The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-03-13
Leportaaat Letter from Mr.. Clay:
HIS VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT OF SLAVERY AND
Plan of Emancipation.
from the Lexington Observer and Reporter

New ORLEANS, Feb. IL, IS49.
Dear SirPrior my departure from home in December
from me promise TO make public exposition of my views
and opinions grave and question which
by the people of Kentucky during this year
present CONSTITUTION was not entirely Wen when left
home and owing to that and confinement several
accident which beiel me- have been delayed in the fulfil
mant OF my promise which now propose to execute
slavery now exists in kentucky shall be left per
peqa or indefinite continuance or some povson shall be
extinction
pose without entering ON the whole subject OF slavery un-
der all its bearings and in every aspect OF it, aware
blessing, that the institution ought exist in every well
organized society, and that it is even favorable to the
these exavagant opinions not very great and the time
Sem e an an , @
with these alleged benefits the principle on which main
should be reduced to bondaee 10 erSe another M oop Of
the same race when black subjects Of slavery could not be
preference for their color do for ours they
would be justified in reducing the white slavery,
An argument in support of reducing the African race
slavery sometimes derived from their alledaed intellectual
founded IN fact, Gas it may be, but which saa not
that any white nation which had made greater advances
cvzatlon knowledge and wisdom than another white ma
bondage. Nay further if the principle of ubjugaon oun
ded upon intellectual superiority be true and be applicable
individuals? And then the west man in the world would
have right to make slaves Of all the rest of mankind
oundly grateful and thankful HIM who has bestowed it
we ought to I all The OBLIGATIONS and duties which +
pnusy by our feowmen who are less blessed than we are
majority Of the people Of the United Slates every
section of them, believe the Introduction of slavery
tors lament that single slave treads soil deplore
necessity of the continuance OF slavery OF the States
regard the Institution great evil to both and would
rejoice in the adoption OF safe Just and practicable plan
s pn has se o on the
occasion OF the formation OF our present Constitution OF Ken
slavery in that State was agate is friends had to
ter great obstacle in the fact that there then existed no
Western coast of Africa that difficulty has been obviated
And confess, that, without INDUCING undue feel
of superstition, it does seem that may have been
ands s e b se e e
den might be returned to their original home civilized i'm
ultimately to redeem that great Continent from barbarism
Without undertaking Judge for any other State
my opinion in 1893 that Kentucky condition ad
NIT OF the gradual emancipation of her slaves; and how
been then established If had been the State would now
nfi m s ays Ny has %
happy II what was lmpractcabe at that epoch could now
After full and deliberate consideration of the subject it
appears to that three principles should regulate the eab
hmeDt OF system OF gradual emancipation he fist Is
that should be slow its operation cautious and gradual
SO as to occasion CONFUSION any rash or sudden dis
indispensable condition. the emancpated slaves should
be removed from the state to some Colony Ard thirdly
Guiding outfit for months after their arrival at it, should
be betrayed by fund to be rased from the labor OF each
Nothing could be unwse than the immediate liberia
ton of all the slaves the State comprehendng both
and all ages from that OF tender infancy extreme old
1t would lead the most ghul and fatal consequences
by extreme care and cicumspecon The introduction of
slaves into the Colonies was an operation Of many years du
ration and the work OF their from the nted States
can only be effected aite the dpse OF treat ength OF time
should be free at specified age all born before it remaining
slaves for life That period would suggest should be 1850
tenn if adopted, incl liberal obviate
objections, and to unite ss many opinions as posi-
system be little earlier later is not important that
ee na we
within the limits Of the Commonwealth ,0eo -.
any other day. all born after Isugget should be free at
the of but be liable afterwards to be hired
under the authority of the State for term not exceed
ing three Yeas, in order to raEa sufficient to pay the
OF their transportation to the Colony and to provide
1.-THE descendants of those, who were themselves to be
free at the age OF Were also to be Is
continued indefinitely IS to time IS manfe1t that slavery
guard against this consequence. provision might be made
that the offspring of those who to be free at twenty
that they should be aDprenticed until they
and be also afterwards liable to be hired out period
ceedng three for the of raising funds TO meet
the to the Colony and their subsistence for the first
The Pennsylvania plan of emancipation fixed the period
of twenty eight for the liberation of the slaves and provided
ha wbo We % free at M sse
from their births free. The Pennsylvania system made NO
| Until the commencement of the system which am
deavong sketcn think all the legal rights of the pro-
pnetos slaves their fullest extent ought remain
impaired and unrestricted Consequently they would have
the right sell devise them from the State and
in the latter without their offspring being entitled TO
the benefit of emancipation for which the system provides
ID The colonization OF the free blacks as they
freedom, consider condition absolutely indispensable
emancipation tic One hundred and ninety odd thousand
blacks, composing about oneourth OF the entire popua
peace harmony and equality with the residue Of the pop
uation The color passions and prejqdces would forever
dial union Social moral and political degradation would
be the inevitable lot OF the coored Even in the free
States q the flee and slave States not in any
bn & the axe Of 6evy} that IS their present
don In some Of those free States penal legislation
against the people OF color quite as severe II not harsher
United States amagamaon and eqnaity between the
possible it better that there should be separa
ton and that the African descendants should be returned
1t will have been that the plan have suggested
poses the annual transportation OF all born after specified
day upon their arrival at the prescribed TO the Colony
which be elected for their destination and that this
of transportation Is to be continued until the sepaa
ton of the two is completed u the emancpated
Of it would be about yeats be-
fore the first annual transports began 1t the system COM
mence in sa5 and about thty-n yeas It's operation
What the number thus to annually transported would
the Auditor that the increase of slaves in Kentucky last
year between three and four thousand But as that
statement made upon comparison OF the aggregate
number of all the slaves the state, without regard to
births it does not presume, exhibit truly the natural
crease which was probably larger The aggregate at
teced by the introduction and still by The eSpoaton
of slaves suppose there would not be less probably
more than five thousand be transported the first OF
the operation of the system; but after it in progress
some there would be constant elimination OF the
| number.
Would it be practicable annually TO transport five thou
sand persons from Kentucky! There cannot be doubt OF
it. or a much larger number We receive from Europe
annually emigrants amount exceeding two hundred
and fifty thousand for the OF about ten
dollars per head and they embark at European ports more
distant from the United States than the Western coast OF
Africa 1t is true the commercial marine employed be-
tween Europe and the United States affords facilities In the
TRANSFORMATION of emgrants that low rate which that
gagged in the between Liberia and this country
does not now supply but that commerce IBcreas ng and
by the time proposed SYSTEM if adopted would 20 INTO
operation will greatly augmented II there were
certainty the annual transportation OF not less than ve
thousand persons Africa would create demand for
transports and the spirit of competition would, have no
doubt greatly diminish the present cost OF the passage That
cost has been stated good authority to be at present.
fifty dollars head including the passage and sx months
opttt after arrival of the emgrant IN Afuea Whatever
NAV be the cost and whatever the number to be
the fund to be raised by the hire OF the liberated slave o
I three