The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-17
The New York Union Committee In bad
Odor with the CLAY men.

question of slavery.
The New York Union Committee In bad
| Odor with the Clay men.
On Saturday last, it being the 18TH birth day
of Mr. CLAY, his friends in New York had a fes-
tival to commemorate it. The Herald and the
Tribune concur in the following curious report
Of the contemptuous notice taken of the Union
Committee" of that city. The following was
the second regular toast proposed
| HENRY CLAY.-"Ycu are still to US all that YOU
have been throughout our lives--still great, hon.
orable, just, pure, patriotic and wise-still "frst
of living men," and "frst in our hearts "-stilI
greater than president or monarch, for you are
still Henry Clay i"
| The announcement Of this sentiment was re-
ceved with cheer after cheer, which lasted for the
space Of FIVE minutes. After the enthusiasm had
somewhat subsidized, Hon. JOSEPH L. WHITE was
called upon to respond. That gentleman prompt
y complied, and after making an alusion TO the
Fugitive save law, which he declared constitu-
tic nal, he gave uterance to the following opinions
respecting the origin and acts of the late Union
| Safety Committee
| Now, gentlemen, it is sometimes pleasant to
indulge in little retrospect Do you remember
the time when Henry Clay first introduced his
| resolutions into the United States Senate-those
very resolutions in which were embodied all the
principles which were aferward contained in the
| series of compromise measured Do you remem-
Der that not a single senator or representative
| could be found to speak in their favor while they
were uncertain Of the sentiments Of the people on
the subject, before the people had spoken out in
their might in favor Of them! Very few presses,
either north of Mason and Dixon's line or south
of Mason and Dixon IS hne, had anything to say
in their behalf. Everybody, every paper had
something to find fault with, some Improvement
to make, some misgiyngs to utter that they
would never be passed. They did not look to the
future. God had not gifted these men with the
power to look into futurty, and to see that the
measures first proposed by Henry Clay in his res
oluhons, were the only measures which could
save this Union. The task of forming them de-
volvec, usual, upon Henry Clay. | remember
when the call was first made upon his old friends
in New York, call nstigated by himself, to sus-
tain him in this great work; and remember how
that call was responded TO; how went, you and
|, and thousands of others, to Castle Garden, and
then and there lifted up our united voices in praise
of the course pursued by Henry Clay in the Sen
ate ofthe United States We did not look ,imidIy
about us to see what other people said Weasked
only--hrst, what does our great leader propose
Second, is it right And with these two cues.
tons answered, we stood once more side by side
under the old aag and when the sentiments ex-
pressed at this Castle Garden meeting had gone
forth and been responded to ,hrougl out the length
and breadth ofthe land, then the compromise mea.
sures were passed, not because they had been
originated by Mr.. Clay, however; not because
they had been sustained and upheld by his match.
less eloquence and enthusiasm petty malice was
at work, and they were split up and passed only
| a separate measures.
Well, after the bill bad passed, when the coun-
try was safe, we find brood of new fledged pat
riots coming into existence. They did not come
up with us to stand by the old man when he need
ed their support. The silk and cotton interests ,rere
then in dang1-lApplause. but after re had Obey
1 al L. H.. r. -
then came these ne,c-born patriots aud formed the
UNION SAFETY COMMITTEES committee composed
for the most part, Of men tcho had been taught from
their infancy 10 hate and dsspise The tee admire
men Tho had contributed their influence, nontu,
poicer and talent TO defeat him in his public career
men rho had killed him at PHILADELPHIA, and shook
hands in frate,nat feeling his political grave
Applause. Is this committee a Wing commit.
tee Is it a iau Wing committee : MOI Nolll
| speak for the Union. Was it Clay Wing com
miltee when Babcock of New Haven--a man who
always stood up for Henry Clay and his measures
"a candidate for Congress against Colin Ingersoll
applied to the Union safety committee to assist
him IN his struggle, and they turned their backs
upon him and said, "No: lngersoll is the better
man y? Is that Whig committee ,ohich uses lis
money and its influence 10 eepaie Looofocos TO po,cer
to the di'parngenent Of good and neH tried friends
Of Clay mo No!lI Well, here is new no.
menclature again. Gentlemen, | must allude TO
eoHetHiHss IVY iIieHu IIhit, mere, saws l must
not say it, but cannot help it. My friend, your
worthy president, Willis Hall. was solicited by a
member Of the Union safety committee to allow
him to propose him as member Of that commit
tee. He gave his consent, and his name was
proposed, when up starts brood Of hungry, un;
dedged lawyers, who have been always cIamor
ing for offce-which, thank God they have not
yet got-and objected to Mr. Hall, because he was
not patriot Think Of that, gentlemenl Your
president, Willis Hall not patriotic enough to
labor with these men and the Journal Of Com
merce
| have said, whenever a crisis came, new mo-
menclature had to be adopted so it is in this
case. We used to know what liberty meant; but
now it is made to mean tricks and devices, to sell
silks Would this committee everuhavc been
heard of, had it not been for the threl of South
| ern rot to buy their goods in New York
The Union has been turned by them into bundle If
silk and bale Of calico. | charge dstinctly that
| the Union safety committee are false patriots
they are guilty of saving the Union under false
pre,ences. indct them, prosecute them on this
charge, before this court of Clay men. You may
do with them as you pease. [Great Applause