Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-06-11

my Texas letter to considerable and respectable por-
ton of the confederacy" 1t is worthy of note throw
ing blaze of light on this subject that the word con-
ederacv is italicized by Clay himself q quote from
the MessengerA 1t shows that he does not refer to
individual States, has been represented. Again;
the letter was written to Alabama to obvate the OBJ
lection made against him in that section that he was
opposed to annexation. Buthe goes on to show what
he means by "a considerable and respectable portion
so that Others as well his Alabama correspondent,
may Justly conceive his meaning, and says-"that at
the date of my letter. the States Of Ohio Vermont and
Mass had almost unanimously, declared against an
nexation;" but he does not stop here, as the Wing
papers do, nor even make period. He goes after
only semcolon, to say-"the Legislature of Georgia
Il had declined to recommend it, and OTHER STATES
acre believed to be opposed to the measure"
Again, in his second Alabama letter, written for the
same object he says with reference to this point, "Sev-
eral States had declared through their legislatures
against it, and others, if not WHOLE SECTIONS OF
the Union, were believed to be adverse to it. THIS
was the opposition to the measure, to which, in my
Raleigh letter. | alluded, when spoke ola consid-
cradle and respectable portion Of the confederacy
did not refer to persons, but to States SECTIONS
Under such circumstances could not but regard the
annexation of Texas AT THIS TIME" &c. &c
Thus it will be seen that he does not say that if
Ohio or Vermont or Mass, or all together should OPP
pose the measure, he would do SO; but his declara
ton is based upon the assumption that if Nth these,
, Georgia and these "OTHER STATES" of indefinite
number; but it must be both "a considerable and
spectacle portion" perhaps majority, for the express
sion is vague enough to admit of this construction;
0 should evince such "DECIDED OPPOSITION" as
: to endanger the Union he says-What That he
l.. will oppose it? Not exactly. But,-"l do not think
h Texas ought to be received into the Union an inte
grail part of it; and" that new members ought
not to be admitted into the at the INN nent haz
ard of its dissolution. Personally could have no OBJ
n lection to the annexation of Texas; but certainly
would be unwilling to see the existing Union dSsolred
seriously eoparded for the sake of acquiring Texas"
A contingency of which there was not the least dan
If ger.
= Much stress should be laid on the declaration 81
: should be glad to see IT," and Henry Clay meant it
% should be So as evident from its connection In the
beginning of the same paragraph of whchths decara-
ton forms part, he says"But gentlemen you are de-
srous ofknowing by ,chat policy should be guided
in reference to the annexation of Tex
as" This declaration forms part of his answer to
1t their inquiry. And still farther to show what his spoil
icy' would be, he argues that it would be mwise to
l. fuse Texas account of slavery, and says-F@ 81
III should be gourn:d by The state Of fact and The state O
OF public opinion erisng at The Time ImgM he called upon
y l. i
less understood by those whom he addressed that he
y would do what he could to remove the objections anC
accomplish the object on his own terms This evil
IDENTITY, was to be his "policy"
Such words as immediate" and tat This time" furnish
y the key to the whole of his Texas correspondence
N The objections were of such nature that they nigh
~. be removed and the conditions were so flexible thai
they might be accomplished in his mind whenever he
chose to consider them So There was nothing on hi,
part to prevent him from negotiating treaty at am
time which might purchase the consent of Mexico, Sc
that the "disluUl and the "war" would have been OBJ
Is vated-or to use Clay's words-"If she yields he
at consent that would materially affect the foreign as
81 pect othe question if it did not remote all foreign diff
er fculties" And when the "dshonor" and the "war'
the objections would have been swept to the fou
Cd winds and have the of Henry Clay thai
IN eff hereafter further territory should be wanted for al
creased population, we need be under no apprehen
OF sons but that it will be acquired by MEANS it is to be
hoped fair, honorable and constitutional"
'u Such is Henry Clay's true meaning and hesitate
not to say that any other construction of his Texas
e. letters is false, if not libelous.
n AS you say in your remarks-"rhe south wanted
Texas to sustain slavery" Yes sir the "SOUTH,'
not the Polk party alone Henry Clay knew this fact
and he knew that he could not get an electoral vote
from that section if it understood there that he was
re nhexibly opposed to annexation.
IL Now sir, is 'plan that Mr. Clay's sentiments are
perverted by Mr.. Baker," return the compliment to
yourself and to the Wing press of the North who have
1perverted Mr. Clays sentiments "Physician heal thy
self" Well may Mr.. Clay exclaim-"saue me from
my friends"
That the danger of dissolution did not exist, Of
which Mr.. Clay makes much parade has been pro-
Of we'd by subsequent events and he and many of his
Southern friends had sagacty enough to foesee what
e. liberty men foresaw, that there and would be no
decded opposition" Of this character and that the res
IN ouons passed by the legislatures of severa States
would turn out to be but idle declarations designed to
Of humbug abotonsts and catch votes. The Wing par
e. ty would have acquesced under Mr.. Clay well as
tie under Mr. Polk. "The Messenger raised its voice
against the kngy power of the veto and it of course
+ would acquiesce. The plea you make in excuse of a
Wing Senate, that the nation had decided in favor of
annexation" might just as well be applied to the tariff
ne of 42 The nation had decided against in the
way, and of course it not worth while to oppose
the will of the people,
But to pass from this point you say that shut for the
' existence of this party know Polk would not have
been eected-that is enough. Don't shirk this point
- Oh no, Mr.. Editor will not admit that you may
think 3d. but you must have uncommon share of