Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-02-23
Clay's Speech,

Having given pretty full synopsis Of the
speech made by Mr.. Clay on the introduction of
his Plan of Compromise, in which the several
features of that Plan were very distinctly bro't
to view, we do not deem It necessary TO appro-
pirate much Of our limited space to an cxamina-
ton Of his moro elaborate argument in its de-
fence, delivered in the Senate on the 9th and
9Th inst. That argument fills fourteen solid
columns of the National Intelligencer, but 1t Is,
after all, little moro than his FIRST speech ham
nlered out TO gossamey hinness, which makes il
the sport of Freedoms gcntlest breeze. There
is nothing in it to stir mems blood-no onthusi-
asm for Liberty, no devotion to Right, no zeal
for Truth, no adherence to Moral Principle. 1t
rises not above the low level of Expediency, on
which Mr.. Clay has stood during his whole pub
lie life. It oontemplates nothing higher or no.
bier than q scheme by which Liberty and Slave
ry, Light and Darkness, Truth and Falsehood,
may 'dwoll together in unity How was it
possible, with such an object in view, that Mr..
Clay, with all his genius, should give utterance
to noble and generous thoughts, or excite the
deepest and purest feelings Of his auditors =
His God is the Union, the work Of mems hands,
the device Of cunning politicians to circumvent
the Almighty To this idol he would sacrifice
Justice, Truth, and the dearest Rights of mil
lions of his countrymcn. With words of piety
upon his lips, he charges God with foolishness,
and deliberately proposes to subvert his law as
tho only means Of securing the welfare Of the
Nation! Seek first the kingdom of God and
ITS RIGHTEOUSNESS said tho Divinoly commits
stoned Jesus; seek first the pcrpctuity of our
glorious Union at whatever sacrifice of Truth,
Justice, or Principle, says Mr.. Clay. No mat
tor Il millions of hearts be crushed by the iron
heel of the dcspot, il no spot in our country be
safe from the tread of the an-hunter, if every
breeze of heaven be frcighted with the sighs of
the down-troddcn and opprcsscd-still says Mr..
Clay, cling to the Union by which all this load
of wickcdness is made to rest upon the shoul-
ders of the North as well as the South.
There is one part of Mr.. Clay's speech which
has excited in our breast emotions Of deepest in
dignation and horror. 1t lis diabolically cool, in
fernally atrocious. 1t proves conclusively that
Mr.. Clay, in spite Of his smooth exterior and
! pious professions, has ROTTEN HEART. We al
lude TO what he says about the capture Of Fugi-
tive Slaves. On this point hc goes with him
who goes faythsa.' Witness his precise words;
"It is our duty to make the law more effective,
and shall go with the Senator from the South
'who goes farthcst in making PENAL LAWS and
imposing the HEAVIEST SANCTIONS for
ths recovery Of Fugitive Slaves, and the resto-
ration of them to their owners"
II the man who could utter sentiment like
that, at this meridian of the Nineteenth Centu-
ry, and in a land Boosting o. Liberty, is not a
villain at heart, then let tho word be banished
from tho language, and Haynau, the Austrian
man-hunter and butcher, be baptized as a Chris.
tian. Suppose Mr.. Clay. Tor the sake of certain
pecuniary and commercial advantages proffercd
to US by Austria, had deliberately proposed @
treaty with that government, stipulating, among
other things, that an Austrian agent (Haynau
for example,) might come here, and by the helr
of our courts, jails and sheriffs, drag from ou,
shores the Hungarian refugees, who have beer
the recipients of so much American sympathy
Would not the whole people have cried out with
horror against proposal so inhuman and mon
strousi Would they not have said, Perish
commerce, perish property, perish every earthly
interest, sooner than consent to porpetratc suci
q crimei
We stop abruptly, because the printer tell
es that our columns are moro than full. Blu
why say morc' Is mot the case plain one
too plain to need argument or illustration;