
am a madman--fI am fanatic-I do not desire
TO destroy those glorious Developments Of art and
science-lhose Injuries Of refinement, of which
those who affect to cast such an imputaton on me,
claim TO be the exclusive conseryators ZAP
plause)
If | had seen the contest only once developed
if | had seen the struggle only once tried-I might
have doubted. But thirteen times has the battle
been fought on the question whether man belongs
to himself another and thirteen times has it
been decided in favor Of liberty! (Appause)
Was not this enoughl
Until since the period when it has been customa-
~ TO take the of all the products and manu-
features of the United States, if you talked to
man about freedom as compared with slavery, he'd
say, "Look to the cotton crop" And he'd tell
YOU ii was the great staple-lhe only source of
wealth we produced, to take to Europe, in order
get back thence what we wanted for our use in
this country. But Gen Tallmadge told us, in his
this city, that the little State of Massachusetts pro-
duced more in manufactures lin the gross, it is
true) more than the value of the whole cotton crop
Of the United States. loud applause) But the
shareholders argue that this manufacturing wealth
is produced from part of the cotton crop ITSELF
How is this 7 Let US see You see the $50 ,000,-
900 of cotton that goes from the ports of Charles
ton. Savannah, Mobile and New Orleans annually;
but you do not see the $50 100000 which comes
North to buy mules, and clothing and implements
OF agriculture, and other matters, for the negro
So that after ALL the assertion is true, to the letter.
that the little State Of Massachusetts does produce
more wealth than the value of the whole cotton
crop of the United States. (APpause.) Will you
look to that?
You hear of an intended Railroad that is to be
constructed from Memphis through the wilds of
the Far West Why, you'll find that there isn't
capital enough in the whole South to build it
Laughter and applause) But you'll fnd by and
by, when there are a sufficient number of people
who desire to travel in that direction some shrewd
and en,erprisng Yankee will start up and find the
capital while other ingenious Y nkees will 90 out
and build it, Increased laughter and applause)
Look to the Mechanic Arts. If you inquire at
the Patent Office at Washington, relative to those
results of the extraordinary skill, ingenuity and in
ventiye faculties Of our countrymen you will find
that 80 out of 100 are from the Northern States
(Applause) Have you thought of that men the
South? for | know that | speaking to many
Southern men, beside many from my own State Of
Kentucky. This is enough to prove that position,
though in relation to matters Of mechanical skill
might go on ad infnitum, to show the superiority
of the Free over the Slave States, (Applause)
How about agriculture The actual territory
mean that which is strictly tillable and profitable