The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-24
Mr.. Clay and Free Soil.

We alluded yesterday to MIR. CLAY Cleveland
letter, stamping hima Free-soiler. twas exten
sively republished at the time, but mainly if not
exclusively, in papers politically hostile to him;
and we insert it now, that Southern men
who have hitherto been his strenuous supporters
should read his late speech by theight it affords.
We have hitherto refrained from abiding to
this notorious fact, partly because of the adj
vanced age and public services of Mr.. CLAY,
which made us unwilling to say aught that could
prejudice the Southern people against him,
while there yet remained hope even of his tardy
cooperation in the cause of the Union-and
partly because we believed that he might have
deemed it his duty, on the failure of his own
scheme, to sacrifice his speculative opinions to
the great interests of those he represents, whose
views on this subject he has had good reason to
know were Numerically opposed to his own.
In both these hopes we have been disappoint-
ed !: for exasperated by his failure to dragoon
the Southern people and the Southern men into
the support of his scheme, Mr.. CLAY has fiercely
denounced those Southern men who would not
follow his lead into the quicksands of Free Soil,
as disumonists and traitors. 4
Thus assailed and vilifed, those Southern
supporters of the "Great Kentuckian,' who have
hitherto INDUCED in hopes of the final abandon
mer. of his free soil doctrines, can cling to that
broken reed nolonger. Hehimself has formally
renowned and repudiated all connection with "the
traitors" whose treason consists in their refusal
to aid in the surrender of all the spoils of a
common struggle to the arbitrary and insolent
commands of the North, basing the claim on an
assertion in itself grievous wrong and insult.
Henceforth no man can doubt where HE,,IY
CLAY stands--the head and front of the Free
Soil faction--animated by the same unfinching
courage, the same pertnacity of purpose, the
same regal will, the same impotence of all
contradiction and all opposition, which have
gained him so many friends and admirers, and
alicnated irretrievably as many more.
These qualities none can deny to HEN
RY CLAy-nor can any one charge him with
the concealment of his opinions. Frank and
fearless, he openly assumes his ground, and per-
mits no partial alegiance-those who are not with
him are against him, and his hand is raised to
crush all who resist his authority. That ground
is Free Soil now--and few indeed of his old
Southern friends will be found to stand by him.
high as their personal love and reverence may
be- Much might be forgiven to Coriolanus
while true to Rome--but Coriolanus at the
head of the invading enemy, laundering at the
gates of the city, can find no partizans exceptin
those who own higher allegiance to his per-
son than to the State
The boldness Of the man who would frown
down his own section, struggling only for right
and justice, all must recognize: but for the polit
cian his past must plead the sole apology for his
present. with those in the South who for long
series of years, through good report and
through eyiireport," chung to HENRY CLAY, and
indignantly repudiated the idea that when the
struggle came between the two sections, his voice
and influence would be found on the side of
free SOIL
AS formerly one of the @few, but firm and faith
ful' in Carolina (where to hold such opinions was
not stepping stone to advancement) the writer
deliberate ayowals of Mr.. Clay, 50 often repeat