Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-08-20
F. J. ALFRED, EDITOR.
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"NVfaere is Henry Clay 81

ssSVaere is Henry Clay ~
4 The time was when every sentence uttered
by the distinguished Kentucky Senator was look
ed upon as prophetic of evil or Of good, BY the
universal Wing party, as the subject gave him
scope for the exercise of his great powers. Moth
ing fell from the lips of Mr.. Clay that was not
regarded as the embodiment of truth and the
perfection OF reason-and, as has been humour-
ously observed of another distinguished Senator.
who, when he took snuff, a whole State sneezed:
SO, when Mr. Clay spoke, the universal Wing
party gave audience. Like good Mussulmen.
they all laughed when the Sultan smiled. But
how IS it now? "Where is Henry Clay :" els
achilles in his tent''-or has he sulenly retired
from the field and left his gallant comrades to
contend against the foe--an enemy as hostile to
the peculiar institution of the South as were
those who were disgorged from the wooden
morse alter 1t had been permitted to enter the
gates OF Troy. Such, aforetime, was not the
wont OF Henry Clay. In periods of peril and
excitement, far above the rest, his voice
could be heard, in words of burning eloauence
recountIng the wrongs and injuries of his coun-
try-or IN silver tones soothing the passions
winch had been wrought into frenzy by the ILL
timed enactment of an ill-judged law? Where
is that Henry Clays
| AT this moment an agitation is felt throuehout
the entire South, by all her citizens, in relation
to the security of the peculiar property which it
is the good or i'll fortune Of that country to DOS
sess-and this feeling is rendered the more in
tense because of the mystery in which the opin-
ions OF the present Chief Magistrate is envel-
oped Wll he sign the Proviso or not No one
can tell. His Northern friends say he WILL
his Southern friends say he WILL Nor-and in
this state OF uncertainty the question rests The
South is In straitened condition. "Where is
Henry Clay :" Is he for or against us His re-
cent "cautiously' penned letter to the Cleveland
Meeting, leaves us no room to hope that the
South is to receive any more aid from the great
Kentuckian. He has given in his adhesion to
the Free Soil principle, and avows his aversion
to the extension of slavery No matter, then
whether he votes for or against the Proviso, il
can do the South but little good-the influence
OF his great name has been given to the mis-
chaecous movement; and if it pass the House OF
Congress the President has said he will not ueto
any bills which are not "clearly unconsitution-
all" that being the carrying out sthe will of the
people as expressed by their Representatives.
The minority must take care Of itself. CQveat
emptor! The South must submit we suppose.
with the best grace she can, and content herself
with combining population Of some millions, and
which is rapidly increasing, in small extent of
territory, beyond which they dare not 60 What
is to be the result of policy like this is a cues
ton submitted to the sober Judgment of sober
men, In coming years the bloody scenes of St.
Domingo are to be re-enacted on American soil,
and those who are now masters will become the
slaves Disguiseit as we may, 'To this COM
pleXion it must come at last"
That statesman would be laughed to scorn
who would pledge his reputation that the South,
an series of Years yet to elapse will be able to
control this population, by any means other than
the sword and the bayonet. 1t cannot be-and
the whole Proviso scheme, in our opinion, is a
scheme devised to force the South into emanci-
patton; else why this raking up of an obsolete
law which has lain dormant on the statute-b book
Tor more than sixty years. and which has never
we believe, been enforced, since its adoption.
The "Missouri Question: was compromised bv
a surrender which the,south ought never to have
made, and though she agreed in the true spirit
OF lovetor the Unien, to the terms of that COM
PROMISE the South neuer did acknowledge the
justice OF the demands of the North. Let the
North i'll the same spirit. of love cease MAKING
her unjust demands upon the South, and herself
yield as much as the South has done, and our
difficulties, at once, are settled
These friends of humanity will blush for the
misery and wretchedness which must ensue to
the very beings, of which they are now the hyp-
oc1at@ helpers and sympathisers, not for right
business but for seshness' SAKE if they continue
to persist in this course of wrong-doine to the
South.
We admire the tone and spirit of can't Lieu
tenant Benton," in the last Spectator We are
pleased at the 'pungently severeo remarks he
makes upon the course of the great Humbupger
Let that correspondent now lash Mr. Clay for
pursuing the same course as his compeer in the
Senate, and we will give him credit for honestu
ofpurpose--a whole-souled Virginian who looks
above the mists of party when questions involv-
ing much of veal or wo are being discussed
We conclude as we began, by asking, "Where
is Henry Clay? :"
70 We have neglected, for a week or two,
to state, lat the request of Capt. R. H. HoLLAND)
that ne is an agent to obtain subscriptions to Dr.
FRosT's History Of the MEXICAN War. No man
Is better qualified to write History of that war
than Dr. =, and the public may calculate on