The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-08-13
From the southern PIES
MR.. CLAY AND FEEE-SOiL


W. alluded Yesterday 10 Mr.. Clqy's
Cleveland letter, stamping him a tree,
soiler. Il was extensively republished
AT the time, but mainly If not eXclu-
siyely, in papers politically hostile 10
him and we. insert 1t now, that South
ern men who have hitherto been his
strenuous supporters should read his
late speech by the lightit affords.
We have hitherto refrained from al
ludins to this notorious fact, partly be-
cause of the advanced age and public
services Of Mr.. Clay, which made us
unwilling TO say aught that could pres
iudice the Southern people against him,
while there yet remained a 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
scheme, to sacrifice his speculative
opinions to the great interests of those
he represents, whose views on this sub
iect has had good reason to know were
Numerically opposed to his own.
In both these hopes we have been dis
appointed for exasperated by his fall
ure to dragoon the Southern people
and the Southern men into the support
ofhis scheme, Mr.. Clay has f%iercely de-
nounced those Southern men who
would not follow his lead into the quick
sands of Free Soil, as disunionists and
traitors.
Thus assailed and vilifed, those
Southern supporters of the Great Ken
tuckian," who have hitherto INDUCED
in hopes of the final abandonment Of
his free soil doctrines, can cling to that
broken reed no longer. He himself
has formally denounced and %repudated
all connection with "the traitors !"
whose treason consists in their re-
fusal to aid in the surrender of all the
spoiIs of a common struggle to the ar
bitrary and insolent commands OF the
North, basing the claim on an asser-
ton in itself a ]grievcous wrong and in.
suit
Henceforth no man can doubt where
Henry Clay stands-the head and front
of the Free Soil faction-.animated by
the same %un1inching courage, the same
Impotence of all contradiction and all
opposition, which have gained him so
many friends and admirers, and'aliena-
ted ir~retrievably as many more!
These qualities none can deny to
Henry Clay nor can any n charge
him with the concealment of his opin>
ions. Frank and fearless, he openly
assumes his ground, and permits no
partial allegiance-those who are not
with him are against him, and his hand
is raised to crush all who resist his au-
thority. 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 revcr-
ence may De. 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 excepting
those who own a higher allegiance t'
his person than to the State. :,
The holiness Of the man who woult
frown down his own section, strug'
Cling only for right and justice, al
must recognize: but for the politician
his past must plead the sole apolog.
for his present, with those in the Soutl
who for a long series Of years. "througI
rood report and through evil report,
chung to Henry Clay, and indignant.
~repudiated the idea that when tn
struggle came between the two sec
tons. his voice and influence would b
found on the side of free soil.
AS formerly one Of the STEW, bu
firm and faithful" in Carolina (whor
to hold such opinions was not n step
ping stone to advancementl the write
of this heard more in sorrow than !;
anger the deliberate avowalS of MI
CLAY, SO often repeated thfs~s 2ssior
and so vindictivly and f%iercely advari
ced on Monday last, that State Sover
eighty must succumb to Federal--tha
resistance to unconstitutional aggres
sion was treason-and that Kentucky
at his call, should coerce Carolina t
obedience, should she in the assertio
E Of her sovereignty rebel!
u If therefore, Mr.. Clay has cut off a.
communion between himself and hi
! former friends at the South, it is by hi
: own act, not theirs-they were true t
! him as long as they could possibly eve
: by self.delusiom, deem him true
e Southerninterests Southern honor, an
y Southern rights, as they understan
If them, When the conviction was un
willingly forced upon them, they woul
e have proved false and recreant ha
n they still chung to him. The divisio
e has been effected--the alienation ha
! been rendered final and complete b
his last public act--and SOLITARY an
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