The New York herald., 1851-10-17
VOICE FROM ASHLAND.
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A GREAT UNION LIE TIER
FROM THE
HON. HE NRY CLAY.

oxSTLEMEs-! hays the honor to acknowledge the re
cep yesterday OF the address which you transmitted
to me- from number OF gentlemen in the city Of New
York Emanating from source highly respectable
an1 imposing from friends and fellow citizens so numer
GUS and intelligent and to whom under such great
obligations have perused with ofound attention and
Difference After adyeng to the present stste public
affairs TO the spirit adverse to the Of conpro
mise adopted during the as Congress which prevails
In certain quarters to the necessity Of unremit,ed
tions to preserve glorious enion ana to what has
been so seasonnby and wen done; with much ability,
eloquepce and patriotism by soe Of eminent
abode here to appear In your greas sy address
my feow-ctzens the tual sition ans menacag
feel gentlemen WITH the greatest interest and the
deepest soictude the full force Of all that you have
and dedicate the remnant of life Me largest and
best part Of which has been spent in the public srvice
to the cause f the Union IL the state Of ny health oud
allow me- and If believed that any fresh exertion3 of
mine would be useful But since the long sesso, of
the last Congress during wch my arduous duties
greater than VT II able encounter my health rs
been delicate and has remained SO throughout the
paft summer hope that it is improving, but II still
requires the most assiduous care; and L entertain
serious arprehensions that If I to accept your
invitation and throw myself into the scenes Of ex-
cit.ment incident to it. my strength might fail me,
and my present debility might be much increased There
Is no place am fully where Ishould find more
ardent and enthusiastic friends in party and
courtesy and respect in the other, than in the
mercisl metropolis OF the Union. Whilst I
strained with much regret respectfully to decline the
PIE ent views which have taken of public al airs
and which trust may be received a substitute for
any oral exhibition ef them which could make before
large concourse Of my fellow. citizens in New York
IL wss not supposed by the authors and supporters
Of the compr in the last Congress that the adop
toD OF the series Of which composed it, would
secure the unanimous Of all Their
BILE hopes confined to the great of the peo
pie Of United States and their hopes have not been
disappointed Everywhere north, south east and west
immense majority of the people satisfied with,
acquiesce In the compromise This may be confidently
asserted in regard TO thirteen Of the saveholding States
and to thirteen if not fourteen of the free States. In
few Of both classes of the ates and in particular
localities, dissatisfaction exists exhibiting itself occasion
any in words of great violence and intemperance but
this feeling ia trust where 1t has most prevailed gra
will present rapid survey Of the actual state Of
thire as appears to me- both at the North and the
South, beginning at the former.
In all that region there n but Of the various
mise measures that Is seriously sssaed and that is
the law made in strict conformity with the constitution,
fer the surrender Of fugves from lawful service labor
But the law ITSELF with exceptions has been every
where enforced opposition TO it is constantly sbatne
and the patriotic obligations of the
and the laws made directly or indirectly by the people
themselves Is almost universally recognized and ad
mitted H. in the execution Of the law by the public
ttCiy, popular discomfort Is tmetimes manifested IL
has with the exceptions mentioned been invariably
pressed or prevented from obsructng the officers of
justice in the performance Of their official duties i'll
am correctly Informed great and sautary change has
been made and yet in progress, at the North, which
authorizes the conndent anticipation that and
law will finally chieye q noble triumph.
The necessity Of maintaining and enforcing that law
unrepesed and without any modification that would
seriously impair its efficiency must be admitted by the
impartial jucsment Of all candid men. Many of the
slavehoding States, and many public meetings CT the
people in ths have deliberately declared that their ad
her.nce to the Union depended upon the preservsoa
OF that law, and that its abandonment would be tn
signal Ct the dissolution Of the Union know that tn
eboltioni,ts (some ofwhom openly q desire to
produce that calamtcus event aud their partzans de-
ny and derde the existence of any such danger but
nen who will not perceive and own 1t, must be blind
to the tgns Of the times to the sectional strife which
has unh apply arisen to the embitered feelings which
have been excited rs well as the solemn resolutions
deliberative assemblies, unanimously adopted. Their
dhrgard Of the danger, am apprehensive proceeds
more from their desire TO continue agitation, which
augments H. than from their love Of the Union itself
You refer gentlemen, to resolutions and addresses
adopted Mt conventions lately assembled around Ia
which we have seen with regret, as well as
alarm that the question Of adherence the coDpromise
avoid, or evaded and you justly deprecate the ten
eency Of these resolutions have rot been nAttsn
tive or Indifferent observer Of thom and with you
deeply regret their adoption wish that these respec
table bodies could have been ess ambiguous and
explicit In declaring th's determination to acquesce
in and abide ty great measure CT peace and compro
nse which, foi mirg al epoch in the progress OF our
aud frsternal feelings ong cur divided ~ountTymen.
