Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-12-07
HENRY CLAY,

pressing their appreciation of his distinguished
services at the last session of Congress upon
the Compromise questions, invited him to yis-
it the Legislature, which he did on the 18th
inst He met both houses in the hall of Rep
reSentatives, and was welcomed by Mr.. Speak
er johnson in brief appropriate speech; to
which Mr.. Clay respoded at considerable
length. reviewing the legislation of last winter
and his participation therein.
We are unable to present our readers with
anything more than the conclusion of his re-
marks, which is as follows.
Now, Mr. Speaker, we have the Constitu-
ton, the law and the right on our side. Dis
solve the confederacy, and create new and in
dependent powers, the law and the right would
be transferred from US to them. l may be
asked, as I have baen asked, when l would
consent to dissolution of the Union. l an
swer, never! never! never! because can con-
ceiye of no possible contingency that would
make it for the interest and happiness of the
people to break up this glorious confederacy,
and to separate it into bleeding and beligerent
parts
Show me, what believe impossible to show
me, that there will be greater security for lib
erty, life, property, peace and human happl-
ness in the midst of jarring, jealous and war
ing independent North American powers. than
under the eagle of the Union, and will con-
sent to its dissolution. l would hold to it if
Congress were to usurp power which am
sure it never will, to abolish slavery within the
limits Of the State; for in the contingency Of
such a. usurpation, we should be in better
condition as to slavery, bad as it would be, out
of the Union than IN the Union. Apprehen-
sions hav, been entertained and expressed as
to the world in future time of territorial scope
for the slave population. I believe, that a
very dista0t day, not likely to occur in the
present or next century, whenever the vast
anoccupied wastes in Mississippi Arknsas, Lou
isiana, Alabama, Florida and Texas shall be-
come fully peopled, slavery will have reached
its natural termination.
hedensity of the population in the United
States will then be so great that there will be
such reduction in price and value of labor, as
to render it much cheaper to employ free than
slave labor, and slaves becoming a burden to
their owners, viii be Voluntarily disposed Of
and allowed to go free. Then hope and be-
lieve, under the dispensations and blessings ot
Providence, that the continent of Africa, by
the system of colonization will be competent
to receive from America, all the descendants
of its own race. If the agitation in regard tc
the Fugitive Slave Law should continue and
increase and become alarming, it will lead tc
the foundation of two new parties, one for thC
Union, and one against the Union. Present
parties have been created by the division o
opinion as systems of National policy; and IA:
to finance, free trade, or protection, the i'm
proyement of rivers and harbors, the distribu
ton Of the proceeds of the public lands, DC
but these systems of policy, springing out o
the administration of the Government of tht
Union, lose all their interest and Importance
that Union is to be dissolved.
They sink into utter insignifcance befor
the all-important pervasive and paramount in
terest of the Union itself, and the platform Q
that Union party will be the Union, the Consti
tuition, and the enforcement ofits laws;-ant
ifit should be necessary to form such party
and It should be accordingly formed, an
nounce myself in this place member, of tina
Union party-whateyer may be its componen
element, Sir. 1 go farther. have had grea
hopes and confidence in the principles of tn
Wing party, as most likely to conduce to tn
honor, the prosperity and the glory of m
country, but if it is to be merged into con
temptible abolition party, and if abolitionism
to be engrafed on the Wing creed, from ths
moment renounce the party and cease to
a. Whig go yet step farther If 1 al
alive will give my honorable support for tn
Presidency to that man, to whatever party
may belong, who is uncontaminated by fana
icism, rather than to one who, crying all th
time, and aloud, that he is Wing, maintain
doctrines utterly subversive of the constitute
and the Union.
Mr. Speaker, speak without reserve, ar
with entire freedom; if there be man wi
treads the soil of this broad earth that fee
himself perfectly indepent, l am that man.
have no ambitious aspiration. l want no
fee, no station in the gift of man. wou
resign that which hold, if l thought coul
do so at this time with honor. l want
place whatever. l beg pardon sir, there
one place only, which l desire, and that is
warm place in your hearts.
Out of our late healed discussions and divi
ions one good result has been produced; Il
people, generally, Wings and democrats, ha,
been more thrown togetherin free and frien
intercourse; both have learned to apprecia
each other. For myself, say alike with tru
and pleasure, that during the late arduous al
protracted session, was in conference al
consultation, as often if not oftener, with Der
ocrats than Wigs, and found in the Der
ocratic party, quite as much patriotism, dev
ton to,the Union, honor and probity, as in Il
other party.
Mr.. Speaker, the State of Kentucky, altE
not one of the largest States in point of pop
lation, occupies proud and lofty position
the confederacy. She was the pioneer Sta
in the settlement of this great valley. She
Geographically not remote from the center
the Union, to which she has always been fri
" attached. The renown of her arms and t
uncalculating gallantryof her people are W
known and admitted. To every field of bi
tie within her reach since the days of the re
olution, her sons have rushed, and poured c
freely their patriotic blood. That splent
monument beyond hill overlooking this p
teresque valley, so creditable to the sulpt
for the beauty of its classical design and t
exeellency Of its chaste execution, attests th