The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-07-19
Mr.. ely ON AROLITONISM.

In 1889 Mr. Clay prepared speech upon
abolitonsm, and read it to a friend before its
delivery in the Senate. That friend suggested
to hill that, whilst he fully approved his senti-
ments, he doubted the policy of delivering 1t,
in view of his prospects for the Presidency
Mr.. Claws reply did him immortal honor He
said. 6 would rather be right than be Presi-
dent: shall deliver the speech He did de-
liver il and it will always stand amongs. the
proudest monuments of his eloquence, pa'ri
oism. and devotion to the Union With that
sapacity which was his prominent characteristic
he foresaw that the design ofthe abolition move
ment looked to the formation OF two great
parties which should be purely sectional and
ueooraphical--the North against the South
and the South against the North. Such res
MI (and be it remembered that this was the
des,ga of the abolition leaders in opposition 10
the Nebraska bilD Mr.. Clay fofesaw must dis
solve the Union. We recur to his speech now
for the purpose Of extracting that portion OF 1t
which decrbes he dangers Of such section
al organisation Of parties as peculiarly appro'
pirate to be studied at the present time. Mr..
Clay said
"The abolitionists, let me suppose, succeed
in their present aim of uniting the inhabltantso
the free States as one man against the inhabit
ants of the slave States. Union on the one
side will beget union on the other.-And thus
proce IS of reciprocal consolidation will be at
tended with all the violent prejudices, emb't
tered passions, and implacable anlm"sities which
ever degraded or deformed human nature. II
mutual dissolution of the Union will have taken
Mace. while the forms of its existence remain
The most valuable element of union, mutual
kindness, the feelings of sympathy. the frater.
nal bonds which now happily unite US, will
have been ex,inguished. One section will stand
in menacing and hostile array against the other
The collision of opinion will be quickly follow
ed by the clash of arms. / will not attempt I"
describe scenes which now happily lie conceal
ed from our view. AbolitIonists themselves
would shrink back in dismey and horror at the
contemplation of desolated fields, conf1agraed
cities murdered inhabitants, and the overthro"
of the farest fabric OF human government that
ever rose to animate the hopes ofcfviliSed man
Nor should these abotionists ffafter themselves
that. if they can succeed in their object OF u
ni,inp the reople of the free States, they will
encounter the contest with a numerical super
;or;,v that must insure victorv. All history and
experlence prove the hazard and nnc"rlafnty OF
war And we are adnonished by H"ly Writ
that the race is not 10 the swift, nor the battle
to the strong But If they were to conquer,
whom would they conquer foreign foe, one
who had insultad our flag, invaded our shores,
and laid our country waste? No, sir. no, rr
1t would be conquest without laure's, without
glory; a self, suicidal conquest; conquest Of
brothers over brothers, achieved by one over an
other portion Of the descendants OF common an
eestors, who, nobiy pledging their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honor, had fought and
bled side by side. in many hard battle on LAM
and ocean, severed our country from the Brit
ish Crown, and es' abIished our national 'nde-
pendence.