There necessity TO right 20 discuss TO
existed without any express reservation not only a. to
that law but "a to all laws and to the constitution
cif which hes incorporated in It the right Of amend
ment and consequently that OF discussion But there
occasions when spirit of moderation shuli prompt
forbearanoe to tx,rcie that right II 10
tended lan meets the eye more than to proclaim the
theoretc light oldiseussion II were designed 70 an.
porrce the right of urremitted agitation, to continue
Tie chtrsctobs OF the country, and finally II posoble
moDy must condemn the unwise course fraught with
the most mischieyous and perilous consequences.
ard Dordnate pride Of opinion. Many persons at the
North had svowed invinbIe hostility 70 the fugitive
law, and declared their intention forcby - OBJ
siuct its execution and had Appealed TO higher law
which as they contended, arauac-ot TO all human
k.iSation Thee untenabie positions were wholly ire
cor cabe wf.h patriotism. with the existence
of regular government Itself obeyng the dictates IL II
to be hoped q wiser aud purer, ard social
te the parties Who under the impulsss Of passion and
affumed.
and acknowledged their unqu sionsbie duty to submit
10 the law until II Is modrd or repealed by competent
authority In descending from the high and perlous
ground which they could not safely occupy to that Of
coIceding the obligation Of submission to the law we
ton and to the duties Of established government II
they have coupled with this proper concession the
upon repeal or the amendment Of Law to which they
had taken exception, may we not hope that their
purpose was only to secure eecent retrest, vita
secret and patriotic determination TO forbesr from dis
turbiDg that return 10 harmony and tranquility
eesary to the saety and prosperity Union should
uon continue to disturb and distract countryto
array section against tecton and 10 threaten the stab
lily Of the governmeut-my confidence IL unshsken In
the great body Of Northern eowctzens that they
will In due time and In q right manner, apply an ap-
propriste and snectusl corrective.
1n turning attention 20 the South and 10 the slave
holding States We behold enough 10 the friends
OF the but little TO excite socitude ana alarm
In all Those States except three thess
the Union In two OF thcee three Georgia and Mses
spp We have much reason TO hope, from their known
patriotism and intel igence that the attachment
exists on the part of large msjorities Ct the people At
ali events. th,fe among them, Of whose devotion and
bdelity TO the Union serious apprehensons enter
tsined. have been constrained, deerence 10 public
opinion materially TO change their principles and to
TO the polls upon new issue They have renounced
and denounced the practical right of secession at pre-
sent snd taken shelter under the convenient mask of the
abstract tight Whether this shifting Of position
viii safety the people Of those two States remains TO
be seen They Will doubtless seriously consider that
there but short step between the heoretc assertion
snd the practical exercise Of that right and In
tngetcy, neither remote improbable, " they affirm
the right they may be called upon 90 involve them
selves In ell the cslsmitous evils of a civil
south Carolina sore furnishes st present occasion for
oftund reg'et Pnd serious apprehension not 1ch
for fecury Of Union for her peace and
rery We ere compelled painfully and reluctantly TO
yield TO the force Of concurripg evidence, establishing
that there exists IN that State general dissatisfaction
with snd general desire 90 withdraw from the Union;
snd tbst both partestDat which Il for separate State
aotcr and thai which Insists upon the necessity Of the
oooperstion o other Staetequaly agree 20 the
pedtnoy d secession, and differ only In the degree Of
ess or prudence which chsracterizes them re.