The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-05-04
LETTER FROM MIR. CLAY.
Ms riers onhe suij'e' Of Slavery and Plan o,
Emancipation.

NEW ORLEANS Feb II, lS40.
DEAR SIR: Prior TO my departure from
home IN December last, ia behalf Of your
sell and other friends. you obtained from
me promise 10 make a public exposition
OF my views and opinions upon grave and
Important question which, it vas then anti.
cipa'ed, would he much deba,, and con.
s'dered by the people Ct Ken ucky, during
TINS yeer, IN conse renee OF the approach
ing Convention, summoned TO amend their
present Constitution. | was not entirely
we'll when left home, and owing to that
cause, and my con6nemea, several weeks
during ny SCI urn IN this city, from the eff.
irc,s OF an accident ~h,cb beiel me, have
l'een delay ed in the fu 4 menl Of my prom
I'e. which ! now proceed 10 execute.
The question 10 hich aIude, u wheth
er African Slavery, US it now exist. in Ken
lucky. shall be left to perpetual or iadefi
mite continuance, or come provision shall be
made, IN the new Constitution, for lis grad.
dal aud ultimate extinction.
few general observations will suffice
my present purpose, without entering on the
whole sutI"ci of Slavery. under all it's bear
'ngs aud IN every sspcc. Of il. am a.
~a'' that there are respectable persons
~ho believe that slavery is a blessing, tina,
The institution ought to exist in every we'll
organized society, and ,ha, i. Is even favor.
abe TO the preservation Of liberty. Hap.
PLY. the number who entertain these ex
"asagan' opinions is mol very great, and
the time would be uselessiy occupied in an
elaborate refutation of them. | would
however. remark that, if slavery be frauehl
with these alleged benefits, the principle
on which 1t is maintained, would require
that one portion OF the white race should
be reduced to bondage TO serve another
portion Of the same race, when black cub
jets Of slavery could DO. be obtained and
that IN Africa where they may entertain
;" great preference for their color az we
do tor ours, they would b, justified in re.
duc'ng the ~hno race to slavery, in OF der
TO secure the blessings which thu, state is
sard 10 dtfuse.
An srsumen'. in supper, Of 'educing the
African race TO slavery, is sometimes de.
fved from their alleged intellectual inferi.
o''ty 10 the white races; but, If this argu.
men' be founded in fact, (as i. may be, bs,
which ! shall no, nov examine il would
prove entirely too much. Itwould prove
that any White nation, Nk;ch had made
greater advances 10 CO. ii.xation, kno wledge
aud vision then smother ~hire nation
would have a ugh. to reduce the latter to
a state OF bondage. Nay further, if the
pHsc'pal of suhjngation founded upon in
'eace!oal superiority be true, and be appIi.
cable to races and to nations. what is 10
prevent lis being applied 10 individuals =
And then the "ises, uias in the world would
have right 10 make slaves Of all the res,
oil mankind!
II indeed We possess this intellectual su.
petlo'i'y, profoundly grateful aud .haukful
TO I'll NJ who has bestowed it, we ought to
fuihll oil the obligations and duties hich
II imposes; and these would require us DOT
to sui Jpgate or deal usjns.ly by our fellow.
men ~ho are less blessed than we are, but
10 instruct, 10 improve and to snlighten
them.
A vas! maj rity of the people Of the &.
nited States, m every section of them, | be.
ieve, regret the introduction Of slavery 10.
% The Colonies, under the authority of our
British ancestors; lament that q single
'lave ireads our soil deplore the necessity
II the continuance Of slavery in any of the
states; regard the institution 90 grea,
wi 10 both races, and would rsioice 10 the
dop'on of any safe, jlst and practicable
Ian for the removal OF all slaves from a.
nong US. Hitherto no such satisfactory
Ian has been presented. When, on lie .
ccasion of the formation Of our presen,
of Kentucky, in 1893, tho
ues'ion OF emancipation of slavery ia that
tate was agi'a ed, it's friends had to en-.
ounter great obstacle, in the fac. tina.
'sre then existed no established colony.
which they cou'd be transported. Now,
y the successful establishment of flourish.
g colonies on the Western coast Of Afrl.
!, that difficulty has been cbvia,ed. And
confess, that, wilhoa. indulsng in any
ldue iee'iag Of superstition, it does seem |
me that. Il may have been among the I
sPensasions OF Providence to permi. the ,
rongs, under which Africa has suffered. To ,
II h'cted tina. her children NIGH, be re.
red to their original home, civilized, i'm. h
led with the benign spiri, of Christianity. n
d prepared ultimately to redeem that u
eet ContiaeRt from barbarism and idol II
~. 4
Withos' undertaking to judge for any D
ler State, /. ass my opinion 10 1899 tina, {,
'nlucky was in q condition TO admit of II
gradual emancipation Of her slaves and K
" deeply do lament tina, system. with tv
!. object had not been then established y,
i had been, the State would now be near. III
rid OF all slaves. My opinion has never ar
'nsed. and have frequently publicly OK. be
ssed IT. ! should be mos, happy if~ha,
. imprac'ieable al tina. epoch could now tr,
accomplished. a.
After full and deliberate consideration Of 4,
subject, it appears to me tina, three tu,
,eipaIs should regulate the es.a bli.hmen, f.,
, Srsfnrn IF a d.,nI