The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-12-10
Mr.. CluyNSRNh>

Oar REMARKS two weeks ago in rrfcrrnt
to Mr.. Ciay's Speech at Lexington we,
made before we had Scen wur,i of tn;
speech. aud were based, as we then state,
On the assumption, that twas but an elabe
ration pfthc ideas advanced in his resol
tons. Astofhesc ie>oluiions. passing owe
the frsf. we saw nothing in them To whic
we could object. That this war maxim
power i lodged III congress. and ihat con
srcs can and ought TO declare the purpose
for which the war is conducted: tina, w
have no desire fcrthe annexation Of Mexico
"rthe acquisition Of any part OF her tcrri;ur,
for the prrpo'e of propaga,ius slavery, ar,
propositions TO which not ten men in tn,
United States will Object. But upon read
ing Mr.. ClIy's speech in connection witt
The revolutions, they assume 4 different
share. Mr.. Clay labor> through at least a
third "i his speech, and employs every va
ricty of phrascclogy. 10 prove his doctrine
OF tho war making power, and connects II so
adroitly with abuse of the president, that ia
reading the speech enc i almost forced to
believe that the president had denied. or
acted in coutravention Of. this doctrine.
This Mr.. Clay knew was not the fact, and
III laboring 80 assiduously 10 produce such
an impression. he exhibits only the cunning
of the politician, aud deprive, his opinions
Of that respect which would attach 10 them
as coming from retired statesman. and de-
grades them to the mere assault, of the cci!rf
padicdH
Then while we all admit the power as
well as duty Ct congress TO declare the pur.
poses of the war, and thus far accedc hCal,-
ily to Mr.. Clay'S doctrine, the nature Of
this declaration is another thing. To our
surprise, on reading Mr.. Clay's speech. we
find that he adopts almost word fer word.
the industrious doctriuc OF CCrwin and Web
Stcr. ct backing, at once on, Of Mexico, and
giving back to her a. thatw have conquer.
cd,wiihout particle ofinGcmni,y. He makes
an elaborate and spCCiCus arcumsn nj to show
that the United States have no Just claim.
TO territory beyond the NucceS, bad there
fore no Just cause ofwar, and beyond a'pro-
per iivation If the boundaries Of Texas"
shuuld demand nothing. Nothing for the
outragcs committed on the American flag,
nothing for the wrongs committed against
orr citizens nothing for the millions Mex /
leo has for quarter Of a century justly owed /
and steadily refused to pay our merchants |
and traders whom she robbed We never
for moment supposed that SO adrcit poll
iican as Mr.. Clay could be brought to ad
vocate so mondrouS proposition.
Bat trick Of the politician, unworthy Of
Mr.. Clay, and enough to degrade smaller .
man., is that part Of his speech, and the re-
solution, in reference..to the extension OF
slavery. Mr.. Clay apparently argues
against Tie extension Of slavery with all the
vchcmencc Of an aboliticui>t: but the great
question of the Wilmct proviso, which has
been ringing throughout the land for Tie last
year, is not rs much as alluded TO. III his
force is expended on his disclaimer Of any
desire 10 acquire territory for The purpose Of
extending slavery. But suppose territory
is acquired, (and we all know it is ineviia- /
blc,) we look in vain for a declaration from
Mr.. Clay as to whether slavery shall or
shall not be extended over such territory. /
The intention of allthis is plain. Mr.. Clay's /
an;i-slavcry faniaronade is a bid for the .
Wimot proviso ndthe pseudo abolition sup |
pert Of the north, while a sufficient margin
is lef: to admit the plea at the south that he .
goes for at least compromising between the .
north and south in reference TO territory ac-
quired for any other purpose than the ex-
tension Of slavery. Thus Mr.. Clay. By a
low trick, efectually lodges this great
issue, and the honest anti-slavery wings a,
the north. who so greedly bite at his bait.
will find, in the end. that Mr. Clay is still. rs
he always has been, welded TO the slave
power. and that they have been wheeled
by shameful trick into its support.