The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-12
MIR. CLAY AND MR.. C0RWIN.
WHITE HALL PosT OFFICE,

In your paper of the 2lst instant, under til
! head Of Mr.. Corwin and the Abolitionists
| you undertake to defend Mr.. Corwin and Cen
sure me. Yours is an Anti.Slavery journa
which reaches the great mass of Anti-Slaver
men in the Union. | think | have som
claims, if not to the sympathy of the Anti
Slavery press at least ~ a fair hearing. fol
have not published my letter, whilst you com
ment freely upon it to my prejudice. The ex
tract you quote, is msquoted. | have yer,
great Difference for your opinions, but in thu
vindication of my ideas of what becomes I
public man, | cannot yield to the authorit!
even of tho Era.
You say Mr.. Corwin had supposed me hi
friend, and you ask why did not write to hin
to ascertain whether the representation in thu
Southern Patriot was q fair one, before making
war upon him. After Mr. Corwin had stoo,
with Mr. Fillmore to the "extent of his defec
tion," | could not regard him in any othel
light than as the enemy Of that cause which
hold not only above all friendships, but al
kindred.
His denunciation Of large class of men
whom you know and he knows are honest
you confirm. Whilst q friend of the cause o.
Abolition, among Aboltionists it was vel
enough; but such speeches to men who were
attempting illegally with him our lives, by con
Siruetive treason, is very different affair
have not lived long enough in Washington tC
have charity only for the characters of the
powerful
You seem to think that Mr.. Corwin hai
made sacrifice of himself" yourself Tt
what is he sacrifced2 Does he fall in the
cause Of freedom? If he does, retract all
how DO tha Il
No. he preferred if not to take, as you con-
tend, at least to HOLD Office, at the expense OF
the avOwals of his whole life. He has sacri-
feed himself" to that power before which 20
many other ADLER, if not better, men have fall
len. May he be the last
was not aware that Mr. Corwin was about
to seek retirement from public life" trust
am not destitute of magnanimity. have Inotl
now, and never had any, personal grievance
against Thomas COrwin. have made no issue
OF that sort. have commented freely on his
public acts wish that their example could
perish from the record IL il an ungrateful
task for any man, Of any scnsibility, to sit cen
sOr upon the acts of others Over private
faults all should be ready to throw the mantle
of charity; but poc TO the Republic ,chen ais
censors only are ensured
iOur ODcuicHt SerNanC, y. vi. CLAY.
p s. | recommend the latter part of your
advice to yourself--a thing you have Invariably
forgotten, when have been party.
C.MC.
REMARKS BY THE EDITOR OF THE ERA.
Our article was q vindication of Mr. Corwin
not an attack upon Mr.. Clay; therefore, we did
not feel bound to publish the letter referred to.
And the reason why we did not publish it was,
that both gentlemen were personal friends,
and we did not wish to wound the feelings of
one, or suffer the other to appear before our
readers in position that does not seem to be
in harmony with his general character for
fairness and generosity. To remove all ground,
however, for imputation against our justice,
wo now publish the letter. with the single
that there are other charges in it
that could be as readily disposed of as those
VIC have noticed.
The extract which Mr.. Clay says was mis-
quoted in our article, was quoted correctly,
with the exception of a word, which was mis-
printed. Mr.. Clay wrote
"Tom, who was neusr fit for anything but
speech, spoke not'
Our printer had it
"Iom, who was nOio fit for anything but
speech, spoke not"
Mr.. Clay misapprehends US in supposing
that we confirm the correctness of the report
in the Southern Patriot We deny it, and
affirm that it does Mr.. Corwn injustice.
AS to Mr.. Clay's unfortunate nsinuation
that we have lived SO long in Washington that
we "have charity only for the characters of
the powerful" he himself when he shall see it
in print will be the first to say that it was not
fit to DO made"
We said, towards the close of our former ar
ticle-
"There are men who hate Freedom, or who
from selfish motives are actively antagonistic to
tt friends. Let our arms be raised against
them"
"A thing" adds Mr.. Clay in his postscript,
9 you have INVARIABLY forgotten, when have
been party" This is a groundless charge
As the editor of the Phiianthropist, in Gin
,innati, we were the first to introduce Mr. Clay
and his Anti-Slavery efforts to the notice of tho
free States.
Before no had abjurcd the practice of duel
ling, VIC publicly demonstrated against that
vice in his ethics, but with the utmost forbear-
ance and when he renowned it, in obedience
to his own convictions no ono was 10 prompt
in commentator rs the PhiIdnthropist.
In the case of the slave girl Emily, we
blamed him, but with great kindness, and took
pains to defend him against the harsh accusa-
tons of Eastern Anti-Slavery men, and to
plead for the press he had established at Lex
ington.
When he left his post rs an Anti-Slavery
editor, and enlisted in the Mexican war; after
having denounced it rs atrocious beyond palli
alton, We arraigned his policy in pointed terms
80 as to counteract its injurious tendency OF
the Anti-Slavery cause but we promptly pub
lished his letter in reply and the closing para
graph of our comments upon it will show, ever
in that case, whether we disregard tho advice
quoted above
ain conclusion" we wrote, eve would re
mark that, while we are horror-stricken at tn
wish expressed by an Eastern paper, tina
Captain Clay may be the first to perish in thi
ignoble war; we earnestly hope that he ma.
live to repent of what VIC cannot but deplor
rs monstrous and ruinous delusion."
After his return from that unjust war, an,
when he began to resume his Anti-Slaver.
labor in Kentucky, the Era was the first Anti
Slavery paper out of Kentucky to welcome hin
to the field; and that, too, without any refer
ence to tho past. ~
Mr.. Clays postscript must have been penne
in moment of forgetfulness
In regard to his letter against Mr. Corwir
we wish he had publicly retracted it. IT. q
this late date, he is disposed TO arraign MI