Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1850-11-28
Henry Clay's Great Speech.


Henry clays Great Speech.
We can only give some extracts from
Henry CIay's Speech, delivered on the l5tI
inst, before the Kentucky Legislature, a
the unanimous request of that body. The
Louisville Courier telegraphed it from
Frankfort.
The last session opened under the mos,
lowering and unfavorable auspices; the
public mind had been greatly agitated, dis.
tracted and divided upon subjects connect.
ed with the institution OF slavery. had
witnessed other periods of great contes,
and ngitaion; in the case OF the admissio,
OF Missouri the whole nation was greatly
cOnvuscd there was just cause of some xp.
prehension for tie safety Of the Union
In the instance. also, OF the opposition Of
South Carolina to the tariff, in 1882 and
1888, there was great danger Of civil war
with that State, which might, in certain
events, have spread to surrounding States q;
but wha, peculiarly distinguished The late
struggle was, that far more than on any
former occasion was The sentiment avowed,
not merely of the existence OF danger to
the Union, but we heard in various quarters
an open and undisguised declaration OF the
necessity and desire for its dissolution we
beheld, too, what we had never before seen
in time of peace--the assemblaye of Il
sectional convention Of delegates, the ten.
dency of which was to break up the con-
tederacy.
The most difficult, complicated and en-.
barrassing question which engaged our de-
alterations, was that of the boundary Of
Texas; three different opinions in regard
to il prevailed and were entertained by re.
spectacle members. According to one, the
limit Of Texas was the Nueces, and did not
extend beyond it. Another opinion was,
that it stretched beyond the Nueces to the
Rio del Norte, and up the river from its
mouth to the southern line of New Mexi.
co. The third opinion held that it embra.
ced the whole country east of the Rio del
Norte, from its mouth to its head, including
nearly all New Mexico. All these opinions
were maintained with great plausibility, if.
not ability; the southern members almost
unanimously and with great zeal and ear
nestness, urged the last proposition. 1t ap.
peared to me that if ever there were case
upon earth in which disputed boundary
should be settled amcably y, adjusted by COM
promise, that of Texas was one. We Of
Ter, 1t is true, Il very large sum OF money
ten millions of dollars--for exclusion of
New Mexico from her limits but then wo
we were previously bound for nearly one
half Of that sum to the creditors of Texas
in consequence Of the U. S. having, in vir.
tro e tka e. .,
propriated to themselves all the duties of
foreign imports receivable in the ports of
Texas, whilst independent, which had been
previously pledged to their creditors.
The last measure in the series was
that Of the abolishing the slave trade in the
District of Columbia. That trade had lost
much of its extent by the retrocession to
Virginia of that portion Of the District ~
ing South of the Potomac, aud by other
events, it was reduced, think was in
formed, to single prison or depot, in
which slaves were deposited those slaves
were not bought in the District, but were
brought chiefly from Maryland and Virgin
ia into the District; it was trade in which
the inhabitants of the District had no sort
OF interest; on the contrary, they wished
it abolished. Southern gentlemen, years
ago, had expressed the opinion that it ought
to BE- abolished. 1t sometimes exhibited
the institution Of s.averyin one Of its most
painful and unpleasant forms. have my.
self seen, not often, nor lately, gangs of
slaves chained together driven through
Pennsylvania Avenue and what humane
person can contemplate such spectacle
without painful feelings! The existence OF
the trade gave rise to great clamor and great
,exaggeration at the North why should it
be continued in the District Why not let
she trader, if he chooses to continue 10
prosecute his business, go to Alexandria, to
Richmond. Annapolis, or Baltimore :-if|
the States Of Virginia and Maryland will
not allow him to go there that is no reason
why he should be tolerated in the District
It was in the clear and indisputable power
of Congress TO abolish the trade in putting
IN end to it
"*s At all events, the field of ex.
element and agitation has been greatly cir.
cumscribed.
Thus, Mr.. Speaker, trust aud believe,
thst Of all the numerous threatening topics
connected with slavery at the commence.
ment Of the late session Of Congress, one