Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-16
NICHM OND, VA.
wednesday Morning, March Ia, ls49.
MN. Cl,AY's pRoNUNcIAMENTo.

AS mailer OF public curiosity, and as a gra-
litying proof Of the evils which The country nave
ped by defeating the bold, ambitious ana
reckless states man OF The West, who stops al no.
Thing in pressing his peculiar schemes We puD-
lish al length his late letter from New Orleans
However. al a different period and unde! differ
en circumstances, such scheme might have
been regarded win favor BY leading Sou'herh
men, il cannot be denied, hal al the present mo-
men when the fanatics Of the North are moving
Heaven anil earth 10 break down the South, This
agitation Of the subject by Mr.. Clay must encou-
rage The Northern Abolionisls in their insane
projects. In submitting This letter, we cannot
bul rejoice ha, his own Kentucky is opposed 10
his movement-and This bur adds 10 The mischleV-
Gus ard daring character OF his present course
On The 81 February he Legislature Of Kentucky
unGnim0uSly adcp.ed The following resolution:
"Resolysd, That We, the representatives of The
people Of Kentucky, are opposed 10 abolition or
eran, ipatioa OF slavery IN any form OF shape
artaiersr, except as nov provided by The Const'-
ru,.oE and laws OF the STATE"
The Lexington Observer, leading Wing or
gan devoted 10 MIR. Clay, comes out in strong
terms against Mr. CIay's letter and SAYS:
III MIR. Clay had been in Kentucky, and fully
appriscd Of public feeling upon this SUBJECT, as
displayed IN The Legislature and elsewhere, he
woui1 have made, We think, the concluding paTl
Of his euer still stronger, and frankly said al
cnce that h. saw no hope Of executing his wlsnes
now. ana advised his friends 10 Telinquish an I'M
nrac able undertaking.
nWhal effect this document is 10 have upon
the c.untiy, remains 10 be seen. we believe the
settled convictions ui The public mind on this sub
jcct a.c too strong 10 be shaken by the potent III
i1urnce Of MIR. Clay's name or the Strength Of The
arguments he may ajduce"
The Louisville Journal confirms The accuracy
Of this reflection OF popular sentiment, when il
says:
awe must rciterate The expression OF our iull
conviction that there is al this time the isht
est earthly chance that the State Convention, 10
b. held next fall, will incorporate in The New
Constitution provision tor the emancipation of
slaves. We do not believe there are len counties
thai will send emancipation delegates 10 the Con-
yenliop. AMI our opinion upon this subject has
been formed upon tree and careful consultation
with the most enlightened men members ol The
l., eisa,ure and Others, from every county in the
Stale"
A letter from Kentucky in the Union is TO the
same effect:
Emancipation is dead in Kentucky beyond
The expectation Of lis greatest opponents -
There can be no doubt at all that the course oil
the abolition party in Congress has led TO this
result. Thtre IS no doubt either, that il was
once quite a strong parry; hut until il was seen
what the Abolitionsts determine to do through
| The genera, government, nothing viii be done 10
favor emancipation in the slave States
II was is the teeth Of these unequivocal de-
mons,ratons that MIR Clay wrote and published
mis- sweeping emancipation letter which Las
called from the New York Tribune, q stall:h
anti slavery poper, compliment as follows:
"Tbe Loco Foco Legislators who withheld
| from him their votes for Senator on the avuwed
| ground OF their hostility 10 his Free Soil prin.
| ciples and Emancipation tendencies, Ter once did
him iuslice in their eIcus- il not in their deed.
| Mr.. Clay is an advocate OF Free Soii-n"t alone
in remote California, hul in present Kentucky.
| He would tree The soil oi his own loved State
| from The blight ard curse o Human Slavery
Ills tendencies arc in ruth toward Liberty ard
he does not wait 10 see how Ire party will be al
A
great metropolis OF Slavedum he made mp his
mind TO oppose openly aud thoroughly The Annex
/ alton Of Texas from that same metropolis his
voice again pea!s through lhr land peadin2 tor
| deIiycfanCe 10 those in bundage-ior new jubi-
| he OF Free ION. |, must be Needed and ie.--
/ We 40 not believe The worlt will stop al The
point indicaird by them, but We are grateful 10
whomsoever ,piu ,mpel uto'ward mus far. II The
pruple OF Kentucky shall now DECIDE thai Slavery
| among lnem shall not oulast another generation,
| ami that The Slaves may be Tree only on condI-
| non ~ their reslora ion 10 Africa, public opin-
! ION u,ll soon grow up which will mol only cher
iSh tic ac' a Emancipation, but PIT aside ne con-
| 6it,on. WhcEever lie people OF hen'ucky shall
| t.,ermine 10 be rid u Slavery, they will hnd
.o,ne tircclei way 10 ctf CT their purpose Than by
| sending all their Slaves OF 10 Africa. But We
| thank The man who says ST much in favor OF
| Emancipation and in such manner as 70 disa.m
| he p,cindicrs If hundreds al is The first ep
| that coslsn and that Mr.. Cay has taken decisive
| H. We trustthe pc pie will lake care oil The re-
| inainder- shortening the Interim and decree
| ing earlier Emancipation Dithont enforced colo
nizalion in distant Africa. Courage and Action
frirnjs al impartial Freedom! The hour i
abnu, 10 slrke-ihe knel! OF Bondage TO be SCUM
| dei!"
This aiG,;, ion editor shows with what conf
der CO The Northern fanatics rely upon This enter
ine Wedge iur iu and complete abolition, wiz
an, ann coad,,ions-ruhlessly sacrificing tn
rien's, peace and safety oi The slave States, AM
launching them upon lie hcisieious sea Of aai
,stion and ruin. With The dark cloud that thea
| ,ers Us from the North, We are firmly convinc
ii, thai our only safety is obsia p'inepus -resis
N. movement ~ is tirlh. i is indeed, 'th'
frs; slen Ina, costs" and once begun unier pre-
sent circumstances, i, must induce most DIS
as,rou, condition oil affairs. We aie glad TO fin
in he New Orleans Bulletin "a leading VIII:
pdper) an ar'ic,e which 50 we'll and 50 sironc' J
nrcsrp, these views. The article was publl>hel
xhlic Mr.. Clay was in III city, bu: before hi
letter had transpircd. We make copious cx
,,ac, from il. and would remark, lhsl we hav.
specially Introduced lie evidence Of Wing or
-ans, so as 10 show that party feeling has no
hing to do with their denunciation of MIR
GAYS proposition. The Bulletin referring /,
lie unanimous adoption q The above resolution
by III. Kenucky Legislature, say:
We arc glad to SEQ this demonstration on The
mar, Of Kentucky. Ii is significant Of the &c
lion Of the people, who will be represented II
Convention to meet in few months. for III,
purp SC Of amending the State Constitution
when the question II slavery will be man
subject Of agitation.
The people of Kentucky, when assembled in
! Convention, will view ihr subject in the same
light with their representatives in the Legisla
lure. The Northern Abolitionst have, within
the past few months made such unmlstakable
indications Of heir designs, that II would be
the height of folly for any of tie slave States
contiguous 10 the Tree States, TO hold out any
encouragement to this progressive spirit Of IA
natlcism and discord, BY assuming passive or
| negative character. Dclawart, Maryland, VIZ
e,na kentucky and Tennessee, are what the
fanatics Of the North regard as promising MIS-
siorary ground In consequence OF their pIoI-
unity, they easily incnicaic her m'schievous
bic, the reclamation u asiuve slaves, an annoy
auce 10 which these States are, from their si,ua.