The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-03-20
THE GALAXY.
AiIDDLEBURY, VT.
Tuesday, March 20, l849.
MIR. CLAY ON EMANCIPATION.

| We publish to-day the letter of Henry Clay to
Mr. Pindell, in which he gives bis views at length
on the subject of African SlaveIy,-particulariy
as it affects the permanent welfare of the CON-
monwealth of Kentucky, and as to the duties il
imposes on the citizens of that State. 1t will be
seen that this distinguished statesman-whose in
iuence in every section of the Union, and espcc-
tally in his own State, and throughout the South,
gives great importance to his opinions on this
question-takes the ground, unhesitatipgly, that
Slavery is an evil, ruinous and insuppOrtablc,
and therefore TO be got rid of at the earliest prac
ticable moment The plan he advocates is one
of gradual emancipation and colonization. He is
unwilling TO incur the risk of a sudden and fun
damental change in the entire framework of So
ciety nor does he believe that state, one fourth
of whose population are now slaves, can preserve
its unity and secure the peaceful and regular OPP
Grafton of its laws, with such proportion of free
blacks within its limits.
With reference to this subject it is proper for
us, of the Free States, to bear in mind that we
are not fully prepared 10 judge respecting the ex-
pediency of any plan for getting rid of Slavery,
without having an intimate knowledge of the con-
stiiuton of society where that institution exists,
and without taking into view all the cireumstan-
ces by which movement towards emancipation
must necessarily be controlled. To admit that
the peculiar institution is an evil, and TO man.
ifest an earnest desire TO do something, now and
at once, to outroot and exterminate il forever-as
Mr. Clay does in this letter-is the surest and
most substantial ground of hope that the great re-
suit on which the permanence and prosperity of
our country inevitably depends, is at length to be
accomplished.
The antagonism between the views of Mr.. Clay
and those of Mr. Calhoun need hardly be refer
red to-yet we cannot suffer the occasion to pass,
without calling attention TO the striking contrast
between Southern Wings and Southern Locofo-
cos, on this subject. Mr.. Clay declares Slavery
an evil, and deviscs plan to get rid of it. MIR.
Calhoun declares it to be blessing" and is
straining every nerve to perpctuate it Mr. Clay
opposed the Annexation Of Texas, and had he
been chosen President four years ago, that iniqui
tous scheme for the extension of Slavery could
not, in all human probability, ever have been con-
summated. Mr. Calhoun advocated Annexation,
and for the arOiced purpose of perpetuating Sla-
very.-We deem it no injustice to assume that, SO
far as either party has leader at the South, Mr..
Clay, on this subject is fair representative of the
Wings, and Mr.. Calhoun, equally so, of the Lo-
cofocos.
AS to the method Of emancipation Mr.. Clay ad-
yocates We are not of course ready 70 exDress
our entire approval. But even this plan, cordial
ly adopted, WILL by its own nature, accelerate in
its operation, and accomplish the work long be-
fore the time originally contemplated. 1t is the
fact that the people of Kentucky seem disposed
to do something that we rejoice Overland We could
hardly expect the frs. movement to come fully up
to our wishes